| 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.