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
Source: brycewang-stanford/Awesome-Journal-Skills → World-Development-Skills/skills/worlddev-workflow/SKILL.md
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---5
6
7# World Development Workflow Router (worlddev-workflow)
8
9## Overview
10
11This 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.
12
13The 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**.
14
15## When to trigger
16
17- The user asks "what should I do next?" on a WD-targeted draft
18- A draft is ping-ponging between framing, evidence, exhibits, and submission checks
19- The contribution is unclear relative to siblings (JDE, WBER, JDS, EDCC)
20- A WD decision letter arrived and the user needs to switch into revision mode
21- A quantitatively-trained author has a qualitative or mixed-methods paper and is unsure how WD will judge it
22
23## Routing table
24
25| Current symptom | Next skill |
26|-----------------|------------|
27| Scope/audience/outlet fit uncertain; is this WD or a sibling? | `worlddev-topic-selection` |
28| Contribution vs. the development literature is fuzzy or undersold | `worlddev-literature-positioning` |
29| Causal claim rests on OLS+controls; or a qual/mixed claim lacks an inference logic | `worlddev-identification` |
30| The conceptual/analytical framework (development theory) is loose or decorative | `worlddev-theory-model` |
31| Results may be specification-, sample-, measurement-, or interpretation-sensitive | `worlddev-robustness` |
32| Exhibits dense; significance asterisks present; maps/qual evidence underused | `worlddev-tables-figures` |
33| Prose is jargon-heavy and does not reach a multidisciplinary, policy audience | `worlddev-writing-style` |
34| Data/code deposit, qualitative-transparency, or anonymization for review | `worlddev-replication-package` |
35| Likely double-anonymized referee objections should be pre-empted | `worlddev-referee-strategy` |
36| Close to submission; need the Editorial Manager preflight | `worlddev-submission` |
37| An R&R or reject-and-resubmit arrived; need a response-letter plan | `worlddev-rebuttal` |
38
39## Default order
40
411. `worlddev-topic-selection` — lock the development question and WD-vs-sibling fit
422. `worlddev-literature-positioning` — stake the contribution across disciplines
433. `worlddev-identification` — causal design OR the inference logic of a qual/mixed paper
444. `worlddev-theory-model` — the conceptual/analytical framework that organizes the evidence
455. `worlddev-robustness` — sensitivity (quant) or trustworthiness/triangulation (qual)
466. `worlddev-tables-figures` — exhibits, maps, and qualitative displays without asterisks
477. `worlddev-writing-style` — reach the multidisciplinary reader (abstract + intro last)
488. `worlddev-replication-package` — Elsevier data policy + qualitative transparency
499. `worlddev-referee-strategy` — anticipate double-anonymized objections
5010. `worlddev-submission` — Editorial Manager preflight
5111. `worlddev-rebuttal` — after the decision letter
52
53> Writing-style is late-stage polish; do not rewrite the intro before the framework and evidence settle.
54
55## Routing by paper archetype
56
57The binding constraint differs by what kind of paper this is. Read the archetype, then enter at the right link.
58
59| Archetype | Likely first bottleneck | Enter at |
60|-----------|-------------------------|----------|
61| Quantitative causal (DID, IV, RDD, RCT) | credible design + clustering at the right level | `worlddev-identification` |
62| Qualitative (cases, process tracing, ethnography) | inference logic + transparency, not "more N" | `worlddev-identification` → `worlddev-theory-model` |
63| Mixed-methods | integration — how strands actually combine, not run in parallel | `worlddev-theory-model` → `worlddev-identification` |
64| Political-economy / institutional analysis | conceptual framework doing real analytical work | `worlddev-theory-model` |
65| Policy / practice / aid-effectiveness | "so what for whom" + external validity | `worlddev-topic-selection` → `worlddev-writing-style` |
66
67## Anti-patterns
68
69- Treating WD as interchangeable with **Journal of Development Economics** (rigorous development econometrics) — WD values relevance and methodological breadth, not only identification rigor
70- Treating WD as **World Bank Economic Review** (Bank-affiliated, more economics-centric) or **Journal of Development Studies** (interdisciplinary but more political/sociological framing)
71- Routing a qualitative paper as if "weak identification" were the problem when the real problem is an unstated inference logic
72- Polishing prose before the framework, evidence hierarchy, and contribution are stable
73- Letting an appendix carry claims the main text must establish
74
75## Output format
76
77```text
78【Target】World Development (WD)
79【Archetype】quant-causal / qualitative / mixed / political-economy / policy-practice
80【Current bottleneck】fit / contribution / design / framework / evidence / exhibits / style / replication / submission / revision
81【Next skill】<one worlddev-* skill>
82【Reason】why this is the binding constraint for THIS archetype
83【Source check】official facts verified or marked 待核实
84```
85
86---
87
88**Source:** [`brycewang-stanford/Awesome-Journal-Skills`](https://github.com/brycewang-stanford/Awesome-Journal-Skills) → `World-Development-Skills/skills/worlddev-workflow/SKILL.md`
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