diff --git a/spec/policies/map_policy_spec.rb b/spec/policies/map_policy_spec.rb
index b160fead..7dd33707 100644
--- a/spec/policies/map_policy_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/policies/map_policy_spec.rb
@@ -7,12 +7,12 @@ RSpec.describe MapPolicy, type: :policy do
     context 'commons' do
       let(:map) { create(:map, permission: :commons) }
       permissions :show? do
-        it 'can view' do
+        it 'permits access' do
           expect(subject).to permit(nil, map)
         end
       end
       permissions :create?, :update?, :destroy? do
-        it 'can not modify' do
+        it 'denies access' do
           expect(subject).to_not permit(nil, map)
         end
       end
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ RSpec.describe MapPolicy, type: :policy do
     context 'private' do
       let(:map) { create(:map, permission: :private) }
       permissions :show?, :create?, :update?, :destroy? do
-        it 'can not view or modify' do
+        it 'permits access' do
           expect(subject).to_not permit(nil, map)
         end
       end
@@ -39,15 +39,15 @@ RSpec.describe MapPolicy, type: :policy do
       let(:owner) { create(:user) }
       let(:map) { create(:map, permission: :commons, user: owner) }
       permissions :show?, :create?, :update? do
-        it 'can view and modify' do
+        it 'permits access' do
           expect(subject).to permit(user, map)
         end
       end
       permissions :destroy? do
-        it 'can not destroy' do
+        it 'denies access' do
           expect(subject).to_not permit(user, map)
         end
-        it 'owner can destroy' do
+        it 'permits access to owner' do
           expect(subject).to permit(owner, map)
         end
       end
@@ -56,21 +56,16 @@ RSpec.describe MapPolicy, type: :policy do
     context 'public' do
       let(:owner) { create(:user) }
       let(:map) { create(:map, permission: :public, user: owner) }
-      permissions :show? do
-        it 'can view' do
-          expect(subject).to permit(user, map)
-        end
-      end
-      permissions :create? do
-        it 'can create' do
+      permissions :show?, :create? do
+        it 'permits access' do
           expect(subject).to permit(user, map)
         end
       end
       permissions :update?, :destroy? do
-        it 'can not update/destroy' do
+        it 'denies access' do
           expect(subject).to_not permit(user, map)
         end
-        it 'owner can update/destroy' do
+        it 'permits access to owner' do
           expect(subject).to permit(owner, map)
         end
       end
@@ -80,15 +75,15 @@ RSpec.describe MapPolicy, type: :policy do
       let(:owner) { create(:user) }
       let(:map) { create(:map, permission: :private, user: owner) }
       permissions :create? do
-        it 'can create' do
+        it 'permits access' do
           expect(subject).to permit(user, map)
         end
       end
       permissions :show?, :update?, :destroy? do
-        it 'can not view or modify' do
+        it 'denies access' do
           expect(subject).to_not permit(user, map)
         end
-        it 'owner can view and modify' do
+        it 'permits access to owner' do
           expect(subject).to permit(owner, map)
         end
       end
diff --git a/spec/policies/synapse_policy.rb b/spec/policies/synapse_policy.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4c725e37
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/policies/synapse_policy.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+require 'rails_helper'
+
+RSpec.describe SynapsePolicy, type: :policy do
+  subject { described_class }
+
+  context 'unauthenticated' do
+    context 'commons' do
+      let(:synapse) { create(:synapse, permission: :commons) }
+      permissions :show? do
+        it 'permits access' do
+          expect(subject).to permit(nil, synapse)
+        end
+      end
+      permissions :create?, :update?, :destroy? do
+        it 'denies access' do
+          expect(subject).to_not permit(nil, synapse)
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'private' do
+      let(:synapse) { create(:synapse, permission: :private) }
+      permissions :show?, :create?, :update?, :destroy? do
+        it 'denies access' do
+          expect(subject).to_not permit(nil, synapse)
+        end
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
+  #
+  # Now begin the logged-in tests
+  #
+
+  context 'logged in' do
+    let(:user) { create(:user) }
+
+    context 'commons' do
+      let(:owner) { create(:user) }
+      let(:synapse) { create(:synapse, permission: :commons, user: owner) }
+      permissions :show?, :create?, :update? do
+        it 'permits access' do
+          expect(subject).to permit(user, synapse)
+        end
+      end
+      permissions :destroy? do
+        it 'denies access' do
+          expect(subject).to_not permit(user, synapse)
+        end
+        it 'permits access to owner' do
+          expect(subject).to permit(owner, synapse)
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'public' do
+      let(:owner) { create(:user) }
+      let(:synapse) { create(:synapse, permission: :public, user: owner) }
+      permissions :show?, :create? do
+        it 'permits access' do
+          expect(subject).to permit(user, synapse)
+        end
+      end
+      permissions :update?, :destroy? do
+        it 'denies access' do
+          expect(subject).to_not permit(user, synapse)
+        end
+        it 'permits access to owner' do
+          expect(subject).to permit(owner, synapse)
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'private' do
+      let(:owner) { create(:user) }
+      let(:synapse) { create(:synapse, permission: :private, user: owner) }
+      permissions :create? do
+        it 'permits access' do
+          expect(subject).to permit(user, synapse)
+        end
+      end
+      permissions :show?, :update?, :destroy? do
+        it 'denies access' do
+          expect(subject).to_not permit(user, synapse)
+        end
+        it 'permits access to owner' do
+          expect(subject).to permit(owner, synapse)
+        end
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/spec/policies/topic_policy_spec.rb b/spec/policies/topic_policy_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7078496c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/policies/topic_policy_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+require 'rails_helper'
+
+RSpec.describe TopicPolicy, type: :policy do
+  subject { described_class }
+
+  context 'unauthenticated' do
+    context 'commons' do
+      let(:topic) { create(:topic, permission: :commons) }
+      permissions :show? do
+        it 'permits access' do
+          expect(subject).to permit(nil, topic)
+        end
+      end
+      permissions :create?, :update?, :destroy? do
+        it 'denies access' do
+          expect(subject).to_not permit(nil, topic)
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'private' do
+      let(:topic) { create(:topic, permission: :private) }
+      permissions :show?, :create?, :update?, :destroy? do
+        it 'denies access' do
+          expect(subject).to_not permit(nil, topic)
+        end
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
+  #
+  # Now begin the logged-in tests
+  #
+
+  context 'logged in' do
+    let(:user) { create(:user) }
+
+    context 'commons' do
+      let(:owner) { create(:user) }
+      let(:topic) { create(:topic, permission: :commons, user: owner) }
+      permissions :show?, :create?, :update? do
+        it 'permits access' do
+          expect(subject).to permit(user, topic)
+        end
+      end
+      permissions :destroy? do
+        it 'denies access' do
+          expect(subject).to_not permit(user, topic)
+        end
+        it 'permits access to owner' do
+          expect(subject).to permit(owner, topic)
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'public' do
+      let(:owner) { create(:user) }
+      let(:topic) { create(:topic, permission: :public, user: owner) }
+      permissions :show?, :create? do
+        it 'permits access' do
+          expect(subject).to permit(user, topic)
+        end
+      end
+      permissions :update?, :destroy? do
+        it 'denies access' do
+          expect(subject).to_not permit(user, topic)
+        end
+        it 'permits access to owner' do
+          expect(subject).to permit(owner, topic)
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'private' do
+      let(:owner) { create(:user) }
+      let(:topic) { create(:topic, permission: :private, user: owner) }
+      permissions :create? do
+        it 'permits access' do
+          expect(subject).to permit(user, topic)
+        end
+      end
+      permissions :show?, :update?, :destroy? do
+        it 'denies access' do
+          expect(subject).to_not permit(user, topic)
+        end
+        it 'permits access to owner' do
+          expect(subject).to permit(owner, topic)
+        end
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end