---
name: summary-academic
description: Academic paper summarizer for papers, research articles, and scholarly publications. Structured summaries with citations, thesis, conclusions, methodology, implications, and critical analysis.
triggers: summarize this paper, summarize this research, academic summary, /academic-summary, quick academic summary, brief paper summary, /academic-summary quick
---

# Academic Paper Summary

Use this skill **only for academic papers, research articles, and scholarly publications** (peer-reviewed journals, conference proceedings, working papers, preprints, dissertations).

For non-academic content (news articles, blog posts, videos, podcasts, general web content), use the **summary-general** skill instead.

## Input Handling

- **PDF attachments**: Prefer an existing `<basename>_text.md` extract at any size (read the extract, not the PDF). Otherwise check the page count: **4 pages or fewer** read the PDF directly; **more than 4 pages** split with the split-pdf skill into 4-page chunks and read them in a subagent that writes `notes.md`, then read `notes.md` as text in the main thread. Reading a long PDF this way keeps the source out of the main context window and avoids shallow comprehension. When this skill is driven by a parent workflow (for example, a slides pipeline) that feeds pre-extracted text, summarize that text directly; the page gate applies only to the standalone PDF path.
- **TXT attachments**: Read the full document before summarizing.
- **Web links**: Fetch and extract the article content.
- **Pasted text**: Process directly.

## Style Requirements

- Write in an **expository style**: explain and inform directly without referencing the source material.
- **Never use** phrases like "the author," "the paper," "the article," or "the study argues."
- Present information as **factual statements**.
- Use only the **explicit section headings** specified below.
- Do not introduce any other section headings, subheadings, or labels.
- Take an **ideologically neutral position**.
- Insert **two blank lines** between each section.
- **Define acronyms on first use** as `Term (ACRONYM)`; bare `ACRONYM` thereafter. First use is the first time the acronym appears anywhere in the summary, not per section. Universally recognized acronyms (US, EU, AI, ML, LLM, CEO, GDP, ROI, R&D, and similar) stay bare. Paper-specific acronyms (for example, RCT, GMM, IV, DID, RLHF) are always expanded on first use.

## Length Guidance

| Section | Target Length |
|---------|---------------|
| Key points | 5-15 bullets |
| Conclusions | 1-10 conclusions, 3-6 sub-bullets each |
| Summary paragraph | 100-300 words (scale with complexity) |
| Implications | 3-8 bullets |

## Output Format

Structure your response exactly as follows:

### 1. Citation (no heading)
Provide a citation in **Chicago Author-Date style**:

**Published articles:**
`Author's Last Name, First Name. Year. *Title of the Article*. Name of the Publication. Date. URL.`

**Preprints (arXiv, SSRN, bioRxiv, etc.):**
`Author's Last Name, First Name. Year. *Title of the Article*. Preprint, [Platform Name]. Date. URL.`

**Working papers:**
`Author's Last Name, First Name. Year. *Title of the Article*. Working Paper, [Institution]. Date. URL.`

"Date" is the full publication date after the publication name (for example, "March 3, 2026" for a specific day, "March 2026" for month-level).

For 3 or more authors, use: `First Author's Last Name, First Name, et al. ...`

### 2. Thesis (no heading, no label)
Write **one sentence** that accurately describes the thesis.

**Special cases:**
- **Literature reviews**: State "This is a literature review with no single thesis; it synthesizes research on [topic]."
- **Meta-analyses**: State the primary research question being analyzed.
- **Exploratory studies**: State the central research question.

### 3. Key Points (no heading)
Create a detailed bullet-point summary (5-15 bullets):
- Use hyphen and space (`- `) for each bullet.
- Include main ideas, themes, and quantitative facts.
- Eliminate unnecessary language.
- Rely exclusively on the provided content.

### 4. Conclusions:
List 1-10 key conclusions. Under each (3-6 sub-bullets):
- Summarize main ideas and concepts.
- Include evaluation methods.
- Quantify effects with numerical data.
- State implications.
- Include verbatim quotes when helpful.
- Use sub-bullets with hyphen and space (`- `).

### 5. Population:
Describe in paragraph form:
- Population sampled or targeted.
- Research methodology used.
- Time frame covered.

**Skip this section entirely** (no heading) if not applicable, such as for:
- Theoretical papers.
- Literature reviews without original data collection.
- Purely conceptual or philosophical works.
- Mathematical proofs.

### 6. Implications:
List real-world applications using bullet points (3-8 bullets, `- `).

### 7. Concepts:
List scientific or economic concepts commonly understood by someone with an undergraduate degree:
- Name each concept.
- Explain it briefly.
- Describe how it relates to the content.

**Skip this section entirely** (no heading) if no such concepts exist.

### 8. Issues:
List any:
- **Factual errors**: State the error and correct information.
- **Logical fallacies**: Identify type, analyze, and quote relevant text.
- **Strong counterarguments**: Detail alternative viewpoint and quote relevant text.

**Skip this section entirely** (no heading) if none exist.

### 9. Summary (no heading)
Write a concluding paragraph (100-300 words):
- Capture main points and themes.
- Use neutral tone with clear, concise language.
- Simple, straightforward sentence structure.
- No flowery language or empty phrases.
- Scale length with complexity of conclusions.

## Output

Save the summary as a markdown file:

- **Filename:** `<project_name>_summary.md`
- **Location:** The project folder (the output directory), never in a subfolder like `TeX/` or `_build/`.
- **When invoked by a parent workflow** (for example, a slides pipeline): follow the parent workflow's placement rules instead.

`<project_name>` resolves in this order: a name the user specified, otherwise the single source filename without its extension, otherwise the project folder name.

## Final Check

Before submitting, verify compliance with:
- All style requirements (expository, no source references).
- Correct section headings only.
- Proper bullet formatting with hyphens.
- Two blank lines between sections.
- Appropriate citation format (published vs. preprint vs. working paper).
- Skipped sections where not applicable.
- Output file placed in the project folder with correct `<project_name>_summary.md` naming.

---

# Quick Academic Summary Variant

**Invoke with**: "quick academic summary", "brief paper summary", or `/academic-summary quick`

When a quick summary is requested, provide only:

1. **Citation** (Chicago Author-Date, same format as above).
2. **Thesis** (one sentence; or state it is a literature review or exploratory study).
3. **Key Points** (5-8 bullets maximum).
4. **Summary** (75-150 words).

Skip the Conclusions, Population, Implications, Concepts, and Issues sections.