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.