diff --git a/spec/factories/metacodes.rb b/spec/factories/metacodes.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5cfb38f6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/factories/metacodes.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+FactoryGirl.define do
+  factory :metacode do
+  end
+end
diff --git a/spec/factories/synapses.rb b/spec/factories/synapses.rb
index f39a7dd6..10fd74da 100644
--- a/spec/factories/synapses.rb
+++ b/spec/factories/synapses.rb
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ FactoryGirl.define do
     desc { random_string(10) }
     category :to
     permission :commons
-    association :node1, factory: :topic
-    association :node2, factory: :topic
+    association :topic1, factory: :topic
+    association :topic2, factory: :topic
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/factories/topics.rb b/spec/factories/topics.rb
index ecec31a3..c54301c1 100644
--- a/spec/factories/topics.rb
+++ b/spec/factories/topics.rb
@@ -2,5 +2,7 @@ FactoryGirl.define do
   factory :topic do
     name { random_string(10) }
     permission :commons
+    user
+    metacode
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/models/topic_spec.rb b/spec/models/topic_spec.rb
index b8c5a8e0..17485803 100644
--- a/spec/models/topic_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/topic_spec.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,53 @@
 require 'rails_helper'
 
 RSpec.describe Topic, type: :model do
-  pending "add some examples to (or delete) #{__FILE__}"
+  it { is_expected.to belong_to :user }
+  it { is_expected.to belong_to :metacode }
+  it { is_expected.to have_many :maps }
+
+  context 'has_viewable_synapses function' do
+    let (:user) { create(:user) }
+    let (:other_user) { create(:user) }
+
+    context 'topic with no synapses' do
+      let (:topic) { create(:topic) }
+
+      it 'returns false' do
+        expect(topic.has_viewable_synapses(user)).to eq false
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'topic with one unpermitted synapse' do
+      let (:topic) { create(:topic) }
+      let (:synapse) { create(:synapse, permission: :private, topic1: topic, user: other_user) }
+
+      it 'returns false' do
+        expect(topic.has_viewable_synapses(user)).to eq false
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'topic with one permitted synapse' do
+      let (:topic) { create(:topic) }
+      let (:synapse) { create(:synapse, permission: :private, topic1: topic, user: user) }
+
+      it 'returns true' do
+        expect(topic.has_viewable_synapses(user)).to eq true
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'topic with one unpermitted, one permitted synapse' do
+      let (:topic) { create(:topic) }
+      let (:synapse1) { create(:synapse, permission: :private, topic1: topic, user: other_user) }
+      let (:synapse2) { create(:synapse, permission: :private, topic1: topic, user: user) }
+
+      it 'returns true' do
+        expect(topic.synapses.count).to eq 2
+        expect(topic.has_viewable_synapses(user)).to eq true
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
+  context 'permssions' do
+    pending "TODO"
+  end
 end