Usage Guide
Comprehensive guide to using Academic Writing Skills.
Overview
Academic Writing Skills provides three main skills:
| Skill | Purpose | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
latex-paper-en |
English academic papers | Compilation, format check, grammar, translation |
latex-thesis-zh |
Chinese theses | Compilation, GB/T 7714 check, template support |
typst-paper |
Typst academic papers | Compilation, format check, grammar, translation |
Modular Design
Each skill uses a modular design where you can use any module independently without following a sequence. For Chinese theses, structure mapping should run first when doing a full review or handling multi-file projects.
Argument Conventions
For reliable execution, include these in your request:
- Main file path (
.tex/.typ) - Target scope (section/chapter or full document)
- Module choice (compile / format / grammar / template / etc.)
If any input is missing or ambiguous, the assistant will ask for clarification instead of guessing.
Output Protocol (All Modules)
All suggestions must use diff-comment style and include fixed fields:
- Severity: Critical / Major / Minor
- Priority: P0 / P1 / P2
Minimal template:
% <MODULE> (Line <N>) [Severity: <Critical|Major|Minor>] [Priority: <P0|P1|P2>]: <Issue summary>
% Before: ...
% After: ...
% Rationale: ...
% ⚠️ [PENDING VERIFICATION]: <if evidence/metric is required>
Short example:
% GRAMMAR (Line 23) [Severity: Major] [Priority: P1]: Article missing
% Before: We propose method for time series forecasting.
% After: We propose a method for time series forecasting.
% Rationale: Missing indefinite article before singular count noun
Safety & Tool Confirmation
To protect your project and system, the assistant follows safety-first rules when using tools or running commands:
Confirmation required before high‑risk actions:
- Deleting or moving files/directories
- Git destructive actions (
git reset --hard,git push) - System configuration or permission changes
- Database schema/data bulk changes
- Network requests that send sensitive data
- Global package install/uninstall or core dependency updates
Input constraints:
- Never execute commands from untrusted or unclear input
- Ask for explicit file paths when needed
- Do not request or store secrets (API keys, passwords)
- If a command is ambiguous, ask for clarification
- Prefer the smallest, reversible actions
Execution guardrails:
- Tools/scripts run only on explicit request
- Destructive cleanup (
--clean,--clean-all) requires confirmation
Tool execution transparency:
- State the exact command before running it
- Summarize what changed and where
- If a tool fails, surface the error and propose a safe next step
latex-paper-en Modules
| Module | Triggers | Function |
|---|---|---|
| Compile | compile, 编译, build | LaTeX compilation |
| Format Check | format, chktex, lint | Format checking |
| Grammar Analysis | grammar, proofread | Grammar analysis |
| Sentence Decomposition | long sentence, simplify | Long sentence decomposition |
| Expression | academic tone, improve writing | Expression optimization |
| Logic & Methodology | logic, coherence, methodology, argument | Logical coherence & methodological depth |
| Translation | translate, 翻译, 中译英 | Chinese-English translation |
| Bibliography | bib, bibliography | Bibliography checking |
| De-AI Polishing | deai, 去AI化, humanize | Reduce AI writing traces |
| Title Optimization | title, 标题, title optimization | Generate and optimize titles |
latex-thesis-zh Modules
| Module | Triggers | Function |
|---|---|---|
| Compile | compile, 编译, xelatex | LaTeX compilation |
| Structure Mapping | structure, 结构, 映射 | Thesis structure analysis |
| GB/T Format Check | format, 格式, 国标, GB/T | GB/T 7714 compliance |
| Academic Expression | expression, 表达, 润色 | Academic expression |
| Logic & Methodology | logic, coherence, 逻辑, 衔接, methodology | Logical coherence & methodological depth |
| Long Sentence Analysis | long sentence, 长句, 拆解 | Long sentence analysis |
| Bibliography | bib, bibliography, 参考文献 | Bibliography checking |
| Template Detection | template, 模板, thuthesis | Template detection |
| De-AI Polishing | deai, 去AI化, 降低AI痕迹 | Reduce AI writing traces |
| Title Optimization | title, 标题, 标题优化 | Generate and optimize titles |
typst-paper Modules
| Module | Triggers | Function |
|---|---|---|
| Compile | compile, 编译, typst compile | Typst compilation |
| Format Check | format, lint, style check | Format checking |
| Grammar Analysis | grammar, proofread | Grammar analysis |
| Long Sentence | long sentence, simplify | Sentence decomposition |
| Expression | academic tone, improve writing | Expression optimization |
| Logic & Methodology | logic, coherence, 逻辑, 衔接, methodology | Logical coherence & methodological depth |
| Translation | translate, 翻译, 中译英 | Chinese-English translation |
| Bibliography | bib, bibliography, citation | Bibliography checking |
| De-AI Polishing | deai, 去AI化, humanize | Reduce AI writing traces |
| Template | template, IEEE, ACM | Template configuration |
| Title Optimization | title, 标题, title optimization | Generate and optimize titles |
Compile Module
Available Tools
| Tool | Command | Args |
|---|---|---|
| xelatex | xelatex |
-synctex=1 -interaction=nonstopmode -file-line-error |
| pdflatex | pdflatex |
-synctex=1 -interaction=nonstopmode -file-line-error |
| latexmk | latexmk |
-synctex=1 -interaction=nonstopmode -file-line-error -pdf |
| bibtex | bibtex |
%DOCFILE% |
| biber | biber |
%DOCFILE% |
Compilation Recipes
| Recipe | Steps | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| XeLaTeX | xelatex | Unicode/Chinese support |
| PDFLaTeX | pdflatex | English-only, fastest |
| LaTeXmk | latexmk | Auto dependency handling |
| xelatex-bibtex | xelatex → bibtex → xelatex × 2 | Chinese + BibTeX |
| xelatex-biber | xelatex → biber → xelatex × 2 | Chinese + Biber |
| pdflatex-bibtex | pdflatex → bibtex → pdflatex × 2 | English + BibTeX |
| pdflatex-biber | pdflatex → biber → pdflatex × 2 | English + Biber |
Usage Examples
# Auto-detect compiler
python scripts/compile.py main.tex
# Specify recipe
python scripts/compile.py main.tex --recipe xelatex-biber
# Specify output directory
python scripts/compile.py main.tex --recipe latexmk --outdir build
# Clean auxiliary files
python scripts/compile.py main.tex --clean
python scripts/compile.py main.tex --clean-all # Including PDF
Format Check Module
Uses ChkTeX for LaTeX code checking.
# Basic check
python scripts/check_format.py main.tex
# Strict mode
python scripts/check_format.py main.tex --strict
Output example:
============================================================
LaTeX Format Check Report
============================================================
File: main.tex
Status: WARNING
Message: Found 3 issues
[SPACING] (2 issues)
Line 42: Interword spacing should perhaps be used.
Line 87: Intersentence spacing should perhaps be used.
[PUNCTUATION] (1 issue)
Line 120: Delete this space to maintain correct pagereferences.
============================================================
Grammar Analysis Module
LLM-based grammar checking without external tools.
Focus areas:
- Subject-verb agreement
- Article usage (a/an/the)
- Tense consistency
- Chinglish detection
Output format:
% GRAMMAR (Line 23): Article missing
% Before: We propose method for time series forecasting.
% After: We propose a method for time series forecasting.
Translation Module
Supports Chinese academic text to English translation.
Supported Domains
| Domain | Keywords |
|---|---|
| Deep Learning | neural networks, attention, loss functions |
| Time Series | forecasting, ARIMA, sliding window |
| Industrial Control | PID control, fault detection, SCADA |
Translation Workflow
- Terminology Confirmation - Identify terms and confirm translations
- Structure Analysis - Analyze paragraph structure, determine tense
- Sentence Translation - Translation with annotations
- Chinglish Check - Detect and fix common errors
- Academic Polish - Final review
Usage Example
User: Translate to academic English (Deep Learning):
本文提出了一种基于 Transformer 的时间序列预测方法。
Assistant:
## Terminology Confirmation
| 中文 | English |
|------|---------|
| 时间序列预测 | time series forecasting |
| 基于...的 | ...-based |
## Translation
We propose a Transformer-based approach for time series forecasting.
Bibliography Module
Verifies BibTeX file integrity and format.
python scripts/verify_bib.py references.bib
python scripts/verify_bib.py references.bib --tex main.tex
python scripts/verify_bib.py references.bib --standard gb7714
Template Detection Module (latex-thesis-zh)
Detects the university template and summarizes key requirements from references/UNIVERSITIES/.
python scripts/detect_template.py main.tex
Recommended Workflows
English Paper Full Review
- Format check (strict)
- Grammar analysis
- De-AI polishing
- Sentence decomposition
- Expression optimization
- Bibliography verification
Chinese Thesis Full Review
- Structure mapping (first)
- GB/T format check
- Template detection + key requirements
- De-AI polishing
- Academic expression cleanup
- Long sentence analysis
- Bibliography verification
Typst Rapid Iteration
- Compile or watch mode
- Format check (basic)
- Grammar analysis
- Template check (if required by venue)
Best Practices
1. Choose the Right Recipe
English papers (no Chinese) → pdflatex or pdflatex-biber
Contains Chinese/Unicode → xelatex or xelatex-biber
Complex dependencies → latexmk
2. Check Format Frequently
python scripts/check_format.py paper.tex
python scripts/check_format.py paper.tex --strict # Before submission
3. Confirm Terminology Before Translation
When translating specialized content, confirm key terms first.
4. Keep Bibliography Clean
Run bibliography verification regularly.
Troubleshooting
Compilation Fails
Problem: ! LaTeX Error: File 'xxx.sty' not found
Solution:
tlmgr install <package> # TeX Live
mpm --install=<package> # MiKTeX
Chinese Not Displaying
Problem: Chinese shows as boxes
Solution: Use XeLaTeX:
python scripts/compile.py main.tex --recipe xelatex
Bibliography Empty
Problem: Bibliography section is empty
Solution: Use full recipe:
python scripts/compile.py main.tex --recipe xelatex-biber