Attribution Policy

Last Updated: October 21, 2025

At Holistic Quality, we believe ideas have sources. Intellectual contributions matter. Attribution creates clarity, respects originality, and builds trust.

Core Principle: Every idea, insight, and contribution should be traceable to its source. We make intellectual contribution visible and valued.

1. Why Attribution Matters

In knowledge work and consciousness development, attribution serves multiple purposes:

Credit: Recognizes who contributed what
Transparency: Shows the evolution of ideas
Trust: Builds credibility through honesty
Learning: Traces intellectual lineage
Protection: Prevents idea theft and misrepresentation
Community: Encourages sharing and collaboration

2. What Gets Attributed

Ideas & Concepts

Original frameworks (like Dimensional Literacy Framework)
Novel theories or models
Unique perspectives or interpretations
Problem-solving approaches
Methodologies and processes

Content & Expression

Written content (articles, posts, notes)
Code and technical implementations
Designs and visual work
Research and analysis
Educational materials

Contributions

Feature suggestions that get implemented
Bug discoveries and fixes
Community moderation and support
Platform improvements
Collaborative work

3. How We Track Attribution

Automatic Tracking

HQ Community automatically tracks:

Authorship: Who created what content
Timestamps: When contributions were made
Versions: Edit history and changes
Influences: What inspired or built upon what
Impact: Who engaged with or referenced contributions

Attribution Graphs

We're building visual graphs showing:

Idea evolution over time
Who influenced whom
Collaboration networks
Knowledge flow through the community

4. Using HQ Content

Our Framework (DLF)

The Dimensional Literacy Framework is intellectual property of Holistic Quality, LLC. You may:

✅ Reference DLF in your work with attribution
✅ Discuss and critique the framework
✅ Use it for personal growth and learning
✅ Build applications that integrate with DLF

You must:

Proper Attribution Example:

"This work builds on the Dimensional Literacy Framework developed by Holistic Quality (institute.holisticquality.io), which identifies 12 fundamental dimensions of consciousness."

You may NOT:

🚫 Claim DLF as your own creation
🚫 Remove attribution or credits
🚫 Misrepresent the framework's principles
🚫 Use it commercially without permission

Community Content

When using content shared by community members:

Always attribute to the original author
Link back to the source post/note
Don't present others' ideas as your own
Respect content licenses (if specified)

Community Content Attribution:

"As @MindfulGrower noted in their dimensional analysis (link), the interplay between Pattern Recognition and Narrative dimensions creates unique insight structures."

5. Contributing to HQ

Your Contributions

When you contribute to HQ platforms (code, features, ideas):

You retain ownership of your contributions
You grant us license to use them (see Terms)
You'll be credited in changelogs and documentation
Significant contributions get permanent attribution

Contributor Credits

We maintain public credits for:

Code contributors (GitHub-style)
Feature suggesters
Community moderators
Research contributors
Beta testers and early adopters

6. Reputation & Attribution Score

How It Works

Your attribution score reflects:

Original Contributions: Ideas, content, code you created
Impact: How much your contributions influenced others
Citations: How often you're attributed by others
Quality: Depth and value of contributions
Consistency: Ongoing contributions over time

Benefits

Visibility in the community
Recognition for intellectual contributions
Credibility and trust-building
Portfolio of attributed work
Opportunities for collaboration

7. Plagiarism & Misattribution

What Counts as Plagiarism

Copying others' content without attribution
Paraphrasing ideas without credit
Using someone's framework as if it's yours
Removing attribution from shared content
Falsely claiming authorship

Consequences

First offense: Warning and required correction
Repeated offenses: Reduced reputation score
Severe cases: Account suspension
Deliberate IP theft: Legal action

Reporting

If you notice plagiarism or misattribution:

Report via the content's menu
Provide evidence of original source
We'll investigate and take appropriate action
Original authors will be notified and credited

8. Collaborative Work

Co-Creation

When multiple people collaborate:

All contributors are attributed
Contribution level is tracked (major vs. minor)
Collaboration graphs show working relationships
Credit is shared proportionally

Building on Others' Work

It's encouraged to build on community ideas! Just:

Clearly state what you're building on
Attribute original sources
Explain your additions/changes
Link back to inspiration

Building On Attribution:

"Expanding on @ThoughtArchitect's framework for emotional mapping, I've added a temporal dimension that tracks emotional patterns over time rather than just snapshots."

9. Commercial Use

Using DLF Commercially

To use the Dimensional Literacy Framework in commercial products:

Contact us for licensing: licensing@holisticquality.io
Licensing terms depend on use case
Attribution is always required
Revenue-sharing may apply for derivative works

Community Content

Commercial use of community-shared content requires:

Permission from original authors
Proper attribution and compensation (if applicable)
Compliance with any specified licenses

10. Academic & Research Use

Citation Format

For academic papers citing DLF or HQ research:

APA Style:


                    Holistic Quality. (2025). Dimensional Literacy Framework: A systematic 
                    approach to consciousness mapping. Retrieved from 
                    https://institute.holisticquality.io

Research Partnerships

Interested in researching with HQ data?

Contact: research@holisticquality.io
We support legitimate research
Data access subject to privacy protections
Co-authorship opportunities available

11. Disputes & Resolution

Attribution Disputes

If there's disagreement about attribution:

Contact support
Provide evidence of contribution/authorship
We'll investigate and mediate
Final decisions based on timestamps and evidence

Appeal Process

Decisions can be appealed within 30 days
Additional evidence can be submitted
Independent review for complex cases

12. Contact & Licensing

Questions about attribution?

General Inquiries: attribution@holisticquality.io

Commercial Licensing: licensing@holisticquality.io

Research Partnerships: research@holisticquality.io

Support Hub: support.zezimabuilds.com

Our Commitment: Attribution As Infrastructure

We're building systems that make intellectual contribution visible, traceable, and valued. Not for competition—for clarity. Not for gatekeeping—for recognition.

Ideas have sources. People have impact. Quality deserves credit.

#FTP - For The People, Always