research-ideation

name	Research Ideation
description	Use this skill when the user asks to brainstorm research ideas, identify gaps, define research questions, choose methods, or plan a social science project. Supports config-first overlays for domain, method, journal, and project context.
version	0.2.0

Research Ideation

Supports the research initiation workflow from topic framing to question definition, method fit, and planning.

Core Features

1. Idea Framing (5W1H)

Use 5W1H to frame a researchable phenomenon:

• What: Focal phenomenon or problem
• Why: Why it matters theoretically and practically
• Who: Relevant actors and stakeholders
• When: Temporal context and period boundaries
• Where: Institutional, organizational, or social context
• How: Candidate method and evidence strategy

2. Literature Synthesis

Build a structured synthesis using Zotero-backed sources:

• Construct search strings and source strategy
• Search across academic databases and journal sites
• Screen quality and relevance
• Build concept matrix and evidence table
• Track contradictions, gaps, and boundary conditions

3. Gap and Positioning Analysis

Identify gaps with explicit claim discipline:

• Literature and theoretical gaps
• Methodological and evidence gaps
• Context and boundary-condition gaps
• Contradictions and unresolved tensions

4. Research Question Definition

Convert synthesis into defensible questions:

• Align question to level of analysis
• Distinguish descriptive, empirical, and theoretical intent
• Define expected contribution and limits

5. Method Fit and Planning

Select method profile and execution plan:

• Match question to qualitative, quant, or mixed design
• Identify validity/rigor checkpoints
• Define milestones, risks, and evidence needs

Config-First Behavior

This skill reads active overlays as runtime guidance:

• config/active.yaml
• config/core.yaml
• config/domains/{active_domain}.yaml
• config/methods/{active_method}.yaml
• config/journals/{target_journal}.yaml
• optional config/personas/{active_persona}.yaml
• optional config/projects/{active_project}.yaml

Resolution order follows CLAUDE.md precedence. In this repo this is a behavioral convention (LLM-readable overlays), not an executable loader.

Outputs

• literature-review.md
• research-proposal.md
• references.bib
• Optional structured artifacts based on profile:
  • concept_matrix.md
  • evidence_table.md
  • mechanism_map.md
  • variable_operationalization_table.md

Integration with Other Systems

research-ideation (initiation and positioning)
    ->
method-aware analysis support (qual/quant/mixed)
    ->
journal-manuscript-writing (section drafting)
    ->
review-response-journals (revision planning)

Legacy ML-oriented assets remain available for backward compatibility but are no longer the default path in this fork.