worlddev-theory-model
Use when the conceptual or analytical framework is the bottleneck for a World Development (WD) manuscript — development theory that organizes the evidence, not necessarily a formal model. Makes the framework do real analytical work; it does not invent evidence or citations.
Profile →npx skills add brycewang-stanford/Awesome-Journal-Skills --skill worlddev-theory-model --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.
# Conceptual & Analytical Framework (worlddev-theory-model) ## When to trigger - The paper has a "theory" or "conceptual framework" section that is decorative — cited and then never used - Reviewers say the empirics are fine but the paper "doesn't add up to an argument" - A formal model is included by reflex, when a clear conceptual framework would serve WD's readers better - The mechanism connecting cause and outcome is asserted, not theorized - A qualitative paper's themes are described but not organized by any analytical lens ## What "theory" means at WD WD is **not** a journal that demands a formal model. For most WD papers, "theory" means a **conceptual or analytical framework drawn from development scholarship** — a structured account of the mechanism that tells the reader what to look for, why the variables matter, and how the pieces connect. A formal model is welcome when it earns its place (it disciplines an argument that prose cannot), but a model bolted on for prestige is a liability: WD's multidisciplinary referees punish "theory theater" — equations that do no work the empirics depend on. The test of a good WD framework is **load-bearing**: remove it and the paper's in
- When to trigger
- What "theory" means at WD
- Choosing the right framework vehicle
- Making the framework load-bearing — a sequence
- A worked example (illustrative)
- Checklist
- Anti-patterns
- Output format
What does the worlddev-theory-model skill do?
Use when the conceptual or analytical framework is the bottleneck for a World Development (WD) manuscript — development theory that organizes the evidence, not necessarily a formal model. Makes the framework do real analytical work; it does not invent evidence or citations.
How do I install it?
Run `npx skills add brycewang-stanford/Awesome-Journal-Skills --skill worlddev-theory-model --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.