skills/detect-ai-writing-patterns/references/pattern-rubric.md

# Pattern rubric

## Substance

- Abstract claims without concrete people, actions, examples, stakes, or evidence.
- Plausible-sounding filler that adds no new information.
- Repetition of the same idea under different headings.
- Unsupported certainty, universal claims, or manufactured authority.

## Language

- Stock openings and conclusions that could fit any subject.
- Excessive nominalizations, inflated vocabulary, consultant language, or forced sophistication.
- Recurrent contrast templates, symmetrical clauses, rhetorical questions, and three-item lists.
- Too many transition words, throat-clearing phrases, summaries, caveats, and signposts.
- Unnatural synonyms introduced only to avoid repetition.

## Rhythm and structure

- Uniform sentence length, paragraph shape, cadence, and punctuation.
- Every paragraph following claim-explanation-summary.
- Excessive headings, bullets, bold labels, or one-sentence paragraphs.
- Predictable escalation and overly complete coverage for the medium.

## Voice and social fit

- No clear relationship between writer and reader.
- Tone that is too polished, eager, neutral, enthusiastic, or diplomatic for the situation.
- Generic empathy, fake intimacy, unearned confidence, or sales language.
- Missing domain vocabulary, lived constraints, or natural compression expected from the stated writer.

## German-specific signals

- Heavy use of constructions such as „In der heutigen Zeit“, „Es ist wichtig zu beachten“, „nicht nur … sondern auch“, „Zusammenfassend lässt sich sagen“ or „entscheidend ist“ when they contribute little.
- Excessive colon-led explanations, noun-heavy administrative German, repeated „zudem/darüber hinaus/insbesondere“ and unnaturally balanced sentence structures.

## English-specific signals

- Repeated phrases such as “in today’s fast-paced world,” “it is important to note,” “delve into,” “foster,” “leverage,” “not only … but also,” or “in conclusion” without contextual need.

Never flag a phrase solely because it appears on this list. Frequency, context, genre, and cumulative effect determine the finding.