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manuscript-writing

@neuromechanist/research-skills
29
9

Use this skill for \"write a paper\", \"draft manuscript\", \"write introduction\", \"write methods section\", \"write results\", \"write discussion\", \"write abstract\", \"structure a paper\", \"academic writing\", \"write for journal\", or when the user wants to draft or revise sections of an academic manuscript.

Install Skill

Shared

Installs to .agents/skills, used by Codex, Amp, Warp, Cursor, OpenCode, and more.

CodexAmp
WarpCursorOpenCode
ClineGemini CLI
GitHub Copilot
Personal

Available across projects.

$npx skills-installer add @neuromechanist/research-skills/manuscript-writing --client shared
Project

Writes to .agents/skills.

$npx skills-installer add @neuromechanist/research-skills/manuscript-writing -p --client shared
Note: Review the skill instructions before using it.

SKILL.md

name manuscript-writing
description Use this skill for "write a paper", "draft manuscript", "write introduction", "write methods section", "write results", "write discussion", "write abstract", "structure a paper", "academic writing", "write for journal", or when the user wants to draft or revise sections of an academic manuscript.
version 0.2.1

Academic Manuscript Writing

Guide the drafting and revision of academic manuscripts following journal conventions and scientific writing best practices.

When to Use

  • Drafting a new manuscript from scratch
  • Writing or revising specific sections (Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion)
  • Structuring a paper from experimental results
  • Converting a conference paper to a journal submission
  • Responding to reviewer comments with revised text

Manuscript Structure

Standard IMRAD Format

Section Purpose Tense Length Guide
Title Convey main finding N/A 10-15 words
Abstract Self-contained summary Past (methods/results), Present (conclusions) 150-300 words
Introduction Context, gap, hypothesis Present (known facts), Past (prior work) 3-5 paragraphs
Methods Reproducibility Past As needed
Results Report findings Past Parallel to Methods
Discussion Interpret findings Present (interpretation), Past (what was found) 4-6 paragraphs
Conclusion Key takeaways Present 1-2 paragraphs

Section-by-Section Guidance

Introduction

Structure as a funnel:

  1. Broad context - Establish the field and importance (1-2 paragraphs)
  2. Narrow focus - What is known about the specific topic (1-2 paragraphs)
  3. Gap statement - What remains unknown or problematic
  4. Objective/hypothesis - What this paper addresses and how

Methods

  • Enough detail for replication
  • Subsections mirror Results sections
  • Include: participants/subjects, materials, procedures, analysis
  • Statistical methods: specify tests, software, significance thresholds
  • Ethics: IRB/IACUC approval statement

Results

  • Present findings without interpretation
  • Start each subsection with the analysis performed, then the outcome
  • Report effect sizes, confidence intervals (not just p-values)
  • Reference figures and tables in order
  • Use "significant" only for statistical significance

Discussion

Structure:

  1. Summary of key findings (1 paragraph)
  2. Interpretation in context of prior literature (2-3 paragraphs)
  3. Limitations (1 paragraph, honest but not self-defeating)
  4. Future directions (1 paragraph)
  5. Conclusion (1 paragraph)

Writing Principles

Clarity

  • One idea per sentence
  • Active voice preferred ("We measured..." not "Measurements were taken...")
  • Define abbreviations on first use
  • Avoid jargon unless writing for a specialist audience

Precision

  • Quantify claims ("increased by 23%" not "significantly increased")
  • Cite sources for factual claims
  • Distinguish correlation from causation
  • Use hedging appropriately ("suggests" vs "proves")

Flow

  • Each paragraph: topic sentence, evidence, interpretation
  • Transitions between paragraphs connect ideas
  • Logical progression within and across sections
  • Consistent terminology (don't alternate between synonyms for key concepts)

Citations

  • Cite primary sources, not reviews (when possible)
  • Recent citations show awareness of current literature
  • Cite competing or contradictory findings
  • Self-citation should be relevant, not gratuitous

Revision Checklist

After drafting, check:

  • Abstract accurately reflects the paper content
  • Introduction gap statement matches the study objective
  • Methods are sufficient for replication
  • Results match Methods (parallel structure)
  • Discussion addresses all major findings
  • Figures are referenced in text in order
  • All abbreviations defined on first use
  • References complete and consistently formatted
  • Word/page count within journal limits
  • Run manuscript:humanizer as a final natural-writing pass (strips AI tells like significance inflation, em-dashes, "evolving landscape" filler, rule-of-three padding) before review

Additional Resources

  • Reference: references/section-templates.md - Templates for each manuscript section
  • Reference: references/revision-response.md - How to write point-by-point responses to reviewers
  • Sister skill: manuscript:humanizer - Removes 29 categories of AI-writing tells while respecting academic conventions (e.g., passive voice in Methods, hedging in Discussion). Run after drafting and before peer review.