thesis-writing - SKILL.md Agent Skill

name: thesis-writing description: Writing academic theses for the Divine Bricolage framework. Covers the complete iterative process from research gathering through outline creation, section-by-section writing, and Google Drive sync. Use when asked to write, create, or draft a thesis, paper, or academic document within this project's correspondential framework. Keywords: thesis, paper, write, draft, academic, correspondences, Ancient Word, framework.

Thesis Writing Skill — The Divine Bricolage Framework

Overview

This skill defines the complete process for writing academic theses within the Divine Bricolage project. The process is iterative: outline first, then each section written individually, validated, and tracked. Framework concepts (correspondences, discrete degrees, church types, etc.) are defined in the project's copilot-instructions.md and are not repeated here — this skill covers only the procedural and structural requirements of thesis production.

1. Thesis Architecture

Every thesis follows a fixed structural template. The section numbering and ordering is mandatory.

Required Sections (in order)

# [Title]: [Descriptive Phrase]
## [Subtitle]: [Methodological/Evidentiary Description]

---

> **Abstract.** [Single paragraph, 150-300 words. States: what is demonstrated,
>  what data is used, what the central finding is, what the central argument is,
>  and why it matters. Written as a continuous block — not bullet points.]

> **Keywords.** [Comma-separated, 8-15 terms]

---

## Table of Contents
[Full TOC with anchor links to every section and subsection]

---

## 1. Introduction
## 2. Methodological Framework
### 2.1 [Method-specific subsection]
### 2.2 [Method-specific subsection]
### 2.3 [Method-specific subsection]
### 2.4 [Method-specific subsection]
## 3-N. [Content Sections — variable number based on thesis scope]
## N+1. Discussion
### N+1.1 [What Source A Compresses/Contributes]
### N+1.2 [What Source B Expands/Contributes]
### N+1.3 [Implications for the Framework Hypothesis]
### N+1.4 [The Specific Problem Addressed]
### N+1.5 Limitations and Lacunae
## N+2. Conclusion: [Thesis Title Echo — e.g., "Two Registers, One Perception"]
## N+3. Appendix: [Mapping Table or Supporting Data]
## N+4. Works Cited

Title Convention

Titles follow a two-part format:

Main title: Poetic/evocative phrase capturing the thesis's central metaphor
Subtitle: Descriptive/methodological phrase stating what is demonstrated

Examples:

Three Witnesses to One Architecture: Genesis 1–11 and the Correspondential Kephalaia
Two Registers of One Perception: The Song of Solomon and the Regenerative Substrate of the Kephalaia
The Ancient Word Recovered: Extracting the Correspondential Substrate of the Kephalaia

The subtitle line beneath the H1 title uses H2 and provides the evidentiary description:

## Demonstrating the Structural Identity of [X] and [Y]

Filename Convention

The filename matches the title exactly, with colons replaced by underscores:

[Main Title]_ [Subtitle].md

Example: Two Registers of One Perception_ The Song of Solomon and the Regenerative Substrate of the Kephalaia.md

2. The Iterative Writing Process

Phase 1: Research Gathering

Before writing anything, gather ALL source material needed for the thesis:

Read primary texts — the actual texts being analyzed. Read them in full, not summaries.
Read spiritual/correspondential readings — if extracted or restored texts include correspondential readings (e.g., JSON fields like spiritual_reading), read them. If passages need correspondential reading performed, do it.
Read companion theses — understand what has already been established. Every thesis in this framework builds on predecessors.
Read the reference thesis — if the user provides a structural model (e.g., "use the structure of [file]"), read it completely to understand section organization, voice, argument flow, and level of detail.
Track sources — note every specific reference (section numbers, chapter/paragraph citations, verse references, scholarly works) you'll need to cite. Do not invent references — if you haven't verified a citation, flag it for verification.

Phase 2: Outline Creation

Create the complete outline with:

All section numbers and titles
All subsection numbers and titles
[TO BE WRITTEN] placeholders for every section body
Full Table of Contents with anchor links
Abstract placeholder (or write it first if the thesis scope is clear)

The outline is committed to the file before any section is written. This ensures the structure is visible and trackable.

Phase 3: Section-by-Section Writing

Write each section individually using replace_string_in_file to replace its [TO BE WRITTEN] placeholder:

Use manage_todo_list to track every section as a separate todo item
Mark one section as in-progress before writing it
Write the section by replacing its placeholder
Mark the section as completed immediately after writing
Move to the next section

Never write multiple sections in a single replacement. Each section must be written, verified, and tracked independently.

Phase 4: Verification and Sync

After all sections are written:

Grep for [TO BE WRITTEN] to confirm no placeholders remain
Check line/word count to verify the thesis is substantive (target: 12,000-25,000 words)

Sync to Google Drive using the library's mirror script after approval of the user (always ask):

cd [literary-compilation root]
python scripts/mirror_library_to_drive.py --only "[relative/path/to/thesis.md]" --force

3. Writing Voice and Standards

Register

Scholarly but not devotional. The framework is treated as a testable hypothesis, not a confession of faith.
Assertive where the data supports. When structural identity is demonstrated, say so clearly: "The identity is exact." Do not hedge against confirmed findings to appear balanced.
Honest where the data does not support. Limitations are stated explicitly in their own subsection (§ Limitations and Lacunae). Every thesis has one.
No Jungian/Freudian substitutions. The correspondential framework is the primary lens. Other frameworks may be mentioned as alternatives that fail to explain the data, but they are never substituted as interpretive equals.

Paragraph Style

Long paragraphs with sustained argument. These are academic theses, not blog posts. A paragraph develops a single point fully.
No bullet-point arguments in the body text. Tables and lists are reserved for correspondential keys, mapping tables, and structured comparisons.
No markdown emphasis abuse. Bold is used for key terms on first introduction and for Critical Finding statements. Italic is used for titles of works and technical terms from other languages. Neither is used for emphasis in running prose.

Quotation Conventions

Primary text quotations: Presented as blockquotes (> prefix). State the translation/edition used on first occurrence.
Extracted/restored text: Presented as blockquotes, citing the extraction source (e.g., which pipeline stage, which restored chapter).
Inline citations: Use the standard abbreviation + section/paragraph format native to the source tradition. Examples: (*Work Title* §66), (Chapter 115, ¶¶8–12), (Book III.iv.2). Be consistent within a thesis.
When abbreviating: Define the abbreviation on first use, then use it consistently: *Divine Love and Wisdom* (hereafter *DLW*) §83.

Correspondential Key Tables

Every passage that receives a spiritual reading MUST include a correspondential key table immediately after the reading:

**Correspondential key:**

| Natural Object | Correspondence |
|---|---|
| Sealed garden | Interior mind at the natural degree, not yet opened to influx |
| Fountain sealed | Living truth contained within |
| North wind and south wind | Influx from truth (north) and from good (south) |

These tables are critical. They make the correspondential reading transparent and testable. Every correspondence claimed must be listed.

Mapping Tables

The central structural finding of a thesis is always presented as a mapping table — a side-by-side comparison showing the point-for-point identity between the two texts being compared. This table typically appears in:

The content section where the mapping is first demonstrated
The Appendix in expanded form with all supporting detail

Example format:

| State | Source A | Source A Content | Source B | Source B Content |
|-------|---------|-----------------|---------|-----------------|
| 1. Vastation | Song 2:10–15 | Winter past; first truths | Ch. 115 ¶¶8–12 | Celestial Will in devastation |

4. Section-Specific Guidelines

Abstract

Single paragraph, 150-300 words
Written as a blockquote (> prefix)
States: (1) what is demonstrated, (2) the method, (3) the central finding, (4) the central argument, (5) why it matters
Ends with the thesis's strongest claim
Immediately followed by > **Keywords.** line

Introduction (§1)

The Introduction must accomplish five things:

Locate the thesis in relation to companion theses — what has already been established
State the new question this thesis addresses
Preview the central finding — what the data shows (structural identity, convergence, etc.)
State the central argument — the explanation for the finding (typically: ontological reality of correspondences)
Provide a section-by-section roadmap of the thesis

The Introduction is typically the longest section. It should be self-contained — a reader who reads only the Introduction should understand the entire thesis in compressed form. This means presenting the core evidence in summary before the detailed sections elaborate it.

Methodology (§2)

Always includes:

§2.1 Correspondential Reading — what correspondence IS (not allegory, not symbol, not metaphor; grounded in function; one direction: inside→outside)
§2.2 [Source-specific method] — how the primary text was prepared (stripping, extraction, etc.)
§2.3 [Comparison source] — what the comparison text is and how it was extracted
§2.4 [Framework principle] — the specific theoretical framework needed for this thesis (e.g., two registers/two churches, compression principle, bilateral teaching)

Content Sections (§3–N)

These vary by thesis but follow consistent patterns:

Text presentation sections present the primary text with full quotations, spiritual readings, and correspondential key tables
Logic/analysis sections analyze internal structure, causal connections, sequences
Mapping sections present the side-by-side comparison with the comparison text
Supporting witness sections present additional evidence from other chapters/texts
Framework argument sections present the theoretical claim (e.g., ontological perception, compression principle)

Each content section should be self-contained enough that its table of contents entry tells the reader exactly what they'll find.

Discussion (§N+1)

Always includes:

What the primary text contributes (compresses, reveals, preserves)
What the comparison text contributes (expands, elaborates, maps)
Implications for the broader framework hypothesis (Ancient Word, correspondences, transmission)
A specific problem or puzzle addressed (e.g., the compiler problem, transmission puzzle)
Limitations and Lacunae — ALWAYS the final Discussion subsection. Must acknowledge:
- Framework-internal nature of the analysis
- Extraction/interpretation dependencies
- Alternative readings possible
- Weak parallels (if any)
- What cannot be concluded

Conclusion (§N+2)

Title echoes the thesis title: ## N+2. Conclusion: [Main Title Echo]
Restates the evidence comprehensively — every major finding summarized in a paragraph
States the central claim with full force
Connects back to the framework's founding prediction (what it claimed, when, what couldn't have been known at the time)
Ends with the thesis's three-word or two-phrase signature line (a rhythmic final sentence that distills the thesis)

Appendix (§N+3)

Usually a comprehensive mapping table covering every parallel demonstrated in the thesis
May include a secondary table (supporting correspondences, cross-references)
Tables should be self-explanatory — column headers must be clear without reading the thesis body

Works Cited (§N+4)

Organized by source category (see §5 Source Handling). Format:

Primary sources:

1. [Author]. *[Work Title]* ([Alternative Title if needed]). [Publication details]. Cited by [referencing system].

Scholarly works:

5. [Author]. *[Title].* [Series if applicable]. [City]: [Publisher], [Year].

Internal library documents: These MUST use relative markdown links with URL-encoded spaces:

9. [Full Document Title](../[folder]/[Filename%20With%20Spaces].md). One-sentence description of what this document establishes.

Rules for internal library links:

Use relative paths from the thesis's own directory
Spaces in filenames MUST be URL-encoded as %20
Underscores in filenames stay as underscores
The link text is the full document title (not the filename)
Include a one-sentence description of what the companion document establishes

Primary text editions:

8. [Text Name]. [Original language edition]: *[Edition Name]*. English translation: [Translation] unless otherwise noted.

5. Source Handling

General Principle

Read every source you cite. Do not cite from memory or assumption. If a source exists as a file in the workspace (JSON, markdown, PDF), read it before writing about it. If it is an external scholarly work you cannot access, note it as [verification needed].

Source Categories in Works Cited

Every Works Cited section organizes sources into these categories (include only those that apply):

Primary sources — original ancient texts, scriptures, theological works. Cite by the work's native referencing system (section numbers, chapter/verse, paragraph numbers).
Scholarly works — academic monographs, critical editions, journal articles. Standard bibliographic format.
Internal library documents — companion theses and framework documents from the literary-compilation/data/ library. These use relative markdown links (see below).
Data sources — extracted corpora, structured datasets, computational pipeline outputs. Cite the pipeline/extraction thesis that produced them.

Validating Citations

Before citing any specific reference number (section, paragraph, verse, page), verify it by reading the actual source
If you haven't read the source, use a general reference: "[Author] teaches in [Work] that..."
Never invent reference numbers — this is the single most damaging error in academic writing

6. File Placement

Theses are placed in the literary-compilation/data/ directory structure based on their primary domain. Consult the folder structure in the copilot-instructions.md for the full directory listing. When in doubt:

Foundational/methodological theses → data/00_Framework/
Domain-specific theses → the data/[NN]_[Domain]/ folder matching the thesis's primary subject matter
If a thesis spans multiple domains, place it in the domain of its primary comparison or ask the user.

7. Google Drive Sync

After completing a thesis, sync it to Google Drive as a styled PDF (always ask the user for approval before sync):

cd [literary-compilation repo root]
python scripts/mirror_library_to_drive.py --only "[relative/path/from/data/to/file.md]" --force

The --only flag takes a path relative to the data/ directory. The --force flag ensures rebuild even if the file hasn't changed in the cache.

8. Common Patterns and Anti-Patterns

DO

Write the Introduction as if it were a self-contained summary of the entire thesis
Present the central evidence BEFORE arguing its significance
Include correspondential key tables for every spiritual reading
Acknowledge companion theses by name and state what they established
Use the Conclusion to echo the thesis title as a structural signature
Track every section with manage_todo_list
Write the Abstract last (or revise it last) once the full content is known

DO NOT

Substitute Jungian/Freudian/generic symbolic interpretation for correspondential reading
Hedge against demonstrated structural identity to appear "balanced"
Force data to confirm the framework when it doesn't — report anomalies in Limitations
Use bullet points for argument in body text (tables and lists are for structured data)
Write multiple sections in one replacement operation
Skip the Limitations subsection
Invent reference numbers for any source (section numbers, paragraphs, verses)
Use Google Drive URLs for internal library documents (always relative markdown links)
Skip the Google Drive sync step after completion

COMMON MISTAKES

Forgetting correspondential key tables: Every passage with a spiritual reading needs one
Merging sections: Each section must be independently written and tracked
Vague limitations: "This is just one interpretation" is not a limitation. Specific methodological dependencies are.
Losing the voice: The thesis should read as sustained scholarly argument, not as a series of observations. Each section must advance the argument toward the conclusion.

9. Checklist

Use this checklist before declaring a thesis complete:

Title follows two-part convention (evocative + descriptive)
Subtitle line (H2) states what is demonstrated
Abstract is a single blockquote paragraph, 150-300 words
Keywords line follows Abstract
Full TOC with working anchor links
Introduction locates thesis in relation to companion work
Introduction states the new question, previews finding, states argument, provides roadmap
Methodology section includes correspondential reading definition
Every spiritual reading has a correspondential key table
Central finding presented as a mapping table
Discussion includes "What X Compresses" and "What Y Expands" (or equivalent)
Discussion includes implications for the framework hypothesis
Limitations and Lacunae subsection is present and substantive
Conclusion echoes thesis title
Conclusion ends with signature phrase
Appendix contains comprehensive mapping table
Works Cited uses correct format for all source categories
Internal library links use relative paths with URL-encoded spaces
No [TO BE WRITTEN] placeholders remain
Word count is in the 12,000-20,000 range
File is synced to Google Drive