Frequently Asked Questions

On this page you can find a list of frequently asked questions. Just click on the questions below to see the answers. If you can’t find an answer to your question, you can contact us. If this is your first time on the Node, you may want to read our introduction page and our writing tips for Node bloggers.

Do you still have a question? Contact us!

Registering

– Why should I register?

Registering for an account on the Node allows you to write and post content, and also view or add yourself to the Node Network (for details on how to do this see our separate Node Network FAQs). You are also able to comment immediately on posts without having to provide your name and email address every time.

– How do I register?

Go to our registration page and fill in the form. You should receive an automatic email confirming that you are registered and providing you with a password (you can change this later). Please note, users of Safari may experience problems with the password confirmation page, we are trying to address this issue, but in the meantime we recommend you use another browser or to contact us to set/reset your password.

– I have registered but I still can’t post

In order to prevent spammers from posting on the Node, each new account must be approved manually. It can therefore take up to a couple of days for your account to be approved. You will receive an email when you are given author status. If after a few days your account has still not been approved, contact us.

– Why should I provide profile information?

Your username will appear at the top of each of your posts, and when clicked will direct readers to your profile page, which shows all your posts, jobs and comments. In section 5 of your profile you can set up your public profile, allowing you to add a profile image, links (website, X and ORCiD) and a biography. If you don’t add these details, the profile just shows your name and posts.

– How do I update my profile information?

You can update your profile by following this link.

– How do I delete my account?

To delete your Node account, please email the Node Community Manager and request that your account be deleted. Deleting an account on the Node is permanent and irreversible, so think carefully before deleting!

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Posting

– Do I need to ask for permission to post on the Node to post?

No! The Node is your community blog, so you can post anything that you think is of relevance to the developmental biology and/or stem cell community. You are of course welcome to contact the Node if you would like to discuss an idea, but you really don’t have to.

– I would like to write for the Node but I don’t know what to write about

If you would like to participate on the Node but don’t know what to write, we have a few ideas to get you started.

– How do I post on the Node?

First log in via the menu bar. This will take you to the dashboard. We recently updated the Node to the WordPress Gutenberg Editor, which is a so-called ‘block-based’ editor and quite easy to use. Here’s a video showing how to use the editor, with a text run through shown below:

- In your dashboard, hover over ‘Posts’ on the left hand menu – click Add New
- Add title
- Hover over the editor below the title and click on ‘Add blocks’. Default blocks are shown, but you can also search for others or browse all.
- For body text, select the ‘Paragraph’ block. Hovering over your text bring up the block tool – allowing you to add bold, italics, links, etc.
- For headings, select the ‘Headings’ block. Headings can be 6 different sizes.
- For images, select the ‘Image’ block, then upload your image. You can insert a caption below the image. Using the right hand menu, you can add alt. text for those using screen readers, and resize the image as necessary. Images should be JPEGs or PNGs.
- For videos, it’s best to embed, so select the ‘YouTube’ or ‘Vimeo’ block. Simply paste URL to add an embedded video.
- You can add as many kinds of block as you want in whatever order you want
- Once the post is ready, use the right hand bar to add categories, tags, and define a featured image (this is particularly good for social media)
- Before you publish, preview, using the button on the top right of the screen to preview in new tab. It can look quite different in editor versus ‘live’.
- You can save your draft and come back to it later via the top right hand button
- Publish – default is immediately, but you can also schedule publication for the future.

How do I add mathematical formulas to my post?
You can use LaTeX to insert mathematical formulas. For instructions on how to do this please see this link.

– What are categories?

Categories provide an easy way for readers to find the type of post that they are interested in. You can find all the posts on a specific category by clicking ‘Archive’ on the top menu bar. When you are writing your post you can select the appropriate category from the menu on the right hand side. It is particularly important to add any job adverts to the ‘jobs’ category. You can add your post to more than one category.

– What are tags?

Tags are keywords that make your post easier to find. You can add tags to your post by using the box on the right hand side. If a tag already exists, it should load once you have typed it. If your tag does not exist then you can create one by simply typing the new word in. Please use an existing tag whenever possible.

– Can I preview a post?

When writing your post you will see a ‘Preview’ button on the right hand side. Clicking this button will open a new tab or browser window where you can see what your post will look like (but it will not be published on the site at this stage). You can do this at any time while you are writing (although you must save the draft first).

– Can I schedule a post?

Yes! This allows you to write your post now and publish it at a later date. Just click on the schedule option on the right hand side and set the date and time when you would like your post to go live.

– Can I edit a post after I have published it?

It is possible to edit a post after you have published, but you should try to keep this to a minimum, as it interferes with the way RSS feeds and other software scan the Node. You are always welcome to add a comment to your post with extra details, or even write a follow up post if that is appropriate.

– Posting from meetings

We often feature reports on the Node from different conferences and workshops, and anyone is welcome to write from a meeting. Be sure to use the ‘Events’ category and add a ‘meeting report’ tag. There are, however, a few points to take in consideration. The most important one is that no unpublished data should be mentioned unless you have express permission from the speakers. For more details on reporting from conferences, please read our tips on blogging from meetings.

– I’m not a native speaker of English and am not confident about my writing
The Node is a community blog – so articles do not have to be perfect literary pieces and many Node writers are not native speakers of English. However, if you would like some help with writing you can contact the Node Community Manager who will be very happy to help!

– Can I repost my Node post on my own blog (and vice-versa)?
Yes, but we would like you to acknowledge where the post was first published. So if your Node post was originally posted in your own blog, please state this at the end of your Node post (and include a link to your own blog). If your Node post was published first, then include a link to the Node post in your own blog.

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Jobs

– Do I have to pay to put my job advert on the Node?

No. As with everything on the Node, job adverts are free, they just have to be relevant to the developmental biology and/or stem cell community. To post a job advert you must be registered as an author on the Node.

– How do I post a job on the Node?

Posting a job is different to posting a blog post:

- In your dashboard, on the left hand menu hover over ‘Jobs’ and then click ‘Add new’ (alternatively use the + New button on the top menu bar)
- Add a title and the relevant text in the freeform box
- Complete the Job info boxes – job type, expiry date and location are mandatory, all other categories are optional (we hope to have jobs filterable by these categories soon)
- Once you click Publish your job will appear at the top of our jobs board

– Email addresses on job posts

Spam robots scan the internet for email addresses. If you would like to add an email address to your job post but prevent it from being targeted by spammers, you can take precautions. For example, typing [at] instead of the symbol @ may make the address harder to find by spam robots, while still being legible by your potential candidates/applicants.

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Events

– How do I add an event to the events calendar?

The Node has an events calendar where conferences, workshops and courses of relevance to the developmental biology and stem cell community are listed. You can add an event on the calendar by selecting ‘Events’ and then ‘Post an event’ from the left hand menu bar (alternatively use the + New button on the top menu bar).

Fill in the following fields:

- - Title of the event
  - Start and end date
  - Event location
  - Link to the meeting’s webpage
  - Select the type of event from the box on the right hand side

In the main text box you can add registration deadlines or other necessary information, but please keep this short (no more than 2 sentences).

Click ‘Publish’ and your event should show up on the events calendar page on the Node.

– Can I also post an event on the main page of the Node?

If you would like to advertise your event in a more prominent manner or provide more detailed information you can also write a post about the meeting that will be visible on the main page. To do this just compose a post as normal and select the category ‘Events’ and ‘News’.

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Commenting and rating

– How do I comment on the Node?

At the end of each post you will see a box giving you the option to comment. If you have an account with the Node and are logged in, you can comment directly. Otherwise you can add your name and email address (not displayed) and comment. Comments are not moderated, and are immediately posted on the Node.

– Do I need to register to comment?

You don’t need to have an account on the Node to comment: you can simply add your name and email address and your comment will appear on the website (your email address remains confidential). But if you are registered and logged in you don’t need to add this information every time you wish to comment.

– Can I write a comment anonymously?

Sometimes the Node has discussions on sensitive issues. Though we would encourage everyone to comment using their own name, you can also comment anonymously. Simply write an alternative name when commenting.

– I have written a comment but it does not appear online

The Node has software in place to stop spam comments, but sometimes a genuine comment is marked as spam by mistake (for example, if you have included multiple links in your comment). Please contact the Node to have your comment approved.

– Can I edit a comment I have posted?

Unfortunately not.

– Why is there a ‘website’ option when commenting?

If you add a website address, after your comment is posted anyone clicking on your name will be directed to your website. This is a good way to provide an easy link to your blog or to your lab’s website.

– How do I get my picture to appear with my comment?

The images that show up next to some users’ comments are hosted by an external service called Gravatar. Gravatar lets you upload an image that is associated with your email address, and any website that uses Gravatar (such as the Node) will then display your image alongside your comments. To link the image to your Node account, make sure to use the same email address on Gravatar and the Node.

– How can I show I like a post or a comment?

Use the thumbs up symbols at the end of each post/comment.

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Keeping up with the Node

– How can I keep up with new content on the Node?

The Node has new posts almost daily – it can be hard to keep up with new content! There are many ways to keep up with new posts:

- - Sign up for weekly emails by first registering an account with the Node and then go to your profile page to update your email preferences
  - Follow us on X/like us on Facebook
  - Use our RSS feeds

– How can I sign up to receive weekly emails with updates?

You can subscribe to receive email alerts by following this link.

– Is the Node on social media?

Yes. You can follow us on X @the_Node, like us on Facebook.

– How do I unsubscribe from daily email updates?

Just follow the link at the bottom of our latest email.

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Spam and inappropriate content

– How do I report spam on the Node?

Please let us know if you discover any spam by contacting us. The Node team will remove spam as soon as they find it. The full procedure for the removal of spam is outlined in our Acceptable Use Policy.

– How do I report inappropriate or offensive content on the Node?

As for spam, the best way to report inappropriate or offensive content is by contacting us. We will review the reported content and make a decision about its content and any potential offense. Inappropriate content includes profanity, libelous content, threats or copyrighted content. Please read the Terms and Conditions for a complete list. The full procedure for the removal of inappropriate content is outlined in our Acceptable Use Policy.

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Other

– I would like to download the Node logo

You can find different versions of the Node logo here. Please use them if you would like to link to the Node from your own blog.