the idea behind
gms.
an open initiative for transparent, research-based scientific standards.
Why should the principles of scientific citation remain unquestioned conventions? GMS begins with this question—and with the conviction that better standards should be developed transparently, tested critically and made accessible to everyone.
Years of work with scientific texts, student needs and academic quality.
An engineering background paired with digital educational development.
Critical comparison and scientific evaluation instead of assumed superiority.
why i started
this project.
“Scientific standards should not only be applied. Their purpose, design and development should also be open to scrutiny.”
Through my studies and my work in educational services, I have repeatedly encountered the diversity of citation requirements. Different faculties, institutions and disciplines rely on their own conventions or on established international style guides. For students and educators alike, this raises practical—and scientific—questions.
What makes a citation rule useful? Which features promote clarity and verifiability? Why are some systems easier to implement digitally than others? And could we combine carefully selected strengths without losing the distinct needs of scientific disciplines?
These questions led to the German Manual of Style. My intention is not to declare an existing system obsolete, but to investigate its strengths and limitations, develop a transparent alternative and invite the academic community to evaluate it critically.
a path across
disciplines.
Selected stages—not a complete résumé. Each contributes a different perspective to the GMS initiative.
media & communication design
Early experience with visual structure, information design and the communication of complex ideas.
applied computer science
Academic studies and engineering qualifications with a technical and methodological foundation.
1a-Studi
Development of the 1a-Studi educational brand and services for scientific writing, quality assurance and digital learning.
mba in digital education management
Academic work on education, innovation, digital systems and organizational development.
german manual of style
Initiation of an openly documented research project, with the German Citation Style as its first planned module.
STANDARDS / STRUCTURE / SCIENTIFIC PRACTICEwhy citation
matters.
Citation is more than a formal requirement. It makes scientific reasoning traceable, allows sources to be evaluated and connects new knowledge to existing research.
In the German-speaking academic community, locally shaped citation traditions coexist with international manuals, institutional guidance and evolving digital tools. Whether this diversity creates avoidable difficulties—and where a modular standard could improve practice—must be established through research.
These are research questions, not proven deficiencies of existing citation standards.
make standards
open to scrutiny.
To research, document and develop scientific writing and citation standards that are transparent, understandable and openly available—supported by documented reasoning and practical tools.
from the german-speaking community. for international research.
A modular, internationally usable manual whose rules can be tested, discussed and improved by an independent scientific community.
a hypothesis,
not a conclusion.
GCS begins as a research proposition: one shared rule framework, three citation modes and a separate annotation system. Its potential value must be examined, not presumed.
compare established systems
Examine existing citation conventions and the theoretical reasons for their strengths and limitations.
study real needs
Use surveys and expert interviews in Germany, Austria and the German-speaking part of Switzerland to investigate requirements and barriers to adoption.
publish and invite scrutiny
Document the research journey publicly, distinguish hypotheses from findings and make the emerging standard open to critical evaluation.
credibility through transparency.
GMS is initiated by Stefan Schulz, founder of 1a-Studi. This practical background is part of the project’s origin, and potential commercial interests must remain visible. Scientific decisions should be supported by sources, explicit criteria and independent feedback—not by the identity or expectations of the initiator.
GMS is a developing initiative. Its first GCS module is not currently an officially recognized scientific or international norm.
follow the work.
challenge the ideas.
The German Manual of Style is intended to grow through research, critical discussion and participation—not through claims of authority alone.