World Development Workflow Router (worlddev-workflow)
Overview
This is the router. It tells you which worlddev- skill to use at the current stage* of a manuscript aimed at World Development (WD) — the multidisciplinary development-studies journal published by Elsevier (founded 1973, monthly, ISSN 0305-750X / online 1873-5991). WD's defining feature, and the thing every routing decision must respect, is that it is methodologically pluralist: it publishes econometric and experimental work, but equally qualitative case studies, process tracing, ethnography, participatory methods, political-economy analysis, and policy/practice papers. The shared bar is real-world development relevance in low- and middle-income contexts — poverty, inequality, livelihoods, institutions, governance, aid and NGOs, agriculture and food security, health and education, conflict, gender, and environment-development.
The single biggest router mistake is treating WD as if it were an econometrics journal. It is not. Route a regression-discontinuity paper and a multi-site qualitative study through the same chain, but enter the chain at different links and apply a different bar for "credible evidence." Editors as of 2026: Jampel Dell'Angelo and Angelika Rettberg (检索于 2026-06；以官网为准). Review is double-anonymized; submission is via Elsevier Editorial Manager; abstract ≤250 words, 3–6 keywords.
When to trigger
- The user asks "what should I do next?" on a WD-targeted draft
- A draft is ping-ponging between framing, evidence, exhibits, and submission checks
- The contribution is unclear relative to siblings (JDE, WBER, JDS, EDCC)
- A WD decision letter arrived and the user needs to switch into revision mode
- A quantitatively-trained author has a qualitative or mixed-methods paper and is unsure how WD will judge it
Routing table
| Current symptom |
Next skill |
| Scope/audience/outlet fit uncertain; is this WD or a sibling? |
worlddev-topic-selection |
| Contribution vs. the development literature is fuzzy or undersold |
worlddev-literature-positioning |
| Causal claim rests on OLS+controls; or a qual/mixed claim lacks an inference logic |
worlddev-identification |
| The conceptual/analytical framework (development theory) is loose or decorative |
worlddev-theory-model |
| Results may be specification-, sample-, measurement-, or interpretation-sensitive |
worlddev-robustness |
| Exhibits dense; significance asterisks present; maps/qual evidence underused |
worlddev-tables-figures |
| Prose is jargon-heavy and does not reach a multidisciplinary, policy audience |
worlddev-writing-style |
| Data/code deposit, qualitative-transparency, or anonymization for review |
worlddev-replication-package |
| Likely double-anonymized referee objections should be pre-empted |
worlddev-referee-strategy |
| Close to submission; need the Editorial Manager preflight |
worlddev-submission |
| An R&R or reject-and-resubmit arrived; need a response-letter plan |
worlddev-rebuttal |
Default order
worlddev-topic-selection — lock the development question and WD-vs-sibling fitworlddev-literature-positioning — stake the contribution across disciplinesworlddev-identification — causal design OR the inference logic of a qual/mixed paperworlddev-theory-model — the conceptual/analytical framework that organizes the evidenceworlddev-robustness — sensitivity (quant) or trustworthiness/triangulation (qual)worlddev-tables-figures — exhibits, maps, and qualitative displays without asterisksworlddev-writing-style — reach the multidisciplinary reader (abstract + intro last)worlddev-replication-package — Elsevier data policy + qualitative transparencyworlddev-referee-strategy — anticipate double-anonymized objectionsworlddev-submission — Editorial Manager preflightworlddev-rebuttal — after the decision letter
Writing-style is late-stage polish; do not rewrite the intro before the framework and evidence settle.
Routing by paper archetype
The binding constraint differs by what kind of paper this is. Read the archetype, then enter at the right link.
| Archetype |
Likely first bottleneck |
Enter at |
| Quantitative causal (DID, IV, RDD, RCT) |
credible design + clustering at the right level |
worlddev-identification |
| Qualitative (cases, process tracing, ethnography) |
inference logic + transparency, not "more N" |
worlddev-identification → worlddev-theory-model |
| Mixed-methods |
integration — how strands actually combine, not run in parallel |
worlddev-theory-model → worlddev-identification |
| Political-economy / institutional analysis |
conceptual framework doing real analytical work |
worlddev-theory-model |
| Policy / practice / aid-effectiveness |
"so what for whom" + external validity |
worlddev-topic-selection → worlddev-writing-style |
Anti-patterns
- Treating WD as interchangeable with Journal of Development Economics (rigorous development econometrics) — WD values relevance and methodological breadth, not only identification rigor
- Treating WD as World Bank Economic Review (Bank-affiliated, more economics-centric) or Journal of Development Studies (interdisciplinary but more political/sociological framing)
- Routing a qualitative paper as if "weak identification" were the problem when the real problem is an unstated inference logic
- Polishing prose before the framework, evidence hierarchy, and contribution are stable
- Letting an appendix carry claims the main text must establish
Output format
【Target】World Development (WD)
【Archetype】quant-causal / qualitative / mixed / political-economy / policy-practice
【Current bottleneck】fit / contribution / design / framework / evidence / exhibits / style / replication / submission / revision
【Next skill】<one worlddev-* skill>
【Reason】why this is the binding constraint for THIS archetype
【Source check】official facts verified or marked 待核实
1---2name: worlddev-workflow3description: Use when deciding which worlddev-* sub-skill to invoke next, or when sequencing manuscript work from topic through rebuttal for a World Development (WD) submission. Routes — it does not replace — the specialized skills.4---56# World Development Workflow Router (worlddev-workflow)78## Overview910This is the router. It tells you **which worlddev-* skill to use at the current stage** of a manuscript aimed at *World Development* (WD) — the **multidisciplinary** development-studies journal published by **Elsevier** (founded 1973, monthly, ISSN 0305-750X / online 1873-5991). WD's defining feature, and the thing every routing decision must respect, is that it is **methodologically pluralist**: it publishes econometric and experimental work, but equally qualitative case studies, process tracing, ethnography, participatory methods, political-economy analysis, and policy/practice papers. The shared bar is **real-world development relevance** in low- and middle-income contexts — poverty, inequality, livelihoods, institutions, governance, aid and NGOs, agriculture and food security, health and education, conflict, gender, and environment-development.1112The single biggest router mistake is treating WD as if it were an econometrics journal. It is not. Route a regression-discontinuity paper and a multi-site qualitative study through the same chain, but enter the chain at different links and apply a different bar for "credible evidence." Editors as of 2026: **Jampel Dell'Angelo and Angelika Rettberg** (检索于 2026-06；以官网为准). Review is **double-anonymized**; submission is via **Elsevier Editorial Manager**; abstract **≤250 words**, **3–6 keywords**.1314## When to trigger1516- The user asks "what should I do next?" on a WD-targeted draft17- A draft is ping-ponging between framing, evidence, exhibits, and submission checks18- The contribution is unclear relative to siblings (JDE, WBER, JDS, EDCC)19- A WD decision letter arrived and the user needs to switch into revision mode20- A quantitatively-trained author has a qualitative or mixed-methods paper and is unsure how WD will judge it2122## Routing table2324| Current symptom | Next skill |25|-----------------|------------|26| Scope/audience/outlet fit uncertain; is this WD or a sibling? | `worlddev-topic-selection` |27| Contribution vs. the development literature is fuzzy or undersold | `worlddev-literature-positioning` |28| Causal claim rests on OLS+controls; or a qual/mixed claim lacks an inference logic | `worlddev-identification` |29| The conceptual/analytical framework (development theory) is loose or decorative | `worlddev-theory-model` |30| Results may be specification-, sample-, measurement-, or interpretation-sensitive | `worlddev-robustness` |31| Exhibits dense; significance asterisks present; maps/qual evidence underused | `worlddev-tables-figures` |32| Prose is jargon-heavy and does not reach a multidisciplinary, policy audience | `worlddev-writing-style` |33| Data/code deposit, qualitative-transparency, or anonymization for review | `worlddev-replication-package` |34| Likely double-anonymized referee objections should be pre-empted | `worlddev-referee-strategy` |35| Close to submission; need the Editorial Manager preflight | `worlddev-submission` |36| An R&R or reject-and-resubmit arrived; need a response-letter plan | `worlddev-rebuttal` |3738## Default order39401. `worlddev-topic-selection` — lock the development question and WD-vs-sibling fit412. `worlddev-literature-positioning` — stake the contribution across disciplines423. `worlddev-identification` — causal design OR the inference logic of a qual/mixed paper434. `worlddev-theory-model` — the conceptual/analytical framework that organizes the evidence445. `worlddev-robustness` — sensitivity (quant) or trustworthiness/triangulation (qual)456. `worlddev-tables-figures` — exhibits, maps, and qualitative displays without asterisks467. `worlddev-writing-style` — reach the multidisciplinary reader (abstract + intro last)478. `worlddev-replication-package` — Elsevier data policy + qualitative transparency489. `worlddev-referee-strategy` — anticipate double-anonymized objections4910. `worlddev-submission` — Editorial Manager preflight5011. `worlddev-rebuttal` — after the decision letter5152> Writing-style is late-stage polish; do not rewrite the intro before the framework and evidence settle.5354## Routing by paper archetype5556The binding constraint differs by what kind of paper this is. Read the archetype, then enter at the right link.5758| Archetype | Likely first bottleneck | Enter at |59|-----------|-------------------------|----------|60| Quantitative causal (DID, IV, RDD, RCT) | credible design + clustering at the right level | `worlddev-identification` |61| Qualitative (cases, process tracing, ethnography) | inference logic + transparency, not "more N" | `worlddev-identification` → `worlddev-theory-model` |62| Mixed-methods | integration — how strands actually combine, not run in parallel | `worlddev-theory-model` → `worlddev-identification` |63| Political-economy / institutional analysis | conceptual framework doing real analytical work | `worlddev-theory-model` |64| Policy / practice / aid-effectiveness | "so what for whom" + external validity | `worlddev-topic-selection` → `worlddev-writing-style` |6566## Anti-patterns6768- Treating WD as interchangeable with **Journal of Development Economics** (rigorous development econometrics) — WD values relevance and methodological breadth, not only identification rigor69- Treating WD as **World Bank Economic Review** (Bank-affiliated, more economics-centric) or **Journal of Development Studies** (interdisciplinary but more political/sociological framing)70- Routing a qualitative paper as if "weak identification" were the problem when the real problem is an unstated inference logic71- Polishing prose before the framework, evidence hierarchy, and contribution are stable72- Letting an appendix carry claims the main text must establish7374## Output format7576```text77【Target】World Development (WD)78【Archetype】quant-causal / qualitative / mixed / political-economy / policy-practice79【Current bottleneck】fit / contribution / design / framework / evidence / exhibits / style / replication / submission / revision80【Next skill】<one worlddev-* skill>81【Reason】why this is the binding constraint for THIS archetype82【Source check】official facts verified or marked 待核实83```
brycewang-stanford