Paper Schematics

Paper Schematics

Use this skill for the paper figures that explain structure, workflow, or mechanism rather than measured values on axes.

When to Use

• The paper needs a graphical abstract, Figure 1 overview, or conceptual diagram
• Methods are complex enough that a flowchart or pipeline figure will explain them faster than prose
• The manuscript needs PRISMA, CONSORT, system, architecture, or mechanism diagrams
• A figure exists, but its caption, labels, or panel logic are not publication-ready

For numeric charts, use academic-plotting. For venue layout and figure-count tradeoffs, use venue-submission-strategy.

Workflow

Step 1: Define the Figure's Job

• Decide whether the figure should summarize the whole paper, explain methods, show study flow, or clarify a mechanism.
• Keep one figure responsible for one main message.

Step 2: Choose the Figure Type

• Graphical abstract: one-image paper summary
• Method or system overview: boxes, arrows, and stage boundaries
• Reporting flow diagram: PRISMA, CONSORT, screening, or cohort construction
• Mechanism or concept figure: qualitative causal or structural explanation
• Multi-panel explanatory figure: combine overview, detail, and legend deliberately

Step 3: Plan Layout Before Rendering

• Write the panel order, label vocabulary, and visual hierarchy first.
• Keep text minimal and let the caption do the explanatory work.
• Align colors, icons, and terminology with the rest of the manuscript.

Step 4: Generate and Refine

• Use a diagram workflow or structured prompt for the visual draft.
• Review for scientific fidelity, not just aesthetics.
• Fix ambiguous arrows, overloaded legends, and decorative clutter aggressively.

Step 5: Package with Caption and Export

• Write a caption that explains what is shown, what each symbol means, and how to read the flow.
• Export a manuscript-ready asset with stable dimensions and readable labels.
• Keep the editable source or prompt record for later revision.

References

• references/figure-types.md: which paper figure type to choose for which communication goal
• references/layout-and-style.md: layout, typography, accessibility, and consistency rules
• references/caption-workflow.md: how to write figure captions that actually help the paper

Rules

• Do not use a schematic to imply measurements that were never made.
• Distinguish conceptual explanation from empirical result.
• Minimize text inside the figure; push detail into the caption.
• A graphical abstract or Figure 1 should still make sense when viewed before the reader reaches Methods.

Related Skills

• Upstream: ml-paper-writing, paper-writing-section
• Downstream: academic-plotting, latex-formatting, paper-compilation
• See also: reporting-guidelines-check, table-generation