apsr-writing-style
Use when drafting or polishing an American Political Science Review (APSR) manuscript so it reads for the whole discipline, follows the APSA Style Manual, and fits the word caps (most Articles < 11,000 words; Research Notes < 7,000; abstract <= 150 words). Tightens prose and format; it does not invent content.
Profile →npx skills add brycewang-stanford/Awesome-Journal-Skills --skill apsr-writing-style --agent claude-code
Same command for any agent — swap --agent for codex, cursor, copilot.
Weekly change comes from our own snapshots, not the repository page — it measures attention, not adoption.
# Writing Style (apsr-writing-style) An APSR paper must be readable by a political scientist outside its subfield, formatted to the **APSA Style Manual for Political Science**, and disciplined to the word cap. This skill is about reaching the discipline and respecting the format — not about generating claims. ## When to trigger - Drafting the introduction, framing the contribution, or final polish - Over the word cap and needing to cut without losing the argument - Writing the **≤ 150-word abstract** - Aligning citations/headings/format to APSA style before submission ## Reach the whole discipline 1. **Front-load the contribution.** By the end of the introduction the reader knows the question, the argument, the evidence, and why it matters to political science broadly. Don't make a generalist dig for the "so what." 2. **Minimize subfield jargon** or define it on first use; an IR reader should follow an Americanist paper. Spell out acronyms. 3. **Argument-first prose.** Lead with claims; use evidence to support them. Avoid "the data show…" without saying what they show and why it matters. 4. **Signpost.** Clear section structure so a reader can navigate the argument. ## The flagship
- When to trigger
- Reach the whole discipline
- The flagship register: write for four subfields at once
- Before → after micro-rewrites
- The ≤150-word abstract, sentence by sentence
- Format to APSA style
- Anti-patterns
- Output format
- Supplementary resources
What does the apsr-writing-style skill do?
Use when drafting or polishing an American Political Science Review (APSR) manuscript so it reads for the whole discipline, follows the APSA Style Manual, and fits the word caps (most Articles < 11,000 words; Research Notes < 7,000; abstract <= 150 words). Tightens prose and format; it does not invent content.
How do I install it?
Run `npx skills add brycewang-stanford/Awesome-Journal-Skills --skill apsr-writing-style --agent claude-code` — it drops the skill into your project so the agent can pick it up. Swap the --agent value for codex, cursor or copilot if you use one of those.
Where does this skill come from?
From brycewang-stanford/Awesome-Journal-Skills, a repository with 909 stars. We read it straight from the repository tree rather than a submitted listing, so what you see here is what is actually published.
Is a popular skill a good skill?
Not necessarily. Stars measure attention, not adoption — a repository can trend for a week and be abandoned. That is why we show the weekly change from our own snapshots next to the total, instead of a single flattering number.