Hypothesis Generation
spacering-net/codeg
Structured hypothesis formulation from observations. An agent skill from spacering-net/codeg.
A skill your agent uses when deciding whether a research idea fits Global Change Biology (GCB) and how to frame its significance.
Install Gcb Topic Selection
$ npx skills add franklee16/academic-research-skills --skill gcb-topic-selection -a claude-codeProject install by default; add -g for ~/.claude/skills/.
$ gh skill install franklee16/academic-research-skills gcb-topic-selection --agent claude-codeProject scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/franklee16/academic-research-skills.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/Awesome-Journal-Skills-main/Global-Change-Biology-Skills/skills/gcb-topic-selection .claude/skills/gcb-topic-selection && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.claude/skills/ instead of .claude/skills for a personal install. The folder must contain SKILL.md.
Claude Code skills documentation · loads skills from .claude/skills/
Install the "gcb-topic-selection" agent skill from https://github.com/franklee16/academic-research-skills/tree/master/Awesome-Journal-Skills-main/Global-Change-Biology-Skills/skills/gcb-topic-selection into .claude/skills/gcb-topic-selection/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "gcb-topic-selection", then confirm the skill loads.Claude Code copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$skill-installer install https://github.com/franklee16/academic-research-skills/tree/master/Awesome-Journal-Skills-main/Global-Change-Biology-Skills/skills/gcb-topic-selectionType this inside Codex. $skill-installer <name> installs a curated skill from openai/skills. The installer writes to $CODEX_HOME/skills (default ~/.codex/skills). Restart Codex if the skill does not show up.
$ npx skills add franklee16/academic-research-skills --skill gcb-topic-selection -a codexProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.codex/skills/.
$ gh skill install franklee16/academic-research-skills gcb-topic-selection --agent codexProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/franklee16/academic-research-skills.git skills-src && mkdir -p .agents/skills && cp -r skills-src/Awesome-Journal-Skills-main/Global-Change-Biology-Skills/skills/gcb-topic-selection .agents/skills/gcb-topic-selection && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.agents/skills/ instead of .agents/skills for a personal install.
Codex skills documentation · loads skills from .agents/skills/
Install the "gcb-topic-selection" agent skill from https://github.com/franklee16/academic-research-skills/tree/master/Awesome-Journal-Skills-main/Global-Change-Biology-Skills/skills/gcb-topic-selection into .agents/skills/gcb-topic-selection/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "gcb-topic-selection", then confirm the skill loads.Codex copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ npx skills add franklee16/academic-research-skills --skill gcb-topic-selection -a cursorProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.cursor/skills/.
$ gh skill install franklee16/academic-research-skills gcb-topic-selection --agent cursorProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/franklee16/academic-research-skills.git skills-src && mkdir -p .cursor/skills && cp -r skills-src/Awesome-Journal-Skills-main/Global-Change-Biology-Skills/skills/gcb-topic-selection .cursor/skills/gcb-topic-selection && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.cursor/skills/ instead of .cursor/skills for a personal install.
Cursor skills documentation · loads skills from .cursor/skills/, .agents/skills/, .claude/skills/, .codex/skills/
Install the "gcb-topic-selection" agent skill from https://github.com/franklee16/academic-research-skills/tree/master/Awesome-Journal-Skills-main/Global-Change-Biology-Skills/skills/gcb-topic-selection into .cursor/skills/gcb-topic-selection/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "gcb-topic-selection", then confirm the skill loads.Cursor copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ gemini skills install https://github.com/franklee16/academic-research-skills.git --path Awesome-Journal-Skills-main/Global-Change-Biology-Skills/skills/gcb-topic-selection--scope user (default) or --scope workspace; --path is the subfolder of the repo that holds the skill; --consent skips the security confirmation prompt.
$ npx skills add franklee16/academic-research-skills --skill gcb-topic-selection -a gemini-cliProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.gemini/skills/.
$ gh skill install franklee16/academic-research-skills gcb-topic-selection --agent gemini-cliProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/franklee16/academic-research-skills.git skills-src && mkdir -p .gemini/skills && cp -r skills-src/Awesome-Journal-Skills-main/Global-Change-Biology-Skills/skills/gcb-topic-selection .gemini/skills/gcb-topic-selection && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.gemini/skills/ instead of .gemini/skills for a personal install, then run /skills reload.
Gemini CLI skills documentation · loads skills from .gemini/skills/, .agents/skills/
Install the "gcb-topic-selection" agent skill from https://github.com/franklee16/academic-research-skills/tree/master/Awesome-Journal-Skills-main/Global-Change-Biology-Skills/skills/gcb-topic-selection into .gemini/skills/gcb-topic-selection/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "gcb-topic-selection", then confirm the skill loads.Gemini CLI copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ gh skill install franklee16/academic-research-skills gcb-topic-selectionInstalls for Copilot at project scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Preview a skill first with gh skill preview. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).
$ npx skills add franklee16/academic-research-skills --skill gcb-topic-selection -a github-copilotProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.copilot/skills/.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/franklee16/academic-research-skills.git skills-src && mkdir -p .github/skills && cp -r skills-src/Awesome-Journal-Skills-main/Global-Change-Biology-Skills/skills/gcb-topic-selection .github/skills/gcb-topic-selection && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.copilot/skills/ instead of .github/skills for a personal install. Commit .github/skills so cloud agent and code review can use it.
GitHub Copilot skills documentation · loads skills from .github/skills/, .claude/skills/, .agents/skills/
Install the "gcb-topic-selection" agent skill from https://github.com/franklee16/academic-research-skills/tree/master/Awesome-Journal-Skills-main/Global-Change-Biology-Skills/skills/gcb-topic-selection into .github/skills/gcb-topic-selection/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "gcb-topic-selection", then confirm the skill loads.GitHub Copilot copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ npx skills add franklee16/academic-research-skills --skill gcb-topic-selection -a opencodeOpenCode documents no install command of its own. Project install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.config/opencode/skills/.
$ gh skill install franklee16/academic-research-skills gcb-topic-selection --agent opencodeProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/franklee16/academic-research-skills.git skills-src && mkdir -p .opencode/skills && cp -r skills-src/Awesome-Journal-Skills-main/Global-Change-Biology-Skills/skills/gcb-topic-selection .opencode/skills/gcb-topic-selection && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.config/opencode/skills/ instead of .opencode/skills for a personal install.
OpenCode skills documentation · loads skills from .opencode/skills/, .claude/skills/, .agents/skills/
Install the "gcb-topic-selection" agent skill from https://github.com/franklee16/academic-research-skills/tree/master/Awesome-Journal-Skills-main/Global-Change-Biology-Skills/skills/gcb-topic-selection into .opencode/skills/gcb-topic-selection/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "gcb-topic-selection", then confirm the skill loads.OpenCode copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
Facts
- Skill name
gcb-topic-selection- GitHub stars
- 223
- Used in
- 1 other repo
- Token cost
- ~844 tokens
- SKILL.md length
- 328 words
- Files
- 1
- Skills in repo
- 1,617
- Repo updated
- First seen
- Licence
- None found
At a glance
A skill your agent uses when deciding whether a research idea fits Global Change Biology (GCB) and how to frame its significance.
- Works in 5 steps: Is there a global-change driver? Climate… → Is there a biological response or… → Is the link mechanistic? GCB rewards… → …
- Deciding whether a research idea fits Global Change Biology (GCB) and how to frame its significance
- SKILL.md covers When to trigger, The GCB fit test, Sharpening the question and Anti-patterns, plus 2 more sections
- Instructions only: no scripts, shell commands, URLs or credentials in SKILL.md
What it does
Gcb Topic Selection is an agent skill from franklee16/academic-research-skills. Use when deciding whether a research idea fits Global Change Biology (GCB) and how to frame its significance. GCB wants a mechanistic link between a global-change driver and a biological response, of broad relevance across systems. Tests fit and sharpens the question; it does not generate data or guarantee acceptance.
Its SKILL.md is about 840 tokens, which your agent loads only when the skill is triggered. It is a single SKILL.md file with no bundled scripts.
It sits in Research & Science, covering Hypothesis generation. The repository describes itself as: Comprehensive collection of Claude Code skills for academic research in economics, finance, and social sciences.
When your agent uses it
- Deciding whether a research idea fits Global Change Biology (GCB) and how to frame its significance
- Tasks that involve Hypothesis generation
Example prompts
- “/gcb-topic-selection”
Workflow steps
5 steps, taken from the first numbered list in SKILL.md.
- Is there a global-change driver? Climate warming, drought, rising CO2 / tropospheric ozone,
- Is there a biological response or feedback? A response or feedback in a biological system, at any
- Is the link mechanistic? GCB rewards why/how, not just that a correlation exists.
- Is it broadly relevant? The finding should generalize or transfer beyond one local context.
- Is the evidence commensurate? Manipulation, observation/gradient, or modelling that can actually
What it can do on your machine
Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit 9a4b2db. It shows what the files ask for, not the result of running them.
Tool permissions
Pre-approves nothing: there is no allowed-tools line, so your agent's usual permission prompts apply.
From allowed-tools in the SKILL.md frontmatter.
Runs code
No scripts in the folder and no shell commands in SKILL.md.
From the folder's file list and the shell code blocks in SKILL.md.
Network
No URLs in SKILL.md.
From URLs in SKILL.md, links to its own repository left out.
Credentials
Names no API keys, tokens, secrets or passwords.
From names ending in _API_KEY, _TOKEN, _SECRET, _KEY or _PASSWORD in SKILL.md.
Context cost
Gcb Topic Selection loads about 844 tokens when it runs. Until then it costs about 85 tokens; SKILL.md has 328 words of instructions outside code blocks.
Estimates: characters ÷ 4, the usual rule of thumb; real counts depend on the model's tokenizer. Scripts and assets cost tokens only if the agent reads them.
Safety
Auto-check passed
The automated check found no risky patterns in SKILL.md.
Automated static check — not a guarantee. Review scripts before installing. It scans the text of SKILL.md for risky patterns (piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files, hidden Unicode, destructive commands); files beside SKILL.md are not scanned.
SKILL.md
Without a licence we can't republish the file, so here is its outline and opening line. It has 328 words (~844 tokens).
“GCB's remit is the interface between global environmental change and biological systems. A paper fits when it shows how a driver of global change affects (or is affected by) living systems — and why that matters beyond a single site…”
- name
- gcb-topic-selection
Files
Just SKILL.md in Awesome-Journal-Skills-main/Global-Change-Biology-Skills/skills/gcb-topic-selection of franklee16/academic-research-skills.
Open the folder on GitHubat commit 9a4b2db
Used in 1 other repository
We found 1 copy of this SKILL.md (exact, near-identical or edited) in other folders, from 1 other GitHub owner. This page covers the copy in franklee16/academic-research-skills, which our catalogue first saw on October 7, 2026.
Compare with similar skills
Gcb Topic Selection next to the 5 skills that share the most tags, products or categories with it. Stars are the repository's; “used in” counts other GitHub owners with a copy.
| Skill | Stars | Used in | Tokens | Auto-check | Licence | Repo updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gcb Topic Selection this skillfranklee16/academic-research-skills | 223 | 1 repos | ~844 | Automated safety check: Pass | None | |
| Hypothesis Generationspacering-net/codeg | 3.9k | 14 repos | ~3.6k | Automated safety check: Notes | MIT | |
| Nature Paper CardYuan1z0825/nature-skills | 47k | 2 repos | ~2.1k | Automated safety check: Pass | Apache-2.0 | |
| Hypothesis GenerationK-Dense-AI/claude-scientific-writer | 2.4k | 2 repos | ~3.9k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| Good QuestionRimagination/good-question | 305 | 1 repos | ~4.3k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| High Stakes Analytics Decision Lablimingrui679-design/high-stakes-analytics-decision-lab | 1k | — | ~2.2k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT |
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Related
Categories
Questions about Gcb Topic Selection
What does Gcb Topic Selection do?
A skill your agent uses when deciding whether a research idea fits Global Change Biology (GCB) and how to frame its significance. Gcb Topic Selection is an agent skill from franklee16/academic-research-skills. Use when deciding whether a research idea fits Global Change Biology (GCB) and how to frame its significance.
When should I use Gcb Topic Selection?
Gcb Topic Selection fits situations like: deciding whether a research idea fits Global Change Biology (GCB) and how to frame its significance; tasks that involve Hypothesis generation.
How do I install Gcb Topic Selection in Claude Code?
Run `npx skills add franklee16/academic-research-skills --skill gcb-topic-selection -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (Awesome-Journal-Skills-main/Global-Change-Biology-Skills/skills/gcb-topic-selection in franklee16/academic-research-skills) into .claude/skills/gcb-topic-selection in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.
How do I install Gcb Topic Selection in Codex?
Run `npx skills add franklee16/academic-research-skills --skill gcb-topic-selection -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (Awesome-Journal-Skills-main/Global-Change-Biology-Skills/skills/gcb-topic-selection in franklee16/academic-research-skills) into .agents/skills/gcb-topic-selection in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.
Can I use Gcb Topic Selection in Cursor, Gemini CLI or GitHub Copilot?
Cursor, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot and OpenCode also load SKILL.md folders. With the skills CLI, run `npx skills add franklee16/academic-research-skills --skill gcb-topic-selection -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/gcb-topic-selection, .gemini/skills/gcb-topic-selection, .github/skills/gcb-topic-selection and .opencode/skills/gcb-topic-selection in your project.
What does Gcb Topic Selection need to run?
SKILL.md names no scripts, command-line tools or credentials: Gcb Topic Selection is instructions for the agent only.
Does Gcb Topic Selection access the network?
SKILL.md contains no URLs. Any network use would come from the scripts or tools the agent runs. This is read from the text; nothing was executed.
Is Gcb Topic Selection safe to install?
Our automated static check of SKILL.md found no risky patterns, such as piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files or hidden Unicode. It is not a guarantee. Review the folder before installing.
What licence does Gcb Topic Selection use?
No licence was found for Gcb Topic Selection or its repository. Without one, default copyright applies: ask the author before reusing or redistributing it.
How many tokens does Gcb Topic Selection use?
About 844 tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 3.4k characters). Agents keep only the skill's name and description in context until a task matches; then they load SKILL.md in full.
What are the alternatives to Gcb Topic Selection?
Skills that share tags, products or a category with Gcb Topic Selection: Hypothesis Generation (spacering-net/codeg, 3.9k stars), Nature Paper Card (Yuan1z0825/nature-skills, 47k stars), Hypothesis Generation (K-Dense-AI/claude-scientific-writer, 2.4k stars) and Good Question (Rimagination/good-question, 305 stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.
Who maintains Gcb Topic Selection?
franklee16 (a GitHub user) maintains it in franklee16/academic-research-skills, which has 223 GitHub stars. The repository holds 1,617 skills in this directory. The repository was last updated on September 18, 2026.
Source: franklee16/academic-research-skills on GitHub. Facts on this page come from the repository at the commit we read; the author's words are quoted as theirs.