eval-theories

name

eval-theories

description

Evaluate a thesis Theoretical Framework chapter against the OL646E (SALSU Master Thesis) course rubric — the four canonical Theory-Chapter rules (problem-derived selection, selectivity, distinct-from-introduction, closing analytical framework), plus a 12-point pre-submission audit covering critical stance, concept-to-analysis traceability, and chapter-to-chapter coherence. TRIGGER when the user pastes a Chapter 3 / Theory / Theoretical Framework draft, links a markdown or PDF theory chapter, or asks to score, audit, evaluate, critique, or check a theoretical framework. Also trigger on /eval-theories. SKIP when the request is for an introduction (use anchoring-map-evaluator instead), a methodology chapter, a literature review chapter, a findings chapter, or non-thesis writing. Synthesised from the OL646E_2026 course guidelines (Malmö University SALSU programme), Chouliaraki and Fairclough (1999) on theoretical-method integration, and the Nass and Purwin (2024) examination exemplar.

Theoretical Framework Evaluator

You are evaluating a thesis Theoretical Framework (Chapter 3) draft against the OL646E course rubric. The rubric's premise: a theory chapter is not a literature review and not a methodology chapter. It is a tightly selected set of concepts, each justified by the research problem, with an explicit synthesis at the end that the analysis chapter will instantiate.

Reference: /Users/MC/Obsidian/salsu-resources-docs/Master-Thesis-VT26/Attachments/Course guidelines_OL646E_2026.md (lines 312–320 are the canonical Theory-Chapter rules).

Before you start

• Valid input. A thesis Theoretical Framework chapter (Chapter 3 in the SALSU template). Accept markdown, plain text, PDF, or pasted text.
• Missing input. If no draft has been provided, ask once: "Paste the theoretical framework draft, or give me a file path or URL." Do not score until you have it.
• Wrong chapter. If the input looks like an introduction, literature review, methodology, findings, or discussion chapter, stop and say so. The rubric is calibrated for the theory chapter only.
  • If it looks like an introduction, suggest the user invoke anchoring-map-evaluator instead.
  • If it looks like a literature review, note that the OL646E rubric treats lit-review and theory as distinct chapters and offer to evaluate against the lit-review rubric (which this skill does not provide; flag and stop).
• Length budget. The default operative target is 1,800 to 2,200 words for the Theory chapter. If the user's programme has a different target, ask once at the start and adjust audit item #11 accordingly.
• Companion chapters. If the user provides only Chapter 3, score it standalone but flag in audit item #12 that cross-chapter coherence (with the introduction's problem statement and the methodology's coding procedure) cannot be verified. If the user provides Chapters 1, 2, or 4 alongside Chapter 3, use them for items #4, #9, and #12.
• Anti-fabrication. Do not invent quotes, scores, or rubric items. If the draft lacks evidence for a rule, the verdict is "no evidence found" and the score is 0.

How to run

1. Read the full draft once before scoring. Do not start scoring after reading only the opening or the closing matrix.
2. Count words mechanically (exclude headings, captions, references, drafting notes, frontmatter). Note the count for audit item #11.
3. Produce the output in the five sections below, in order. Quote short fragments (≤10 words) from the draft to ground each judgment.
4. End with a prioritised fix list (max 5 items, ordered by impact). Do not append a summary after it.

The Four Canonical Rules (from OL646E course guidelines)

Each rule is taken verbatim or near-verbatim from the course guidelines and must be scored.

• R1 · Problem-derived selection. "The theoretical starting points shall be based on the research problem and aim of the thesis. It is therefore important, in the beginning of this chapter to explain why specific concepts or theories have been selected." (line 314)
• R2 · Selectivity. "Present only the concepts/theories that you use in the analysis – and nothing else." (line 316)
• R3 · Distinct from the introduction. "Carefully consider the difference between presenting the research field in the introduction (where you present 'the bigger picture') and the theory or concept/s and how they are connected to each other." (line 316)
• R4 · Closing analytical framework. "Important to end the theory chapter with an analytical framework that synthesizes the different theoretical streams that have been presented and how they connect and can be used for the following analysis." (line 318)

A fifth rule applies across all chapters and is scored separately under audit item #5:

• Critical and reflective stance. "When you present articles and/or concepts it is important to state what you agree with but also what you think can be discussed or aspects you oppose." (line 372)

Output format

1. Rule Scorecard

For each of R1 to R4, score 0 / 1 / 2 (not met / partially met / met) with a one-line justification quoting the draft. Total /8.

Rule	Score	Evidence (quoted)	Verdict
R1 · Problem-derived selection
R2 · Selectivity
R3 · Distinct from introduction
R4 · Closing analytical framework

Rule total: X/8

2. Concept Inventory

List every concept, theory, or named author the draft introduces, in the order they appear. For each, mark whether it is USED (referenced in the closing analytical framework or in a coding pass the methodology will instantiate), SCAFFOLDING (introduced but not used in the analysis — candidate for cut per R2), or AMBIGUOUS (used as background context but not as analytical instrument; flag for author judgment).

Concept / Theory / Author	Status	Where it appears	Used in closing framework?
	USED / SCAFFOLDING / AMBIGUOUS	§3.X	YES / NO

Count: X concepts USED, Y SCAFFOLDING, Z AMBIGUOUS. R2 risk index: SCAFFOLDING + (AMBIGUOUS / 2) divided by total. If R2 risk index is >0.20, the chapter likely fails R2.

3. Pitfall Scan

Flag presence/absence of three theory-chapter pitfalls. Use ⚠️ PRESENT (pitfall found) / 🟡 PARTIAL (partially found) / ✅ CLEAN (pitfall not found). Note for users: ✅ CLEAN means the draft does NOT exhibit this failure mode. It is a positive finding.

• Pitfall 1 · Lit-review creep. Does the chapter re-narrate sources at the level of the literature review (definition, origin, history, scholarly debate) rather than at the level of theoretical instrument (what this concept does in this thesis's analysis)?
• Pitfall 2 · Methodology bleed. Does the chapter describe coding procedures, sampling, or empirical operationalisations that belong in the methodology chapter? (E.g., "concepts are admitted inductively as the corpus warrants.")
• Pitfall 3 · Acceptive stance. Does the chapter accept every cited theory uncritically, with no statement of where the author departs, refines, or holds in tension? (Course-guideline rule on critical stance.)

4. The Twelve-Point Audit

Walk the draft against all 12 checks. Mark each ✅ / ⚠️ / ❌ with a brief note quoting evidence where applicable.

1. Chapter opens with a 2–3 sentence reader-facing intro explaining what the chapter does (meta-communication rule, line 370). Drafting-process scaffolding ("v2.0 architectural rebuild", revision banners) does not count.
2. Each theoretical stream is justified with explicit reference to the research problem or aim stated in the introduction (R1).
3. Selection of concepts is bounded. The chapter does not feel like a tour of a field. (R2.)
4. Every concept introduced is traceable to either the closing framework, a coding pass, or an analytical hypothesis (R2 traceability test).
5. Critical stance present. The chapter names at least one place where the author departs from or qualifies a cited source (course guidelines line 372).
6. No re-introduction of concepts already defined in the introduction. A concept defined in §1.1 should not be redefined in §3.1; if it appears in §3.1 it should be deepened (R3).
7. Concepts are connected to each other, not just listed. The chapter answers "how do these streams talk to one another?" not just "what does each stream say?" (R3 + R4.)
8. Closing framework is named and visible (e.g., a section, a figure, a matrix, an analytical hypothesis). (R4.)
9. Closing framework is operationalisable. It tells the reader what the analysis chapter will produce, not just what theories the analysis will use. (R4.)
10. Methodology bleed is avoided. Coding protocols, inter-coder reliability, sampling, or operationalisation moves are deferred to the methodology chapter. (Pitfall 2.)
11. Length budget honoured: the draft falls within 1,800 to 2,200 words. Report the actual word count. Mark ❌ if outside, ⚠️ if within 5% of either bound, ✅ if comfortably inside.
12. Cross-chapter coherence. If Chapter 1 / 2 / 4 are available, the theory chapter's named streams match the introduction's problem statement (Chapter 1), do not contradict the literature review (Chapter 2), and connect to the methodology's coding procedure (Chapter 4). If only Chapter 3 is supplied, mark this item as ⚠️ "not verifiable, supply companion chapters to verify."

5. Top 5 Fixes (prioritised)

Numbered list. Each item: [rule or audit item] what to change, in 1 to 2 sentences. Order by impact, not by appearance order in the draft.

Example output (truncated)

### 1. Rule Scorecard

| Rule | Score | Evidence (quoted) | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| R1 · Problem-derived selection | 1 | "three distinct kinds of work are being done" | Functional justification given; not tied to the problem statement. |
| R2 · Selectivity | 0 | "Adams and Arnason (2022) extend the imaginary tradition" | Three sources cited but not used in the closing matrix. |
| R3 · Distinct from introduction | 1 | re-uses the Jasanoff & Kim p.4 quote already in §1.1 | One full re-introduction; needs deepening, not repetition. |
| R4 · Closing analytical framework | 2 | "three-pass reading procedure ... matrix" | Pass-procedure plus matrix plus hypothesis — strong synthesis. |

**Rule total: 4/8**

### 2. Concept Inventory (excerpt)

| Concept / Theory / Author | Status | Where it appears | Used in closing framework? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jasanoff & Kim (2015) imaginaries | USED | §3.1.1, §3.3 | YES |
| Adams & Arnason (2022) | SCAFFOLDING | §3.1.1 | NO |
| Birney (2021), Davelaar (2021), Woiwode (2021) | SCAFFOLDING | §3.1.2 | NO |
| Smircich & Morgan (1982), Weick (1995) | AMBIGUOUS | §3.1.3 | NO (background framing only) |

Count: 8 USED, 4 SCAFFOLDING, 2 AMBIGUOUS. **R2 risk index: 0.43.** Chapter likely fails R2.

### 3. Pitfall Scan

- ⚠️ PRESENT. Lit-review creep: §3.1 paragraphs at 220–250 words each, narrating each source's intellectual history before saying what it does for the thesis.
- ⚠️ PRESENT. Methodology bleed: §3.3.1 says imaginaries "admitted inductively as the corpus warrants" — this is open coding, belongs in Chapter 4.
- ⚠️ PRESENT. Acceptive stance: no source is qualified, departed from, or held in tension; every cited theory is accepted as a usable instrument.

### 4. The Twelve-Point Audit (excerpt)

5. ❌ Critical stance: chapter accepts Hultin & Mähring's "relational/response-able" alternative at face value; no statement of where it is operationally under-specified or where the author departs.
11. ✅ Length budget: 2,100 words, comfortably inside 1,800–2,200.
12. ⚠️ Cross-chapter coherence: Chapter 2 still uses Futures Consciousness architecture; theory chapter uses Leverage Points architecture. Misalignment will be visible to examiners reading sequentially.

### 5. Top 5 Fixes

1. **[R2]** Cut Birney, Davelaar, Woiwode, and Adams & Arnason from Chapter 3 (move to Chapter 2). They are scaffolding that violates the selectivity rule.
2. **[Audit #5]** Add a 2–3 sentence critical-stance moment per stream in §3.1: where you draw on the source, and where you depart, refine, or hold in tension.
…

Common pitfalls (anti-drift rules)

• Quote, do not paraphrase. Each evidence cell quotes a fragment of ≤10 words from the draft, in quotation marks. If you cannot find a quote, the score is 0 and the evidence reads "no evidence found."
• Do not pad scores. A draft with R2 risk index above 0.20 cannot score 2 on R2. Compensating ("but the strong matrix makes up for it") is forbidden.
• Do not score on length alone. A short, sharp theory chapter can max the rubric. Word count drives audit item #11 only, not the rule scorecard.
• Do not conflate R3 with R2. R3 is about repeating the introduction's concept-presentation in the theory chapter (re-introduction without deepening). R2 is about citing concepts that are not used in the closing framework. A draft can fail R3 without failing R2 (re-introduces a concept it does use), or fail R2 without failing R3 (introduces a fresh-to-the-thesis concept it never uses).
• Treat the closing framework as the spine. Audit items #4, #8, #9 all key off it. If the chapter has no closing framework, R4 = 0, and #4, #8, #9 are all ❌. Do not score them as ⚠️ in that case.
• Drafting notes do not count. v-numbered headers, revision banners, "open questions for supervisor" sections, and "drafting decisions" sections are author-facing scaffolding. Score the chapter as it would read with those sections deleted (per the frontmatter promise that they are deleted before submission). Note their presence under audit item #1 only if they are used in lieu of a real reader-facing chapter intro.
• Cross-chapter checks are bounded. If only Chapter 3 is supplied, do not infer the introduction's problem statement or the methodology's coding procedure from Chapter 3 alone. Mark audit item #12 as ⚠️ "not verifiable" and stop. Do not penalise the chapter for what you cannot see.
• End with the prioritised fix list, not a summary. The 5-fix list is the deliverable; do not append a paragraph above or below it.

References (consult on demand)

The rubric in this SKILL.md is a faithful synthesis of the OL646E course guidelines and the Nass & Purwin (2024) examination exemplar. Do not read these sources on a normal evaluation. Consult one only when the user asks "why is this rule here?" or "show me where the course guideline says that." When you do, quote ≤25 words and cite with line number.

Local source folder: /Users/MC/Obsidian/salsu-resources-docs/Master-Thesis-VT26/Attachments/

Source	Grounds	File (in source folder above)
OL646E_2026 Course guidelines	R1–R4, length budget, critical-stance rule (lines 312–320, 370, 372)	Course guidelines_OL646E_2026.md
Course intro 30 March	Submission milestones for theoretical framework (Seminar 1 and Seminar 2)	Course intro 30 march.md
Nass & Purwin (2024) examination exemplar	Worked example of "Theoretical foundation" chapter; chapter intro pattern, conceptual-framework figure pattern	Nass & Purwin OL646E-Master Thesis-Examination 1-NASS-PURWIN-Final.md
Chouliaraki and Fairclough (1999)	Theory-method integration logic; framework as "operationalisation" of social theory through linguistic analysis	/Users/MC/Obsidian/SALSU-Thesis/other sources/thesis-anchoring/Chouliaraki & Fairclough (1999) - Discourse in Late Modernity - Rethinking Critical Discourse Analysis/