Use when constructing or revising regression tables, descriptive statistics tables, or figures after results are estimated and before submission for an AER, AER:Insights, or AEJ manuscript. Implements AER booktabs house style, regression-table layout, and figure-note conventions.
SkillScore95Maintained
Automatic
◆Doc Ops pack
Last verified 8/8/2026
What it changes
Passed 20 of 21 test cases with the skill, and 14 of 21 without it.
Without skill68%
With skill95%
Checks it passed that the model alone missed
The figure notes are placed inside a figurenotes environment.
The figure caption is placed below the graphics inclusion command.
Recommends using clear sans-serif fonts at 9 pt or larger for axis labels.
and 4 more in the full report
6 fixed15 passed either way1 still failing0 broke
Pass-rate lift
+27 pp
Tokens
+49%
Agent turns
0%
Response time
-38%
Model gemini-3.6-flashMeasured 8/8/2026v121 of 22 cases passed with skill · 21 comparable
Tokens, turns and time describe resource use, not a dollar price.
See it in action
One of 6 test cases the skill fixed. Same model, same prompt, with and without the skill.
1 of 6
Prompt
Where should standard errors be placed relative to coefficient point estimates in an economics regression table, and where should information about standard error clustering level be reported?
What was checked, without and with the skill
Checked
Without skill
With skill
Specifies placing standard errors in parentheses directly below coefficient estimates.
Passed
Passed
States that the clustering structure must be stated in the table notes rather than in column headers.
Missed
Passed
case-11 · gemini-3.6-flash · 8/8/2026 · answers are capped and redacted
What's inside
The instructions your model reads when the skill loads.
SKILL.md181 lines2 files
AER Tables and Figures
Overview
Reviewers in economics read tables first. A misformatted, overstuffed, or note-bloated table signals carelessness and increases desk rejection probability independently of the result quality. This skill enforces AER house style and the "one claim per exhibit" discipline.
Hard AER conventions:
Captions go below figures, above tables.
Tables use booktabs-style horizontal rules (no vertical rules).
Figure notes use the tablenotes / figurenotes environment.
No color-only encoding — figures must remain legible in grayscale and to color-blind readers.
When to Use
Drafting the main results table
Auditing tables before submission
An R&R demands consolidation or restructuring of tables
Figures look noisy, dense, or "Excel-default"
The Five Canonical Tables
Every empirical AER paper has approximately:
Summary statistics — N, mean, SD, min, max for the analysis sample. One table; ≤ 15 rows. Group by treatment/control if relevant.
Variable definitions — source, construction, units. Push to appendix if main paper is tight on space.
Balance / first stage — covariate balance (RCT, RD, matched DiD) or first-stage coefficients (IV).
Main result — 3-7 columns, each a progressively richer specification. The column the referee will quote is column (4) or (5).
Robustness / heterogeneity — one table consolidating the most important checks.
If your paper needs more than ~7 main-text tables, the contribution is unfocused. Move secondary tables to the appendix.