---
name: brycewang-stanford/latex-paper-en
source: https://app.decimal.ai/s/brycewang-stanford-latex-paper-en@1/SKILL.md
source_sha256: 27277fda8afa
---

# LaTeX Academic Paper Assistant (English)

Use this skill for targeted work on an existing English LaTeX paper project. Keep the workflow low-friction: identify the right module, run the smallest useful check, and return actionable comments in LaTeX-friendly review format.

## Capability Summary

- Compile and diagnose LaTeX build failures.
- Audit formatting, bibliography, grammar, sentence length, argument logic, and figure quality.
- Review IEEE-style pseudocode blocks, figure-wrapped algorithms, captions, labels, comments, and algorithm package choices.
- Improve expression, translate academic prose, optimize titles, and reduce AI-writing traces.
- Review experiment sections without rewriting citations, labels, or math.

## Triggering

Use this skill when the user has an existing English `.tex` paper project and wants help with:

- compiling or fixing build errors
- format or venue compliance
- bibliography and citation validation
- grammar, sentence, logic, or expression review
- translation of academic prose
- title optimization
- figure or caption quality checks
- pseudocode and algorithm-block review
- de-AI editing of visible prose
- experiment-section analysis

## Do Not Use

Do not use this skill for:

- planning or drafting a paper from scratch
- deep literature research or fact-finding without a paper project
- Chinese thesis-specific structure/template work
- Typst-first paper workflows
- DOCX/PDF conversion tasks that do not involve the LaTeX source
- multi-perspective review, scoring, or submission gate decisions (use `paper-audit`)
- standalone algorithm design from scratch without a paper project

## Module Router

| Module | Use when | Primary command | Read next |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `compile` | Build fails or the user wants a fresh compile | `uv run python -B $SKILL_DIR/scripts/compile.py main.tex` | `references/modules/COMPILE.md` |
| `format` | User asks for LaTeX or venue formatting review | `uv run python -B $SKILL_DIR/scripts/check_format.py main.tex` | `references/modules/FORMAT.md` |
| `bibliography` | Missing citations, unused entries, BibTeX validation | `uv run python -B $SKILL_DIR/scripts/verify_bib.py references.bib --tex main.tex` | `references/modules/BIBLIOGRAPHY.md` |
| `grammar` | Grammar and surface-level language fixes | `uv run python -B $SKILL_DIR/scripts/analyze_grammar.py main.tex --section introduction` | `references/modules/GRAMMAR.md` |
| `sentences` | Long, dense, or hard-to-read sentences | `uv run python -B $SKILL_DIR/scripts/analyze_sentences.py main.tex --section introduction` | `references/modules/SENTENCES.md` |
| `logic` | Weak argument flow, unclear transitions, introduction funnel problems, or abstract/conclusion misalignment | `uv run python -B $SKILL_DIR/scripts/analyze_logic.py main.tex --section methods` | `references/modules/LOGIC.md` |
| `expression` | Academic tone polish without changing claims | `uv run python -B $SKILL_DIR/scripts/improve_expression.py main.tex --section related` | `references/modules/EXPRESSION.md` |
| `translation` | Chinese-to-English academic translation or bilingual polishing | `uv run python -B $SKILL_DIR/scripts/translate_academic.py input.txt --domain deep-learning` | `references/modules/TRANSLATION.md` |
| `title` | Generate, compare, or optimize paper titles | `uv run python -B $SKILL_DIR/scripts/optimize_title.py main.tex --check` | `references/modules/TITLE.md` |
| `figures` | Figure existence, extension, DPI, or caption review | `uv run python -B $SKILL_DIR/scripts/check_figures.py main.tex` | `references/REVIEWER_PERSPECTIVE.md` |
| `pseudocode` | IEEE-safe pseudocode review, `algorithm2e` cleanup, caption/label/reference checks, and comment-length review | `uv run python -B $SKILL_DIR/scripts/check_pseudocode.py main.tex --venue ieee` | `references/modules/PSEUDOCODE.md` |
| `deai` | Reduce AI-writing traces while preserving LaTeX syntax | `uv run python -B $SKILL_DIR/scripts/deai_check.py main.tex --section introduction` | `references/modules/DEAI.md` |
| `experiment` | Inspect experiment design/write-up quality, discussion depth, discussion layering, and conclusion completeness | `uv run python -B $SKILL_DIR/scripts/analyze_experiment.py main.tex --section experiments` | `references/modules/EXPERIMENT.md` |
| `tables` | Table structure validation, three-line table generation, or booktabs review | `uv run python -B $SKILL_DIR/scripts/check_tables.py main.tex` | `references/modules/TABLES.md` |
| `abstract` | Abstract five-element structure diagnosis and word count validation | `uv run python -B $SKILL_DIR/scripts/analyze_abstract.py main.tex` | `references/modules/ABSTRACT.md` |
| `adapt` | Journal adaptation: reformat paper for a different venue | (LLM-driven workflow) | references/modules/ADAPT.md |

## Required Inputs

- `main.tex` or the paper entrypoint.
- Optional `--section SECTION` when the request is section-specific.
- Optional bibliography path when the request targets references.
- Optional venue/context when the user cares about IEEE, ACM, Springer, NeurIPS, or ICML conventions.

If arguments are missing, ask only for the file path and the target module.

## Output Contract

- Return findings in LaTeX diff-comment style whenever possible: `% MODULE (Line N) [Severity] [Priority]: Issue ...`
- Keep comments surgical and source-aware.
- Report the exact command used and the exit code when a script fails.
- Preserve `\cite{}`, `\ref{}`, `\label{}`, custom macros, and math environments unless the user explicitly asks for source edits.

## Workflow

1. Parse `$ARGUMENTS` and identify the smallest matching module.
2. Read only the reference file needed for that module.
3. Run the module script with `uv run python -B ...`.
4. Summarize issues, suggested fixes, and blockers in LaTeX-friendly comments.
5. If the user asks for a different concern, switch modules instead of overloading one run.

## Safety Boundaries

- Never invent citations, metrics, baselines, or experimental results.
- Never rewrite bibliography keys, references, labels, or math by default.
- Treat generated text as proposals; keep source-preserving checks separate from prose rewriting.

## Reference Map

- `references/STYLE_GUIDE.md`: tone and style defaults.
- `references/VENUES.md`: venue-specific expectations.
- `references/CITATION_VERIFICATION.md`: citation verification workflow.
- `references/REVIEWER_PERSPECTIVE.md`: reviewer-style heuristics for figures and clarity.
- `references/modules/`: module-by-module commands and decision notes.
- `references/modules/PSEUDOCODE.md`: IEEE-safe defaults for LaTeX pseudocode.

Read only the file that matches the active module.

## Example Requests

- “Compile my IEEE paper and tell me why `main.tex` still fails after BibTeX.”
- “Check the introduction section for grammar and sentence length, but do not rewrite equations.”
- “Audit figures and references in this ACM submission before I submit.”
- “Check whether this IEEE pseudocode still uses `algorithm2e` floats and tell me how to make it IEEE-safe.”
- “Review the experiments section for overclaiming, missing ablations, and weak baseline comparisons.”

See `examples/` for complete request-to-command walkthroughs.