EvoClaw Venue Alignment (Meta-Control Layer)
Overview
A project that meets Tier C standards but targets a Tier A venue will be rejected. A project that exceeds Tier A standards but targets a Tier C venue wastes effort. This skill keeps project ambition and execution aligned with the target venue at every stage.
Check venue alignment at every gate and periodically during Phase 4 execution.
Gate-Specific Checks
G1 — Direction Validated
"Is the identified gap significant enough for [venue]?"
- Compare the claimed gap against recent publications at the target venue
- A gap that is incremental for Tier A may be sufficient for Tier B
- If gap is insufficient → warn user, suggest venue adjustment
G2 — Plan Frozen
"Does the method/analysis design have enough depth for [venue]?"
- Count innovation points, analysis dimensions, planned contributions
- Compare depth against accepted papers at the target venue
- If design is shallow for the target tier → warn user before freezing
G3 — Experiments Complete
"Is the planned experiment scale sufficient for [venue]?"
- Check baseline count, dataset count, ablation coverage, statistical rigor
- Compare against the venue tier requirements table below
- If scale falls short → warn user, suggest scaling up or adjusting venue
G4 — Paper Ready
"Does the evidence package (figures, tables, statistics) meet [venue] standards?"
- Count figures, tables, statistical tests, ablation studies
- Check completeness against the venue tier requirements
- If evidence is thin → warn user before submission
Venue Tier Requirements Reference
| Requirement | Tier A | Tier B | Tier C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baselines | 5–8 strong, recent | 3–5 | 2–3 |
| Datasets | 3–5 | 2–3 | 1–2 |
| Ablation | Full component ablation | Key components | Optional |
| Statistics | CI + significance test | mean ± std | mean ± std |
| Novelty | Clear, significant advance | Solid contribution | Incremental or applied |
| Analysis depth | Multi-angle, comprehensive | Adequate coverage | Focused |
Misalignment Response
If current progress falls short of venue requirements at any gate:
- State the gap clearly: "Current experiment scale has 3 baselines; [venue] typically expects 5–8."
- Present two options:
- □ Scale up: add the missing baselines/datasets/analyses to meet the target
- □ Adjust venue: downgrade to a venue where current progress is sufficient
- Record the decision in
research-anchor.yamlundervenue_target
Never silently accept misalignment. The user must make an informed decision.
Red Flags — STOP
- Targeting Tier A with fewer than 5 baselines
- Targeting Tier A without significance tests
- Claiming "the contribution is strong enough" without evidence comparison
- Skipping venue checks at gate transitions
- Refusing to consider venue adjustment when evidence is thin
The Bottom Line
Match ambition to evidence. Match evidence to venue.
Misalignment in either direction wastes effort.