demog-topic-selection
Use when deciding whether a project fits Demography (PAA / Duke University Press) and which article type to target. Demography is the multidisciplinary population-science flagship, so the test is general interest to demographers and a genuine population-change question, not just use of demographic data. Helps frame the question; it does not collect data.
Profile →npx skills add brycewang-stanford/Awesome-Journal-Skills --skill demog-topic-selection --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.
# Topic Selection & Fit (demog-topic-selection) Demography publishes research "of **general interest to demographers**" on **how populations change, the measurement of population composition and change, and their components** — fertility, mortality, and migration — plus the **causes and consequences** of those changes. The bar is not "I used census data"; it is **"this advances population science."** Use this skill to pressure-test fit before you invest. ## When to trigger - Choosing among possible projects or framings for a Demography submission - A colleague said the paper is "not really demography" or "a health/econ paper using pop. data" - Deciding between a **Research Article**, a **Research Note**, and a **Commentary** - Unsure whether the contribution is descriptive measurement or causal explanation ## The Demography fit test A strong Demography paper usually clears all four: 1. **A population question.** It is about a demographic process or outcome — levels, rates, timing, composition, or change in fertility, mortality, migration, family, health/aging, or population structure — not a topic that merely happens to use a demographic dataset. 2. **General interest to demographe
- When to trigger
- The Demography fit test
- Domain framing (speak to population science, not just your sub-area)
- Article-type choice
- Anti-patterns
- Worked fit check (illustrative vignette)
- Output format
- Supplementary resources
What does the demog-topic-selection skill do?
Use when deciding whether a project fits Demography (PAA / Duke University Press) and which article type to target. Demography is the multidisciplinary population-science flagship, so the test is general interest to demographers and a genuine population-change question, not just use of demographic data. Helps frame the question; it does not collect data.
How do I install it?
Run `npx skills add brycewang-stanford/Awesome-Journal-Skills --skill demog-topic-selection --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.