Introduction: Selecting appropriate research designs is challenging for political scientists.

Understanding Designs Better: This article offers a framework to formally declare key analytical components of any study. It defines four critical elements: Model (M), Inquiry (I), Data Strategy (D), and Answer Strategy (A).

New Tools for Diagnosis: By declaring these features, researchers can use Monte Carlo methods to assess design properties before conducting the actual analysis.

Practical Advantages: Ex ante declarations help improve designs during planning stages through preregistration. They facilitate transparency in reporting actual analyses versus intended ones and support reconciliation efforts.

Ex Post Usefulness: Even after research is completed, ex post declaration helps document existing studies clearly for sharing purposes or enabling reanalyses by others.

Key Takeaway: This approach provides a systematic way to understand both one's own design strengths and limitations.