Submitting a chapter explanation
A chapter explanation is a standalone explainer for a chapter or major topic — written by a student who has already studied it and wants to teach it back. Unlike MCQ / Short / Long submissions which test knowledge, a chapter explanation delivers knowledge. It is the longest community contribution type and the most impactful for other students.
TL;DR — Pick chapter, write a 600-1500 word explanation in English + Urdu (translate later allowed), structure it with headings, attach diagrams or worked examples, submit. Other students rate it; high-rated explanations appear under the chapter on the public discovery pages.
When to write a chapter explanation
Three good moments:
- Right after you have understood a chapter the textbook taught poorly. The explanation is freshest in your head and you remember exactly which textbook sentences confused you.
- After a board exam where the chapter appeared. You know which parts the exam emphasised and which were padding.
- When you tutor a younger sibling or classmate through the chapter. Whatever you said to them probably belongs in the explanation.
If you are still confused about a chapter, do not write the explanation — read other students' explanations first and submit your own next year.
Structure
A good chapter explanation has:
- Lead paragraph — what the chapter is about, in one or two sentences.
- Why it matters — what comes next in the curriculum that depends on this chapter.
- Key concepts — 3-7 numbered or bulleted concepts.
- Worked examples — 1-3 examples with full working (use rich-text or attached image).
- Common confusions — what students typically get wrong on this chapter.
- Tips for the exam — board-specific tips you have observed.
- Further reading — links or page references for students who want to go deeper.
The form does not enforce this structure rigidly, but the highest-rated explanations follow it.
Form fields
Open /app/community/contribute, pick Chapter Explanation. Form:
| Field | Notes |
|---|---|
| Class → Subject → Chapter | Pick the chapter the explanation is for |
| Title | A short title — usually the chapter name + a hint of your angle ("Kinematics — the equations explained simply") |
| Body — English | 600-1500 words, rich-text editor (TipTap) with headings, lists, code, math |
| Body — Urdu | Same in Urdu — use the language toggle in the editor |
| Author display name | Defaults to your Google profile name; you can pick a pseudonym |
| Resource images | Up to 8 @ 8 MB — diagrams, scans, your own photos of working |
| Tags | 1-5 free tags |
Writing in TipTap
The body editor is built with TipTap 3 (the same editor used by the admin blog). It supports:
- Headings H1-H4.
- Ordered and unordered lists.
- Bold, italic, underline, strikethrough.
- Inline code and code blocks.
- Math via LaTeX (supported as of 2026-04 onwards).
- Image embeds (auto-uploaded to your Drive).
- Horizontal rules.
It does NOT support:
- Tables (use bullet lists instead).
- Embedded videos (link out instead).
- Custom HTML.
The output is sanitised for safety before storage and rendering. See src/lib/sanitize-html.ts in the source.
Where chapter explanations appear
Once your explanation crosses the eligibility threshold (net votes ≥ 10, gross ≥ 15, no flags):
- It appears on the chapter detail page (
/subjects/:class/:subject/:chapter) in a "Community explanations" section, ranked by votes. - It appears in the knowledge base (
/learn) under the chapter's tag. - It is indexed by the search bar.
Public users (not signed in) can read approved explanations — they are part of the public discovery surface, not gated to authenticated users.
Author attribution
Your display name is shown on the explanation. By default this is your Google profile name. You can:
- Use a pseudonym (any string you want; not validated).
- Submit anonymously (the explanation shows "Anonymous").
- Link to your other contributions (your contributor profile collects all your explanations + MCQs / Short / Long submissions).
If you are banned, your explanations stay live but the attribution flips to "Anonymous (former contributor)" — same policy as MCQ/Short/Long submissions.
Bilingual considerations
Chapter explanations benefit most from being bilingual. A student who learned in Urdu often returns to read in English when the textbook switches them to English in higher classes — having both versions of the same explanation is valuable.
If you are only fluent enough to write in one language, submit in that language with "translate later" checked. A community Linguist (achievement-bearing) may translate it later.
Common questions
How long is too long?
Above ~2500 words, the explanation reads like an essay rather than a study aid. If you have more to say, split into multiple explanations (e.g. one per topic within the chapter).
Can I include math?
Yes — LaTeX support was added in the 2026-04 release. Wrap math in $...$ for inline or $$...$$ for display.
Can I link to YouTube videos?
Yes — but only as plain links (not embeds). The link format is preserved through sanitisation.
Can I update my explanation after publishing?
Yes — chapter explanations are editable by the author indefinitely. (This differs from MCQ submissions which lock after the first vote.) Edits trigger a re-vote — anyone who voted on the previous version is asked to re-confirm.
Can two contributors collaborate on one explanation?
Not directly. The submission has one author. You can co-write offline and submit under either author's name (with the other's permission).
Common rejection reasons
- Plagiarism. Copy-pasted from a textbook publisher's PDF or another website.
- Not actually about the chapter. Off-topic or only tangentially related.
- Misleading. Contains factual errors that would confuse readers.
- Promotional. Pitches a tutoring service or other paid product.
Next
- Bilingual gate — single-language submission rules.
- Voting — eligibility rules apply equally to explanations.
- Submitting an MCQ — the lighter contribution type.