io-topic-selection
Use when deciding whether an international-relations project fits International Organization (IO) and which article type to target. IO is the IR-specialist flagship, so the test is a generalizable theory about international politics where an international or cross-border phenomenon is a major cause or effect — not subfield novelty and not a domestic-politics result. Helps frame the IR question; it does not collect data.
Profile →npx skills add brycewang-stanford/Awesome-Journal-Skills --skill io-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 (io-topic-selection) IO is the **leading journal of international relations**. The bar is not "interesting" or "new to my country case" — it is **a generalizable theory of international politics, tested or developed rigorously, where the international (or cross-border) phenomenon is a major cause or effect.** Use this skill to pressure-test IR fit before you invest. ## When to trigger - Choosing among possible projects or framings for an IO submission - A reviewer/colleague said the paper "isn't really IR" or "is a domestic-politics paper" - Deciding between a **Research Article**, a **Research Note**, and an **Essay** - Worried the paper is a measurement/data exercise without an IR theory ## The IO fit test A strong IO paper usually clears all four: 1. **International level is load-bearing.** An international or cross-border phenomenon — institutions, war, trade, alliances, treaties, IGOs, transnational actors — is a **major cause or effect**, not a setting. Strip the international element and the paper should collapse. 2. **Generalizable theory.** IO publishes "articles that propose generalizable theories." The claim must travel beyond the single case, dya
- When to trigger
- The IO fit test
- IR research-area framing (where does your contribution land?)
- Article-type choice
- Fit-verdict decision table (run before you invest)
- Worked fit vignette (illustrative)
- Anti-patterns
- Output format
- Supplementary resources
What does the io-topic-selection skill do?
Use when deciding whether an international-relations project fits International Organization (IO) and which article type to target. IO is the IR-specialist flagship, so the test is a generalizable theory about international politics where an international or cross-border phenomenon is a major cause or effect — not subfield novelty and not a domestic-politics result. Helps frame the IR question; it does not collect data.
How do I install it?
Run `npx skills add brycewang-stanford/Awesome-Journal-Skills --skill io-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.