// Use when drafting or rewriting the introduction of an economics manuscript targeted at AER, AER:Insights, or an AEJ, or when compressing an abstract to the mandatory 100-word limit. Implements the Keith Head / Bellemare five-paragraph formula and AER-specific formatting conventions.
| name | aer-introduction |
| description | Use when drafting or rewriting the introduction of an economics manuscript targeted at AER, AER:Insights, or an AEJ, or when compressing an abstract to the mandatory 100-word limit. Implements the Keith Head / Bellemare five-paragraph formula and AER-specific formatting conventions. |
The introduction is the only part of the paper most editors read in full. Top-5 desk rejection decisions are typically made on pages 1-3. This skill produces an introduction that survives that filter and an abstract that fits AER's 100-word constraint.
Two non-negotiable AER formatting facts:
Every AER-style introduction has exactly five components, in this order:
Open with one of:
Two to three sentences. Cite one number that anchors the magnitude. Do not yet name the paper's contribution.
State exactly what this paper does:
This paper [estimates / documents / characterizes] [the causal effect of X on Y /
the response of Y to shock S / the distribution of Y in setting D].
One paragraph. Define the unit of observation, the outcome, and the variation that identifies the answer. Avoid the word "we" if possible; use "this paper."
Empirical papers: name the identification strategy in one sentence, then explain in 1-2 paragraphs what variation drives identification and why the parallel trends / exclusion / smoothness assumption is credible in this setting.
Theory papers: name the modeling discipline — what's tractable, what's general, what the comparative statics give you.
This paragraph is where desk rejection happens. Editors check whether the method matches the claim. If you write "we examine the relationship between X and Y" while using OLS with controls, the paper is desk-rejected for methodology mismatch.
Often the single most important paragraph for surviving referee review. Two halves:
Antecedents (1-2 paragraphs). Position the paper relative to its 3-6 closest published predecessors. Be specific: cite by author-year, identify what each did, and what each missed.
Value-added (1 paragraph or 3 bullet points). State approximately three contributions relative to the antecedents. These are the sentences the referee will quote in their report. Each contribution should make sense only in light of the prior work — otherwise it belongs in the Question paragraph.
Avoid:
One short paragraph. "Section 2 describes the data. Section 3 presents the empirical strategy. Section 4 reports results. Section 5 explores mechanisms. Section 6 concludes."
Some AER authors omit the roadmap entirely. Acceptable for short papers (AER: Insights). Required for full-length AER.
AER abstracts are 100 words maximum, including all numbers. The high-impact pattern allocates word budget as:
| Function | Sentences | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Question or setting | 1 | 15-20 |
| Method / data / identification | 1 | 15-20 |
| Main quantitative result | 1-2 | 30-40 |
| Implication | 1 | 15-20 |
Allocate the most words to results. Resist motivation-heavy abstracts — that is what the introduction's first paragraph is for. High-citation AER abstracts dedicate three of four sentences to findings.
[Setting and question — 1 sentence].
[Data and identification — 1 sentence].
[Main result with magnitude and sign — 1-2 sentences].
[Implication — 1 sentence].
If the draft is over 100 words:
\section and \subsection; do not insert \vspace or \bigskip.\cite{} (author-year), not numbered references.\textbf for emphasis in body text — italics only, rarely.\section{Data} or whatever the title is. AER convention treats the intro as section 0.When working from the AER-skills repository or plugin bundle, read examples/intro-example.md only when the user asks for a model introduction, a concrete before/after rewrite, or abstract compression.
ABSTRACT WORD COUNT: <n>/100
INTRODUCTION PARAGRAPHS: Hook | Question | Identification | Antecedents+Value | Roadmap
CONTRIBUTIONS LISTED: <n> (target: 3, max 4)
KILL SWITCHES: <list of remaining red flags, or "none">
NEXT SKILL: <aer-tables-figures | aer-submission>
A canonical AER-style intro architecture (paragraph-by-paragraph):
Use when selecting, implementing, or stress-testing the causal identification strategy for an empirical economics manuscript — difference-in-differences (including staggered designs), instrumental variables (including weak-IV-robust inference), regression discontinuity, synthetic control, or shift-share / Bartik. Apply before writing the introduction or results.
Use when responding to a Revise & Resubmit decision from AER, AER:Insights, or an AEJ, and a point-by-point response letter plus aligned manuscript revisions are needed. Handles triage, the concede / clarify / push-back decision, and the response-letter format that editors actually read.
Use when assembling the AEA Data and Code Availability deposit for an AER, AER:Insights, or AEJ acceptance, writing the README, or auditing a replication package before the AEA Data Editor review. Implements the current AEA policy, including the February 2026 Data and Code Availability Policy.
Use when constructing or revising regression tables, descriptive statistics tables, or figures for an AER, AER:Insights, or AEJ manuscript. Implements AER booktabs house style, the standard regression-table layout, and the figure-notes convention.
Use when the main empirical results exist but the manuscript lacks the robustness, heterogeneity, mechanism, and placebo checks that AER referees will demand. Apply after aer-identification and before aer-introduction so that the value-added paragraph can reference these tests.
Use when running the final pre-submission audit for an AER, AER:Insights, or AEJ manuscript — length, format, cover letter, per-author disclosure statements, file packaging, and routing among the AEA journal family. Apply immediately before clicking submit.