| name | mindmap-paper |
| description | Use when the user wants a paper turned into a mind map / structured outline — "mind map this paper", "make a mind map", "outline the structure of this paper", "脑图", "思维导图", "把这篇做成思维导图", "梳理这篇的结构". Produces a hierarchical markmap/OPML-compatible map of the focused paper and saves it as a Zotero note. Grounded in the paper's actual text, not memory. |
| license | MIT |
| metadata | {"category":"zotero-research","primary-interface":"zot full-text + zotero_add_note_to_current_item"} |
| triggers | ["mind map","mindmap","outline","structure","思维导图","脑图","大纲","结构","梳理"] |
Mind-map a paper
The user wants a paper distilled into a hierarchical map — a tree of its
structure and key ideas — not a prose summary. Output is markmap/OPML-compatible
Markdown so it can be exported to a mind-map tool, and it is saved back into Zotero as
a note.
Grounding — identify and read the paper first
- Identify the focused paper: call
zotero_get_open_reader_state (else
zotero_get_selected_items). Don't guess which paper they mean.
- Read its content via zot (full-text / PDF extraction) using the item key. The
map MUST be built from the paper's actual text — never from memory, or you will
invent structure that isn't there. If no full-text source is available, say so and
offer to work from the abstract/notes only (and label the map as partial).
Shape of the map
A tree, not paragraphs. Root = the paper's title. Main branches are the paper's real
backbone — adapt to the paper, but typically:
- Problem / motivation — what gap it addresses
- Method / approach — the core idea, in sub-nodes
- Data / setup — datasets, models, conditions (if empirical)
- Results / findings — the key outcomes, one per node
- Contributions — what's claimed as new
- Limitations / open questions
Leaves are specifics (a metric, a definition, a dataset name). Keep each node short —
a phrase, not a sentence. Depth 3–4 is usually right; don't pad.
Output format
Emit markmap-flavored Markdown (headings + nested bullets) so it round-trips to
markmap / OPML:
# <Paper title>
## Problem
- ...
## Method
- core idea
- sub-point
## Results
- finding 1
Then save it into Zotero with zotero_add_note_to_current_item (a child note on the
paper). Zotero notes are HTML — convert the outline to a nested <ul> list so it
renders as a readable tree in the note pane; you may also include the raw Markdown in
a <pre> block so the user can copy it into a mind-map tool. Confirm in ~1 line after
writing; don't re-paste the whole map into chat.
In-panel visual rendering (an actual node graph) is a future chat-UI enhancement.
For now the value is the structured, exportable outline saved on the item.
Anti-patterns (do NOT do these)
- Prose instead of a tree. This is a map — phrases in a hierarchy, not
paragraphs. If you're writing sentences, stop and restructure.
- Inventing structure. Every node must trace to the paper's text (read via zot).
No fabricated sections, results, or numbers.
- Working from memory / the title alone. Read the paper first. A map built from
the title is a guess.
- Reimplementing zot. Full-text extraction is zot's job; this skill orchestrates
it and shapes the output.
- Re-pasting after saving. Once the note is written the user sees it in Zotero —
confirm briefly and stop.
