| name | academic-paper |
| description | 12-agent academic paper writing pipeline. 9 modes (full/plan/outline/revision/revision-coach/abstract/lit-review/format-convert/citation-check). 6 paper types, 5 citation formats, bilingual abstracts, LaTeX/DOCX/PDF output. Style Calibration + Writing Quality Check + Anti-Patterns with IRON RULE markers. Triggers: write paper, academic paper, guide my paper, parse reviews, 写论文, 学术论文, 引导我写论文, 审查意见. |
| metadata | {"version":"2.8","last_updated":"2026-04-06","status":"active","related_skills":["deep-research","academic-paper-reviewer","academic-pipeline"]} |
Academic Paper — Academic Paper Writing Agent Team
A general-purpose academic paper writing tool — 12-agent pipeline covering all disciplines, with higher education domain as the default reference.
v2.5 adds two writing quality features:
- Style Calibration (intake Step 10, optional) — Provide 3+ past papers and the pipeline learns your writing voice (sentence rhythm, vocabulary preferences, citation integration style). Applied as a soft guide during drafting; discipline conventions always take priority. See
shared/style_calibration_protocol.md.
- Writing Quality Check (
references/writing_quality_check.md) — A writing quality checklist applied during the draft self-review step. Catches overused AI-typical terms, em dash overuse, throat-clearing openers, uniform paragraph lengths, and monotonous sentence rhythm. These are good writing rules, not detection evasion.
Quick Start
Minimal command:
Write a paper on the impact of AI on higher education quality assurance
Write a paper on the impact of declining birth rates on private university management strategies
Execution flow:
- Configuration interview — paper type, discipline, citation format, output format
- Literature search — systematic search strategy, source screening
- Architecture design — paper structure, outline, word count allocation
- Argumentation construction — claim-evidence chains, logical flow
- Full-text drafting — section-by-section draft, register adjustment
- Citation compliance + bilingual abstract (parallel)
- Peer review — five-dimension scoring, revision suggestions
- Output formatting — LaTeX/DOCX/PDF/Markdown
Trigger Conditions
Trigger Keywords
English: write paper, academic paper, paper outline, write abstract, revise paper, literature review paper, check citations, convert to LaTeX, convert format, format paper, conference paper, journal article, thesis chapter, research paper, guide my paper, help me plan my paper, step by step paper, draft manuscript, write methodology, write discussion, parse reviews, revision roadmap, help me with my revision, I got reviewer comments, convert citations
简体中文: 写论文, 学术论文, 论文大纲, 写摘要, 修改论文, 文献回顾论文, 检查引用, 转 LaTeX, 转换格式, 研讨会论文, 期刊文章, 学位论文, 研究论文, 引导我写论文, 帮我规划论文, 逐步写论文, 写方法论, 写讨论, 审查意见, 修订路线图, 帮我修改, 我收到审查意见, 转换引用格式
Plan Mode Activation
Activate plan mode when the user wants guidance, step-by-step planning, or expresses uncertainty about paper structure. Default rule: when ambiguous between plan and full, prefer plan.
See references/plan_mode_protocol.md for full intent signals and activation rules.
Does NOT Trigger
| Scenario | Use Instead |
|---|
| Deep research / fact-checking (not paper writing) | deep-research |
| Reviewing a paper (structured review) | academic-paper-reviewer |
| Full research-to-paper pipeline | academic-pipeline |
Distinction from deep-research
| Feature | academic-paper | deep-research |
|---|
| Primary output | Publishable paper draft | Research report |
| Structure | Journal-ready (IMRaD, etc.) | APA 7.0 report |
| Citation | Multi-format (APA/Chicago/MLA/IEEE/Vancouver) | APA 7.0 only |
| Abstract | Bilingual (zh-CN + EN) | Single language |
| Peer review | Simulated 5-dimension review | Editorial review |
| Output format | LaTeX/DOCX/PDF/Markdown | Markdown only |
| Revision loop | Max 2 rounds with targeted feedback | Max 2 rounds |
Agent Team (12 Agents)
| # | Agent | Role | Phase |
|---|
| 1 | intake_agent | Configuration interview: paper type, discipline, journal, citation format, output format, language, word count; Handoff detection; Plan mode simplified interview | Phase 0 |
| 2 | literature_strategist_agent | Search strategy design, source screening, annotated bibliography, literature matrix | Phase 1 |
| 3 | structure_architect_agent | Paper structure selection, detailed outline, word count allocation, evidence mapping | Phase 2 |
| 4 | argument_builder_agent | Argument construction, claim-evidence chains, logical flow, counter-argument handling; Plan mode argument stress test | Phase 3 / Plan Step 3 |
| 5 | draft_writer_agent | Section-by-section full draft writing, discipline register adjustment, word count tracking | Phase 4 |
| 6 | citation_compliance_agent | Citation format verification, reference list completeness, DOI checking | Phase 5a |
| 7 | abstract_bilingual_agent | Bilingual abstract (zh-CN + EN), 5-7 keywords each | Phase 5b |
| 8 | peer_reviewer_agent | Simulated double-blind review, five-dimension scoring, revision suggestions (max 2 rounds) | Phase 6 |
| 9 | formatter_agent | Convert to LaTeX/DOCX/PDF/Markdown, journal formatting, cover letter, citation format conversion (APA 7 / Chicago / MLA / IEEE / Vancouver) | Phase 7 |
| 10 | socratic_mentor_agent | Plan mode Socratic mentor: chapter-by-chapter guidance, convergence criteria (4 signals), question taxonomy (4 types), INSIGHT extraction | Plan Step 0-3 |
| 11 | visualization_agent | Parse paper data and generate publication-quality figure code (Python matplotlib / R ggplot2) with APA 7.0 formatting, colorblind-safe palettes, and LaTeX integration | Phase 4 / Phase 7 |
| 12 | revision_coach_agent | Parse unstructured reviewer comments into structured Revision Roadmap; classify, map, and prioritize comments; works standalone without prior pipeline execution | Revision-Coach mode |
Output Formats
Text Formats
LaTeX (.tex + .bib), DOCX (via Pandoc), PDF (via LaTeX or Pandoc), Markdown.
Figures
When the paper contains quantitative results, the visualization_agent can generate publication-ready figures in Python (matplotlib/seaborn) or R (ggplot2) with APA 7.0 formatting and colorblind-safe palettes. Figures are delivered as runnable code + LaTeX \includegraphics integration code. See references/statistical_visualization_standards.md for chart type decision trees and code templates.
Citation Formats
APA 7.0 (default), Chicago (Author-Date or Notes-Bibliography), MLA 9, IEEE, Vancouver. The formatter_agent supports late-stage citation format conversion between any two supported formats via "Convert citations to [format]".
Orchestration Workflow (8 Phases)
Phase 0: CONFIG -> [intake_agent] -> Paper Configuration Record
Phase 1: RESEARCH -> [literature_strategist] -> Search Strategy + Source Corpus
Phase 2: ARCHITECTURE -> [structure_architect] -> Paper Outline + Evidence Map
Phase 3: ARGUMENTATION -> [argument_builder] -> Argument Blueprint
Phase 4: DRAFTING -> [draft_writer] -> Complete Draft
Phase 5a: CITATIONS -> [citation_compliance] ──┐ -> Citation Audit Report
Phase 5b: ABSTRACT -> [abstract_bilingual] ─┘ -> Bilingual Abstract + Keywords (parallel)
Phase 6: PEER REVIEW -> [peer_reviewer] -> Review Report (max 2 revision loops)
Phase 7: FORMAT -> [formatter] -> Final Output Package
See references/workflow_phase_details.md for detailed per-phase agent behavior and output descriptions.
Checkpoint Rules
- ⚠️ IRON RULE: User must confirm Paper Configuration Record before proceeding to Phase 1
- Phase 2 -> 3: User must approve outline (can request restructuring)
- ⚠️ IRON RULE: Max 2 revision loops; unresolved items -> "Acknowledged Limitations"
- Peer Review Critical-severity issues block progression to Phase 7
- User can skip Phase 1 (literature) if providing own sources
Operational Modes (9 Modes)
See references/mode_selection_guide.md for details.
| Mode | Trigger | Agents | Output |
|---|
full | "Write a paper" | All 9 (+ 11 if quantitative) | Complete paper draft (with figures if applicable) |
outline-only | "Paper outline" | 1->2->3 | Detailed outline + evidence map |
revision | "Revise paper" | 8->5->6 | Revised draft with tracked changes (uses templates/revision_tracking_template.md) |
abstract-only | "Write abstract" | 1->7 | Bilingual abstract + keywords |
lit-review | "Literature review" | 1->2 | Annotated bibliography + synthesis |
format-convert | "Convert to LaTeX" / "Convert citations to [format]" | 9 only | Formatted document; includes citation format conversion (APA 7 / Chicago / MLA / IEEE / Vancouver) |
citation-check | "Check citations" | 6 only | Citation error report |
plan | "guide my paper" / "help me plan my paper" | 1->10->3->4 | Chapter Plan + INSIGHT Collection |
revision-coach | "parse reviews" / "revision roadmap" / "I got reviewer comments" | 12 only | Revision Roadmap + optional Tracking Template + Response Letter Skeleton |
Quick Mode Selection Guide
| Your Situation | Recommended Mode |
|---|
| Starting from scratch with a clear RQ | full |
| Need help planning before writing | plan |
| Just need an outline | outline-only |
| Have a draft, received review feedback | revision |
| Have unstructured reviewer comments | revision-coach |
| Just need an abstract | abstract-only |
| Need to check/fix citations | citation-check |
| Need to convert format (LaTeX, DOCX) or citation style | format-convert |
| Want a systematic literature review paper | lit-review |
Not sure? Start with plan — it will guide you step by step.
Mode Selection Logic
See references/mode_selection_guide.md for trigger-to-mode mappings and the full selection flowchart.
Plan Mode: Chapter-by-Chapter Guided Planning
Socratic mode that guides users through paper planning one chapter at a time. Builds a complete Paper Blueprint through structured dialogue.
See references/plan_mode_protocol.md for the full chapter-by-chapter dialogue flow and Paper Blueprint structure.
Handoff Protocol: deep-research -> academic-paper
intake_agent automatically detects deep-research materials (RQ Brief / Bibliography / Synthesis / INSIGHT Collection) and skips redundant steps. See deep-research/SKILL.md Handoff Protocol for the complete handoff material format.
Failure Paths
See references/failure_paths.md for details. Quick reference:
| Failure Scenario | Handling Strategy |
|---|
| Insufficient research foundation | Recommend running deep-research first |
| Wrong paper structure selected | Return to Phase 2, suggest alternative structure |
| Word count significantly over/under target | Identify problematic chapters, suggest trimming/expansion |
| Citation format entirely wrong | Re-run the entire citation phase |
| Peer review rejection | Analyze rejection reasons, suggest major revision or restructuring |
| Plan mode not converging | Suggest switching to outline-only mode |
| Incomplete handoff materials | List missing items, suggest supplementing or re-running |
| User abandons midway | Save completed Chapter Plan |
Full Academic Pipeline
See academic-pipeline/SKILL.md for the complete workflow.
Phase 0: Configuration Interview
See agents/intake_agent.md for the complete field definitions of the Phase 0 configuration interview. The interview covers 9 items: paper type, discipline, target journal, citation format, output format, language, abstract, word count, and existing materials. Outputs a Paper Configuration Record, awaiting user confirmation.
File Structure
Agent definitions: agents/{agent_name}.md — one file per agent (12 total, matching Agent Team table above).
References (19 files in references/):
- Citation:
apa7_extended_guide, apa7_chinese_citation_guide, citation_format_switcher
- Writing:
academic_writing_style, writing_quality_check, writing_judgment_framework
- Structure:
paper_structure_patterns (6 types), abstract_writing_guide
- Domain:
hei_domain_glossary (bilingual), journal_submission_guide, latex_template_reference
- Process:
failure_paths (12 scenarios), mode_selection_guide (9 modes), plan_mode_protocol, workflow_phase_details
- Ethics:
credit_authorship_guide (CRediT 14 roles), funding_statement_guide, statistical_visualization_standards
- Also:
deep-research/references/apa7_style_guide.md (base reference, extended here)
Templates (11 files in templates/): imrad, literature_review, case_study, theoretical_paper, policy_brief, conference_paper, latex_article_template.tex, bilingual_abstract, credit_statement, funding_statement, revision_tracking (4 status types).
Examples (5 files in examples/): imrad_hei_example, literature_review_example, plan_mode_guided_writing, chinese_paper_example, revision_mode_example.
Anti-Patterns
Explicit prohibitions to prevent common failure modes:
| # | Anti-Pattern | Why It Fails | Correct Behavior |
|---|
| 1 | AI-typical overused terms | "delve into", "crucial", "it is important to note" = instant AI detection | Use discipline-specific vocabulary; see references/writing_quality_check.md |
| 2 | Em dash abuse | More than 2 em dashes per page signals AI writing | Use parentheses, commas, or restructure the sentence |
| 3 | Throat-clearing openers | "In this section, we will discuss..." adds no information | Start with the claim or finding directly |
| 4 | Uniform paragraph lengths | Every paragraph is 4-5 sentences = monotonous AI rhythm | Vary paragraph length naturally (2-8 sentences) |
| 5 | ⚠️ IRON RULE: Fabricated citations | Inventing plausible-sounding references that don't exist | Every citation must be verified via DOI or WebSearch; see academic-pipeline/agents/integrity_verification_agent.md |
| 6 | Sycophantic revision | Accepting all reviewer feedback without critical evaluation | Use REVIEWER_DISAGREE status when reviewer is wrong; justify with evidence |
| 7 | Scope creep during revision | Adding unrequested sections/analyses to "improve" the paper | Revision addresses reviewer concerns only; new content requires explicit user approval |
| 8 | Ignoring failure paths | Continuing despite desk-reject signals or fatal methodology flaws | Check references/failure_paths.md; invoke F11 Desk-Reject Recovery when triggered |
Quality Standards
Writing Quality
- Every claim must have a citation or be supported by the paper's own data
- Zero citation orphans — in-text citations <-> reference list must perfectly match
- Consistent register — academic tone appropriate for the discipline
- Logical flow — clear transitions between paragraphs and sections
- Word count compliance — within +/-10% of target
Bilingual Abstract Quality
- Independent writing — zh-CN and EN abstracts are independently composed, NOT mechanical translations
- Structural alignment — both abstracts cover the same key points in the same order
- Keywords — 5-7 per language, reflecting the paper's core concepts
- Word count — EN: 150-300 words; zh-CN: 300-500 characters
Citation Quality
- Format compliance — 100% adherence to selected citation style
- ⚠️ IRON RULE: DOI inclusion — every source with a DOI must include it; every citation must be verified via DOI or WebSearch
- Currency — flag sources older than 10 years (unless seminal works)
- Self-citation ratio — flag if >15%
Peer Review
- Five dimensions — Originality (20%), Methodological Rigor (25%), Evidence Sufficiency (25%), Argument Coherence (15%), Writing Quality (15%)
- Actionable feedback — every criticism must include a specific suggestion
- Max 2 revision rounds — unresolved items become Acknowledged Limitations
Mandatory Inclusions
⚠️ IRON RULE: Every paper MUST include: Data Availability Statement, Ethics Declaration, Author Contributions (CRediT), Conflict of Interest Statement, Funding Acknowledgment.
17. AI disclosure statement — every paper must include a statement on AI tool usage
18. Limitations section — explicitly discuss study limitations
19. Ethics statement — when applicable (human subjects, sensitive data)
Output Language
Follows the user's language. Academic terminology is kept in English. Bilingual abstracts are always provided regardless of the main text language.
Integration with Other Skills
academic-paper + tw-hei-intelligence -> Evidence-based HEI paper with real MOE data
academic-paper + deep-research -> Deep research phase -> paper writing phase (auto-handoff)
academic-paper + report-to-website -> Interactive web version of the paper
academic-paper + notebooklm-slides-generator -> Presentation slides from paper
academic-paper + academic-paper-reviewer -> Peer review -> revision loop
Version Info
| Item | Content |
|---|
| Skill Version | 2.8 |
| Last Updated | 2026-04-06 |
| Maintainer | Cheng-I Wu |
| Dependent Skills | deep-research v1.0+ (upstream), academic-paper-reviewer v1.0+ (downstream) |
Version History
See references/changelog.md for full version history.
