ectheory-writing-style

Writing & Proof Style (ectheory-writing-style)

When to trigger

• The math is correct but the proof reads as a wall of symbols
• Notation drifts or collides across sections, assumptions, and theorems
• Formatting the manuscript to ET's preparation specs before submission
• Converting references to ET's APA author-date style

ET house style: rigorous and readable

ET expects rigorous theorem-proof writing that a fellow theorist can follow without reverse-engineering every step. Aim for:

• Theorem-environment discipline. Number and label Assumptions, Lemmas, Propositions, Theorems, Corollaries consistently; reference them by number, not "the result above."
• Proof roadmaps. Open each nontrivial proof with one or two sentences on the strategy, then execute; isolate reusable steps as lemmas; name the probabilistic tool at the point you invoke it.
• Notation hygiene. One symbol, one meaning; introduce notation before use; keep a consistent convention for estimators, true values, limits, and rates. A short notation table helps in long papers.
• Calibrated prose. State assumptions in words alongside the formalism; explain why a condition is needed, not only that it holds.

ET manuscript-preparation specs (current 2026 page)

• Font/spacing/margins: minimum 11-point font, at least 1.5 line spacing, margins no less than 1.25 inches on all sides; pages consecutively numbered.
• Abstract: no more than 200 words. (A legacy page showed 150 words / 10pt; treat the current 200-word / 11pt figures as authoritative — verify on the live page.)
• Title page (p.1): title, author name(s), affiliations, emails, title/author footnotes as superscripts.
• Page 2: proposed running head (abbreviated title, no more than 40 characters), corresponding author for proofs, and the abstract.
• References: follow the APA Style Guide (author-date), in-text and in the reference list.

Checklist

• Assumptions/lemmas/theorems numbered and cross-referenced by number
• Each nontrivial proof opens with a strategy roadmap
• Notation consistent; every symbol introduced before use
• Assumptions explained in words, not only stated formally
• Abstract <=200 words; running head <=40 characters
• 11pt, >=1.5 spacing, >=1.25in margins, pages numbered
• References in APA author-date; list complete and alphabetized

Anti-patterns

• A proof with no roadmap that forces the reader to infer the strategy from the algebra
• Reusing a symbol for two different objects across sections
• Stating regularity conditions with no intuition for why they are imposed
• An abstract over 200 words or a running head over 40 characters
• Numeric or Chicago references instead of APA author-date

Style execution pass for Econometric Theory

Treat this skill as an executable review pass, not a prose hint. First lock the primitive assumptions, theorem statement, proof route, and example showing why the result matters; then judge whether the current manuscript answers the venue's real reader: econometric theorists who read for assumptions, theorem novelty, proof architecture, and relation to known asymptotics.

• Do the pass: Rewrite the first two pages so each paragraph starts from the venue-level claim, not from chronology or method inventory; preserve exact source-map limits and move technical overflow to appendix or supplement.
• Return a ledger: give claim / evidence / risk / manuscript location rows, so the next agent can edit rather than rediscover the issue.
• Sibling guard: compare against Journal of Econometrics for applied-method reach, Quantitative Economics for theoretical economics, Econometrica for general theory-plus-economics contribution; if a sibling owns the contribution, recommend re-routing before polishing format.
• Stop condition: do not give submission-ready advice until the pack's resources/official-source-map.md has been checked for volatile rules and the manuscript has one concrete fix for the largest venue-specific risk.

Output format

【Proof exposition】roadmaps + isolated lemmas? [Y/N]
【Notation】one-symbol-one-meaning, introduced before use? [Y/N]
【Abstract】<=200 words? [Y/N]  【Running head】<=40 chars? [Y/N]
【Prep specs】11pt / 1.5 spacing / 1.25in margins? [Y/N]
【References】APA author-date, alphabetized? [Y/N]
【Next step】ectheory-replication-and-data-policy