Topic Selection: Is There a Theoretical Puzzle? (amr-topic-selection)

When to trigger

• You have an interesting phenomenon, trend, or anomaly but no theory yet
• You are unsure whether the idea is "big enough" for AMR
• The idea feels like a study you'd run rather than a theory you'd build
• You can describe what happens but not why existing theory fails to explain it

The AMR fit test

AMR wants a theoretical puzzle, not a topic. A topic is "leadership and remote work." A puzzle is "existing leadership theory predicts X, yet under condition C we should see not-X — and no current theory resolves the contradiction." Run every idea through: