Venue Templates

Venue Templates

Overview

Access comprehensive LaTeX templates, formatting requirements, and submission guidelines for major scientific publication venues, academic conferences, research posters, and grant proposals. This skill provides ready-to-use templates and detailed specifications for successful academic submissions across disciplines.

Use this skill when preparing manuscripts for journal submission, conference papers, research posters, or grant proposals and need venue-specific formatting requirements and templates.

When to Use This Skill

This skill should be used when:

• Preparing a manuscript for submission to a specific journal (Nature, Science, PLOS, IEEE, etc.)
• Writing a conference paper with specific formatting requirements (NeurIPS, ICML, CHI, etc.)
• Creating an academic research poster for conferences
• Drafting grant proposals for federal agencies (NSF, NIH, DOE, DARPA) or private foundations
• Checking formatting requirements and page limits for target venues
• Customizing templates with author information and project details
• Verifying document compliance with venue specifications

Visual and Figure Routing

This skill owns venue and template requirements, not automatic figure creation. Do not generate schematics just because a manuscript, conference paper, poster, or grant is being prepared. Add or revise visuals only when the venue requires them, the user asks for them, or the document has a clear figure/table/poster requirement.

For manuscript figures, top-conference plots, poster figure palettes, or publication color QA, route figure styling to scientific-visualization. Use scientific-schematics, drawio-diagrams, d2-diagrams, or markdown-mermaid-writing only for requested or necessary conceptual, workflow, architecture, data-flow, or experimental-design diagrams.

Core Capabilities

1. Journal Article Templates

Access LaTeX templates and formatting guidelines for 50+ major scientific journals across disciplines:

Nature Portfolio:

• Nature, Nature Methods, Nature Biotechnology, Nature Machine Intelligence
• Nature Communications, Nature Protocols
• Scientific Reports

Science Family:

• Science, Science Advances, Science Translational Medicine
• Science Immunology, Science Robotics

PLOS (Public Library of Science):

• PLOS ONE, PLOS Biology, PLOS Computational Biology
• PLOS Medicine, PLOS Genetics

Cell Press:

• Cell, Neuron, Immunity, Cell Reports
• Molecular Cell, Developmental Cell

IEEE Publications:

• IEEE Transactions (various disciplines)
• IEEE Access, IEEE Journal templates

ACM Publications:

• ACM Transactions, Communications of the ACM
• ACM conference proceedings

Other Major Publishers:

• Springer journals (various disciplines)
• Elsevier journals (custom templates)
• Wiley journals
• BMC journals
• Frontiers journals

2. Conference Paper Templates

Conference-specific templates with proper formatting for major academic conferences:

Machine Learning & AI:

• NeurIPS (Neural Information Processing Systems)
• ICML (International Conference on Machine Learning)
• ICLR (International Conference on Learning Representations)
• CVPR (Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition)
• AAAI (Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence)

Computer Science:

• ACM CHI (Human-Computer Interaction)
• SIGKDD (Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining)
• EMNLP (Empirical Methods in Natural Language Processing)
• SIGIR (Information Retrieval)
• USENIX conferences

Biology & Bioinformatics:

• ISMB (Intelligent Systems for Molecular Biology)
• RECOMB (Research in Computational Molecular Biology)
• PSB (Pacific Symposium on Biocomputing)

Engineering:

• IEEE conference templates (various disciplines)
• ASME, AIAA conferences

3. Research Poster Templates

Academic poster templates for conference presentations:

Standard Formats:

• A0 (841 × 1189 mm / 33.1 × 46.8 in)
• A1 (594 × 841 mm / 23.4 × 33.1 in)
• 36" × 48" (914 × 1219 mm) - Common US size
• 42" × 56" (1067 × 1422 mm)
• 48" × 36" (landscape orientation)

Template Packages:

• beamerposter: Classic academic poster template
• tikzposter: Modern, colorful poster design
• baposter: Structured multi-column layout

Design Features:

• Optimal font sizes for readability at distance
• Color schemes (colorblind-safe palettes)
• Grid layouts and column structures
• QR code integration for supplementary materials

4. Grant Proposal Templates

Templates and formatting requirements for major funding agencies:

NSF (National Science Foundation):

• Full proposal template (15-page project description)
• Project Summary (1 page: Overview, Intellectual Merit, Broader Impacts)
• Budget and budget justification
• Biographical sketch (3-page limit)
• Facilities, Equipment, and Other Resources
• Data Management Plan

NIH (National Institutes of Health):

• R01 Research Grant (multi-year)
• R21 Exploratory/Developmental Grant
• K Awards (Career Development)
• Specific Aims Page (1 page, most critical component)
• Research Strategy (Significance, Innovation, Approach)
• Biographical sketches (5-page limit)

DOE (Department of Energy):

• Office of Science proposals
• ARPA-E templates
• Technology Readiness Level (TRL) descriptions
• Commercialization and impact sections

DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency):

• BAA (Broad Agency Announcement) responses
• Heilmeier Catechism framework
• Technical approach and milestones
• Transition planning

Private Foundations:

• Gates Foundation
• Wellcome Trust
• Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI)
• Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI)

Workflow: Finding and Using Templates

Step 1: Identify Target Venue

Determine the specific publication venue, conference, or funding agency:

Example queries:
- "I need to submit to Nature"
- "What are the requirements for NeurIPS 2025?"
- "Show me NSF proposal formatting"
- "I'm creating a poster for ISMB"

Step 2: Query Template and Requirements

Access venue-specific templates and formatting guidelines:

For Journals:

# Load journal formatting requirements
Reference: references/journals_formatting.md
Search for: "Nature" or specific journal name

# Retrieve template
Template: assets/journals/nature_article.tex

For Conferences:

# Load conference formatting
Reference: references/conferences_formatting.md
Search for: "NeurIPS" or specific conference

# Retrieve template
Template: assets/journals/neurips_article.tex

For Posters:

# Load poster guidelines
Reference: references/posters_guidelines.md

# Retrieve template
Template: assets/posters/beamerposter_academic.tex

For Grants:

# Load grant requirements
Reference: references/grants_requirements.md
Search for: "NSF" or specific agency

# Retrieve template
Template: assets/grants/nsf_proposal_template.tex

Step 3: Review Formatting Requirements

Check critical specifications before customizing:

Key Requirements to Verify:

• Page limits (varies by venue)
• Font size and family
• Margin specifications
• Line spacing
• Citation style (APA, Vancouver, Nature, etc.)
• Figure/table requirements
• File format (PDF, Word, LaTeX source)
• Anonymization (for double-blind review)
• Supplementary material limits

Step 4: Customize Template

Use helper scripts or manual customization:

Option 1: Helper Script (Recommended):

python scripts/customize_template.py \
  --template assets/journals/nature_article.tex \
  --title "Your Paper Title" \
  --authors "First Author, Second Author" \
  --affiliations "University Name" \
  --output my_nature_paper.tex

Option 2: Manual Editing:

• Open template file
• Replace placeholder text (marked with comments)
• Fill in title, authors, affiliations, abstract
• Add your content to each section

Step 5: Validate Format

Check compliance with venue requirements:

python scripts/validate_format.py \
  --file my_paper.pdf \
  --venue "Nature" \
  --check-all

Validation Checks:

• Page count within limits
• Font sizes correct
• Margins meet specifications
• References formatted correctly
• Figures meet resolution requirements

Step 6: Compile and Review

Compile LaTeX and review output:

# Compile LaTeX
pdflatex my_paper.tex
bibtex my_paper
pdflatex my_paper.tex
pdflatex my_paper.tex

# Or use latexmk for automated compilation
latexmk -pdf my_paper.tex

Review checklist:

• All sections present and properly formatted
• Citations render correctly
• Figures appear with proper captions
• Page count within limits
• Author guidelines followed
• Supplementary materials prepared (if needed)

Integration with Other Skills

This skill works seamlessly with other scientific skills:

Scientific Writing

• Use scientific-writing skill for content guidance (IMRaD structure, clarity, precision)
• Apply venue-specific templates from this skill for formatting
• Combine for complete manuscript preparation

Literature Review

• Use literature-review skill for systematic literature search and synthesis
• Apply appropriate citation style from venue requirements
• Format references according to template specifications

Peer Review

• Use peer-review skill to evaluate manuscript quality
• Use this skill to verify formatting compliance
• Ensure adherence to reporting guidelines (CONSORT, STROBE, etc.)

Research Grants

• Cross-reference with research-grants skill for content strategy
• Use this skill for agency-specific templates and formatting
• Combine for comprehensive grant proposal preparation

LaTeX Posters

• This skill provides venue-agnostic poster templates
• Use for conference-specific poster requirements
• Integrate with visualization skills for figure creation

Template Categories

By Document Type

By Discipline

Helper Scripts

query_template.py

Search and retrieve templates by venue name, type, or keywords:

# Find templates for a specific journal
python scripts/query_template.py --venue "Nature" --type "article"

# Search by keyword
python scripts/query_template.py --keyword "machine learning"

# List all available templates
python scripts/query_template.py --list-all

# Get requirements for a venue
python scripts/query_template.py --venue "NeurIPS" --requirements

customize_template.py

Customize templates with author and project information:

# Basic customization
python scripts/customize_template.py \
  --template assets/journals/nature_article.tex \
  --output my_paper.tex

# With author information
python scripts/customize_template.py \
  --template assets/journals/nature_article.tex \
  --title "Novel Approach to Protein Folding" \
  --authors "Jane Doe, John Smith, Alice Johnson" \
  --affiliations "MIT, Stanford, Harvard" \
  --email "[email protected]" \
  --output my_paper.tex

# Interactive mode
python scripts/customize_template.py --interactive

validate_format.py

Check document compliance with venue requirements:

# Validate a compiled PDF
python scripts/validate_format.py \
  --file my_paper.pdf \
  --venue "Nature" \
  --check-all

# Check specific aspects
python scripts/validate_format.py \
  --file my_paper.pdf \
  --venue "NeurIPS" \
  --check page-count,margins,fonts

# Generate validation report
python scripts/validate_format.py \
  --file my_paper.pdf \
  --venue "Science" \
  --report validation_report.txt

Best Practices

Template Selection

1. Verify currency: Check template date and compare with latest author guidelines
2. Check official sources: Many journals provide official LaTeX classes
3. Test compilation: Compile template before adding content
4. Read comments: Templates include helpful inline comments

Customization

1. Preserve structure: Don't remove required sections or packages
2. Follow placeholders: Replace marked placeholder text systematically
3. Maintain formatting: Don't override venue-specific formatting
4. Keep backups: Save original template before customization

Compliance

1. Check page limits: Verify before final submission
2. Validate citations: Use correct citation style for venue
3. Test figures: Ensure figures meet resolution requirements
4. Review anonymization: Remove identifying information if required

Submission

1. Follow instructions: Read complete author guidelines
2. Include all files: LaTeX source, figures, bibliography
3. Generate properly: Use recommended compilation method
4. Check output: Verify PDF matches expectations

Common Formatting Requirements

Page Limits (Typical)

Citation Styles by Venue

Figure Requirements

Writing Style Guides

Beyond formatting, this skill provides comprehensive writing style guides that capture how papers should read at different venues—not just how they should look.

Why Style Matters

The same research written for Nature will read very differently than when written for NeurIPS:

• Nature/Science: Accessible to non-specialists, story-driven, broad significance
• Cell Press: Mechanistic depth, comprehensive data, graphical abstract required
• Medical journals: Patient-centered, evidence-graded, structured abstracts
• ML conferences: Contribution bullets, ablation studies, reproducibility focus
• CS conferences: Field-specific conventions, varying evaluation standards

Available Style Guides

Writing Examples

Concrete examples are available in assets/examples/:

• nature_abstract_examples.md: Flowing paragraph abstracts for high-impact journals
• neurips_introduction_example.md: ML conference intro with contribution bullets
• cell_summary_example.md: Cell Press Summary, Highlights, eTOC format
• medical_structured_abstract.md: NEJM, Lancet, JAMA structured format

Workflow: Adapting to a Venue

1. Identify target venue and load the appropriate style guide
2. Review writing conventions: Tone, voice, abstract format, structure
3. Check examples for section-specific guidance
4. Review expectations: What do reviewers at this venue prioritize?
5. Apply formatting: Use LaTeX template from assets/

Resources

Bundled Resources

Writing Style Guides (in references/):

• venue_writing_styles.md: Master style overview and comparison
• nature_science_style.md: Nature/Science writing conventions
• cell_press_style.md: Cell Press journal style
• medical_journal_styles.md: Medical journal writing guide
• ml_conference_style.md: ML conference writing conventions
• cs_conference_style.md: CS conference writing guide
• reviewer_expectations.md: What reviewers look for by venue

Formatting Requirements (in references/):

• journals_formatting.md: Comprehensive journal formatting requirements
• conferences_formatting.md: Conference paper specifications
• posters_guidelines.md: Research poster design and sizing
• grants_requirements.md: Grant proposal requirements by agency

Writing Examples (in assets/examples/):

• nature_abstract_examples.md: High-impact journal abstract examples
• neurips_introduction_example.md: ML conference introduction format
• cell_summary_example.md: Cell Press Summary/Highlights/eTOC
• medical_structured_abstract.md: NEJM/Lancet/JAMA abstract format

Templates (in assets/):

• journals/: Journal article LaTeX templates
• posters/: Research poster templates
• grants/: Grant proposal templates

Scripts (in scripts/):

• query_template.py: Search and retrieve templates
• customize_template.py: Customize with author info
• validate_format.py: Check compliance with requirements

External Resources

Journal Author Guidelines:

• Nature: https://www.nature.com/nature/for-authors
• Science: https://www.science.org/content/page/instructions-authors
• PLOS: https://plos.org/resources/for-authors/
• Cell Press: https://www.cell.com/author-guidelines

Conference Formatting:

• NeurIPS: https://neurips.cc/Conferences/2024/CallForPapers
• ICML: https://icml.cc/Conferences/2024/StyleAuthorInstructions
• CVPR: https://cvpr.thecvf.com/Conferences/2024/AuthorGuidelines

Grant Resources:

• NSF PAPPG: https://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=pappg
• NIH Forms: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/how-to-apply-application-guide.html
• DOE Funding: https://science.osti.gov/grants

Example Usage

Example 1: Nature Article Submission

User: "I need to prepare a manuscript for Nature"

Response:
1. Load Nature formatting requirements (references/journals_formatting.md)
2. Retrieve Nature template (assets/journals/nature_article.tex)
3. Key requirements:
   - Length: ~3000 words, ~5 pages
   - Format: Single column, 12pt font
   - Citations: Numbered superscript (Nature style)
   - Figures: 300+ dpi, RGB color
4. Customize template with your title, authors, affiliations
5. Compile and validate against requirements

Example 2: NeurIPS Conference Paper

User: "What are the formatting requirements for NeurIPS?"

Response:
From references/conferences_formatting.md:
- Page limit: 8 pages main text + unlimited references/appendix
- Format: Two-column, 10pt font
- Template: neurips_2024.sty (official style file)
- Anonymization: Required for initial submission
- Citations: Numbered (brackets)
- Figures: High resolution, colorblind-safe recommended

Example 3: NSF Proposal

User: "Help me format an NSF proposal"

Response:
NSF requirements (from references/grants_requirements.md):
- Project Description: 15 pages maximum
- Project Summary: 1 page (Overview, Intellectual Merit, Broader Impacts)
- Budget Justification: 3-5 pages
- Biographical Sketch: 3 pages per senior personnel
- Font: Minimum 10pt, Times Roman or similar
- Margins: 1 inch all sides
Template: assets/grants/nsf_proposal_template.tex

Example 4: Conference Poster

User: "I need to create a poster for ISMB"

Response:
ISMB poster specifications:
- Size: Typically A0 portrait (33.1 × 46.8 inches)
- Recommended template: beamerposter or tikzposter
- Font sizes: Title 60-85pt, Headers 36-48pt, Body 24-32pt
- Include: QR code for paper/supplementary materials
Available templates:
- assets/posters/beamerposter_academic.tex
- assets/posters/tikzposter_research.tex

Updates and Maintenance

Template Currency:

• Templates updated annually or when venues release new guidelines
• Last updated: 2024
• Check official venue sites for most current requirements

Reporting Issues:

• Template compilation errors
• Outdated formatting requirements
• Missing venue templates
• Incorrect specifications

Summary

The venue-templates skill provides comprehensive access to:

1. 50+ publication venue templates across disciplines
2. Detailed formatting requirements for journals, conferences, posters, grants
3. Helper scripts for template discovery, customization, and validation
4. Integration with other scientific writing skills
5. Best practices for successful academic submissions

Use this skill whenever you need venue-specific formatting guidance or templates for academic publishing.