📜 Terms of Service

Ming Scholar is an online writing assistance platform for academic researchers, providing paper writing, literature search, citation management, AI polishing, and other features.

We are committed to providing you with high-quality academic tools and services, but please note:

• This service is only an auxiliary tool and does not replace your independent academic judgment and research work;

• You are solely responsible for the authenticity, originality, and compliance of academic achievements generated using this service;

• We make no guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of academic content.

2.1 Eligibility

You must be at least 18 years old or use this service with guardian consent. Using this service indicates that you have full civil capacity and agree to comply with these Terms.

2.2 Account Registration

• You must provide true, accurate, and complete registration information (email address);

• You are responsible for maintaining account security and safeguarding login credentials;

• You are fully responsible for all activities and actions under your account;

• If you discover unauthorized use of your account, please immediately notify us via GitHub Issues.

2.3 Account Termination

You may request account deletion at any time. We also reserve the right to suspend or terminate your account in the following circumstances:

• Violation of these Terms or applicable laws and regulations;

• Engaging in fraud, abuse, or other conduct that harms the platform or others;

• Prolonged account inactivity (over 12 months).

When using this service, you agree not to engage in the following behaviors:

• Infringing on others' intellectual property or other legitimate rights;

• Plagiarizing, appropriating, or improperly using others' academic achievements;

• Publishing false, misleading, or illegal content;

• Conducting commercial advertising, spam, or malicious marketing activities;

• Interfering with, damaging, or attempting unauthorized access to the service's technical systems;

• Using automated tools (such as bots, crawlers) for large-scale access or data scraping;

• Engaging in any behavior that violates academic integrity or ethics;

• Other behaviors that violate laws, regulations, or public morals.

If violations are detected, we have the right to immediately terminate your account and pursue legal liability.

4.1 Your Content

Content you create, upload, or generate while using this service (papers, citations, notes, etc.) belongs to you. You grant us the right to use, store, and process this content to the extent necessary to provide the service.

4.2 Our Content

All technology, design, interface, documentation, trademarks, logos, and other intellectual property of the platform are owned by or lawfully licensed to Ming Scholar. Without permission, you may not copy, modify, distribute, or commercially exploit this content.

4.3 Third-Party Content

This service may contain links to third-party websites or resources (such as academic databases, literature sources). These third-party contents are not under our control, and we are not responsible for their accuracy, legality, or availability.

We reserve the right to modify, upgrade, suspend, or terminate this service (or any part thereof) at any time without prior notice. Possible reasons include but are not limited to:

• System maintenance, upgrades, or optimization;

• Technical failures or security threats;

• Legal or regulatory requirements or policy adjustments;

• Business decisions or strategic changes.

We will make reasonable efforts to provide advance notice of service changes or interruptions, but to the extent permitted by law, we assume no liability.

6.1 Paid Features

This service may offer certain paid features or subscription services. Specific prices and feature descriptions will be displayed on relevant pages.

6.2 Payment and Billing

• Payments are processed through third-party payment platforms; we do not directly store your payment information;

• Subscription services will automatically renew according to the agreed period unless you actively cancel;

• All fees are based on the currency and amounts displayed on the page.

6.3 Refund Policy

• Due to the nature of digital services, paid fees are generally non-refundable;

• If services cannot be used normally due to technical failures or our fault, you may contact us to request a refund;

• Refund requests will be processed within 15 business days after verification.

To the maximum extent permitted by law, we declare:

• This service is provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis, without any express or implied warranties;

• We do not guarantee the continuity, security, error-free nature, or suitability of the service;

• We are not responsible for losses caused by service interruptions, data loss, system failures, or third-party actions;

• We are not responsible for the accuracy, legality, or academic quality of user-generated content;

• We assume no liability for service interruptions or losses caused by force majeure (natural disasters, wars, government actions, etc.).

Under any circumstances, whether in contract, tort, or other legal theory, we (including our employees, partners, suppliers) shall not be liable for the following losses arising from the use or inability to use this service:

• Loss of profits, data loss, business interruption, or other indirect losses;

• Compensation exceeding the total fees you paid to us in the past 12 months;

• Losses caused by third-party actions (such as cyberattacks, hacking);

• Losses arising from your violation of these Terms or applicable laws.

Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or limitation of liability; in such cases, the above limitations may not apply to you.

Your privacy is extremely important to us. We will collect, use, and protect your personal information in accordance with our Privacy Policy. Please read our Privacy Policy carefully for details.

By using this service, you agree that we may process your personal information in accordance with the Privacy Policy.

10.1 Negotiated Settlement

If you have any disputes regarding this service or these Terms, please first contact us via GitHub Issues, and we will do our best to resolve them through negotiation.

10.2 Governing Law

These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the United States, without regard to conflict-of-law principles.

10.3 Dispute Jurisdiction

Any disputes arising from these Terms shall be submitted to the relevant courts in the United States for resolution.

We may update these Terms from time to time to reflect service changes, legal requirements, or business adjustments. Updated Terms will be published on the platform with an updated effective date.

We will notify you of significant changes via email or platform notifications. Continued use of the service indicates your acceptance of the updated Terms.

If you do not agree to the new Terms, please stop using this service and delete your account.

12.1 Entire Agreement

These Terms (together with the Privacy Policy) constitute the entire agreement between you and us regarding the use of this service, superseding any prior oral or written agreements.

12.2 Severability

If any provision of these Terms is deemed invalid or unenforceable, that provision shall be adjusted to the minimum extent necessary, and the remaining provisions shall remain in effect.

12.3 No Waiver

Our failure to exercise or delay in exercising any right under these Terms does not constitute a waiver of that right.

12.4 Assignment

You may not assign your rights or obligations under these Terms without our prior written consent. We may assign these Terms upon reasonable notice.