This repository encodes current journal policy and modern econometrics
defaults. Treat this file as the single place to check before editing hard
requirements in README.md, skills/, docs/, or templates.
Last reviewed: 2026-06-02.
| Topic | Source | Repo surfaces that depend on it | Review trigger |
|---|---|---|---|
| AER submission length, abstract, disclosure, AI-use, RCT, and cover-letter rules | https://www.aeaweb.org/journals/aer/submissions | README.md, README.en.md, skills/aer-submission/SKILL.md, docs/desk-rejection-audit.md |
Before each release and after any AEA submission-page update |
| AER accepted-article file package, data/code, disclosure, appendix, and publication agreement rules | https://www.aeaweb.org/journals/aer/accepted-article-guidelines | skills/aer-submission/SKILL.md, skills/aer-replication/SKILL.md, examples/replication-package-skeleton/README.md |
Before changing final-file or replication-package guidance |
| AER: Insights submission word-count formula, exhibit cap, abstract, disclosure, and word-count PDF rules | https://www.aeaweb.org/journals/aeri/submissions | README.md, README.en.md, skills/aer-submission/SKILL.md, docs/desk-rejection-audit.md |
Before changing any AER: Insights routing or length text |
| AER: Insights accepted-article file package and data/code rules | https://www.aeaweb.org/journals/aeri/accepted-article-guidelines | skills/aer-submission/SKILL.md, skills/aer-replication/SKILL.md |
Before changing accepted-article checklists |
| AEA Data and Code Availability Policy | https://www.aeaweb.org/journals/data/data-code-policy | skills/aer-replication/SKILL.md, examples/replication-package-skeleton/README.md, templates/ |
Before changing README, data-provenance, restricted-data, or master-script guidance |
| AEA Data and Code Availability Form | https://www.aeaweb.org/journals/forms/data-code-availability | skills/aer-replication/SKILL.md, skills/aer-submission/SKILL.md |
Before naming required final-stage data/code forms |
| AEA Data and Code Repository at ICPSR | https://www.icpsr.umich.edu/sites/aea/home | skills/aer-replication/SKILL.md, examples/replication-package-skeleton/README.md |
Before changing openICPSR deposit workflow |
| Topic | Source | Repo surfaces that depend on it | Review trigger |
|---|---|---|---|
| PNAS Nexus article types, page expectations, manuscript components, data/materials/code availability, statistics, AI-use, ethics, figures, alt text, and submission metadata | https://academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/pages/general-instructions | docs/pnas-nexus-publication-plan.md, docs/pnas-nexus-submission-checklist.md, docs/source-register.md |
Before changing PNAS Nexus venue-fit, reproducibility, disclosure, figure, or submission-preflight guidance |
docs/methods-reference.md is the canonical repo surface for estimator and
diagnostic defaults. Every method paper cited there should have a BibTeX entry
in references.bib; update both files in the same change.
When a package API changes, update the relevant template first, then update
docs/methods-reference.md and the affected skill prose. Do not update prose
without rerunning make validate.
scripts/validate_repo.py checks that the main policy-bearing surfaces still
contain the high-risk constraints most likely to drift during rewrites:
- 100-word abstract limits
- AER: Insights 7,000-word minus 200-per-exhibit formula
- disclosure statement and AI-use disclosure language
- February 2026 Data and Code Availability Policy language
- README PDF, Data and Code Availability Statement, and openICPSR guidance
- PNAS Nexus abstract, significance-statement, public-repository, statistical-reporting, figure-accessibility, ORCID, and final-gate evidence requirements
If an official source changes one of these constraints, update the source row above and the validator guardrail in the same patch.
If another agent is editing policy text, update this register first or add a note in the handoff. Keep policy-source edits separate from template rewrites so merge conflicts are localized.