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SKILL.md
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README.md

LaTeX Research Poster Generation Skill

Create professional, publication-ready research posters for conferences and academic presentations using LaTeX.

Overview

This skill provides comprehensive guidance for creating research posters with three major LaTeX packages:

  • beamerposter: Traditional academic posters, familiar Beamer syntax
  • tikzposter: Modern, colorful designs with TikZ integration
  • baposter: Structured multi-column layouts with automatic positioning

Quick Start

1. Choose a Template

Browse templates in assets/:

  • beamerposter_template.tex - Classic academic style
  • tikzposter_template.tex - Modern, colorful design
  • baposter_template.tex - Structured multi-column layout

2. Customize Content

Edit the template with your research:

  • Title, authors, affiliations
  • Introduction, methods, results, conclusions
  • Replace placeholder figures with your images
  • Update references and acknowledgments

3. Configure for Full Page

Posters should span the entire page with minimal margins:

% beamerposter - full page setup
\documentclass[final,t]{beamer}
\usepackage[size=a0,scale=1.4,orientation=portrait]{beamerposter}
\setbeamersize{text margin left=5mm, text margin right=5mm}
\usepackage[margin=10mm]{geometry}

% tikzposter - full page setup
\documentclass[25pt,a0paper,portrait,margin=10mm,innermargin=15mm]{tikzposter}

% baposter - full page setup
\documentclass[a0paper,portrait,fontscale=0.285]{baposter}

4. Compile

pdflatex poster.tex

# Or for better font support:
lualatex poster.tex
xelatex poster.tex

5. Review PDF Quality

Essential before printing!

# Run automated checks
./scripts/review_poster.sh poster.pdf

# Manual verification (see checklist below)

Key Features

Full Page Coverage

All templates configured to maximize content area:

  • Minimal outer margins (5-15mm)
  • Optimal spacing between columns (15-20mm)
  • Proper block padding for readability
  • No wasted white space

PDF Quality Control

Automated Checks (review_poster.sh):

  • Page size verification
  • Font embedding check
  • Image resolution analysis
  • File size optimization

Manual Verification (assets/poster_quality_checklist.md):

  • Visual inspection at 100% zoom
  • Reduced-scale print test (25%)
  • Typography and spacing review
  • Content completeness check

Design Principles

All templates follow evidence-based poster design:

  • Typography: 72pt+ title, 48-72pt headers, 24-36pt body text
  • Color: High contrast (≥4.5:1), color-blind friendly palettes
  • Layout: Clear visual hierarchy, logical flow
  • Content: 300-800 words maximum, 40-50% visual content

Common Poster Sizes

Templates support all standard sizes:

Size Dimensions Configuration
A0 841 × 1189 mm size=a0 or a0paper
A1 594 × 841 mm size=a1 or a1paper
36×48" 914 × 1219 mm Custom page size
42×56" 1067 × 1422 mm Custom page size

Documentation

Reference Guides

Comprehensive Documentation (in references/):

  1. latex_poster_packages.md (746 lines)

    • Detailed comparison of beamerposter, tikzposter, baposter
    • Package-specific syntax and examples
    • Strengths, limitations, best use cases
    • Theme and color customization
    • Compilation tips and troubleshooting

  2. poster_design_principles.md (807 lines)

    • Visual hierarchy and white space
    • Typography: font selection, sizing, readability
    • Color theory: schemes, contrast, accessibility
    • Color-blind friendly palettes
    • Icons, graphics, and visual elements
    • Common design mistakes to avoid

  3. poster_layout_design.md (650+ lines)

    • Grid systems (2, 3, 4-column layouts)
    • Visual flow and reading patterns
    • Spatial organization strategies
    • White space management
    • Block and box design
    • Layout patterns by research type

  4. poster_content_guide.md (900+ lines)

    • Content strategy (3-5 minute rule)
    • Word budgets by section
    • Visual-to-text ratio (40-50% visual)
    • Section-specific writing guidance
    • Figure integration and captions
    • From paper to poster adaptation

Tools and Assets

Scripts (in scripts/):

  • review_poster.sh: Automated PDF quality check
    • Page size verification
    • Font embedding check
    • Image resolution analysis
    • File size assessment

Checklists (in assets/):

  • poster_quality_checklist.md: Comprehensive pre-printing checklist
    • Pre-compilation checks
    • PDF quality verification
    • Visual inspection items
    • Accessibility checks
    • Peer review guidelines
    • Final printing checklist

Templates (in assets/):

  • beamerposter_template.tex: Full working template
  • tikzposter_template.tex: Full working template
  • baposter_template.tex: Full working template

Workflow

Recommended Poster Creation Process

1. Planning (before LaTeX)

  • Determine conference requirements (size, orientation)
  • Identify 3-5 key results to highlight
  • Create figures (300+ DPI)
  • Draft 300-800 word content outline

2. Template Selection

  • Choose package based on needs:
    • beamerposter: Traditional conferences, institutional branding
    • tikzposter: Modern conferences, creative fields
    • baposter: Multi-section posters, structured layouts

3. Content Integration

  • Copy template and customize
  • Replace placeholder text
  • Add figures and ensure high resolution
  • Configure colors to match branding

4. Compilation & Review

  • Compile to PDF
  • Run review_poster.sh for automated checks
  • Review visually at 100% zoom
  • Check against poster_quality_checklist.md

5. Test Print

  • Critical step! Print at 25% scale
  • A0 → A4 paper, 36×48" → Letter paper
  • View from 2-3 feet (simulates 8-12 feet for full poster)
  • Verify readability and colors

6. Revisions

  • Fix any issues identified
  • Proofread carefully (errors are magnified!)
  • Get colleague feedback
  • Final compilation

7. Printing

  • Verify page size: pdfinfo poster.pdf
  • Check fonts embedded: pdffonts poster.pdf
  • Send to professional printer 2-3 days before deadline
  • Keep backup copy

Troubleshooting

Large White Margins

Problem: Excessive white space around poster edges

Solution:

% beamerposter
\setbeamersize{text margin left=5mm, text margin right=5mm}
\usepackage[margin=10mm]{geometry}

% tikzposter
\documentclass[..., margin=5mm, innermargin=10mm]{tikzposter}

% baposter
\documentclass[a0paper, margin=5mm]{baposter}

Content Cut Off

Problem: Text or figures extending beyond page

Solution:

  • Check total width: columns + spacing + margins = pagewidth
  • Reduce column widths or spacing
  • Debug with visible page boundary:
\usepackage{eso-pic}
\AddToShipoutPictureBG{
  \AtPageLowerLeft{
    \put(0,0){\framebox(\LenToUnit{\paperwidth},\LenToUnit{\paperheight}){}}
  }
}

Blurry Images

Problem: Pixelated or low-quality figures

Solution:

  • Use vector graphics (PDF, SVG) when possible
  • Raster images: minimum 300 DPI at final print size
  • For A0 width (33.1"): 300 DPI = 9930 pixels minimum
  • Check with: pdfimages -list poster.pdf

Fonts Not Embedded

Problem: Printer rejects PDF due to missing fonts

Solution:

# Recompile with embedded fonts
pdflatex -dEmbedAllFonts=true poster.tex

# Verify embedding
pdffonts poster.pdf
# All fonts should show "yes" in "emb" column

File Too Large

Problem: PDF exceeds email size limit (>50MB)

Solution:

# Compress for digital sharing
gs -sDEVICE=pdfwrite -dCompatibilityLevel=1.4 \
   -dPDFSETTINGS=/printer -dNOPAUSE -dQUIET -dBATCH \
   -sOutputFile=poster_compressed.pdf poster.pdf

# Keep original uncompressed version for printing

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Content

  • ❌ Too much text (>1000 words)
  • ❌ Font sizes too small (<24pt body text)
  • ❌ No clear main message
  • ✅ 300-800 words, 30pt+ body text, 1-3 key findings

Design

  • ❌ Poor color contrast (<4.5:1)
  • ❌ Red-green color combinations (color-blind issue)
  • ❌ Cluttered layout with no white space
  • ✅ High contrast, accessible colors, generous spacing

Technical

  • ❌ Wrong poster dimensions
  • ❌ Low resolution images (<300 DPI)
  • ❌ Fonts not embedded
  • ✅ Verify specs, high-res images, embedded fonts

Package Comparison

Quick reference for choosing the right package:

Feature beamerposter tikzposter baposter
Learning Curve Easy (Beamer users) Moderate Moderate
Aesthetics Traditional Modern Professional
Customization Moderate High (TikZ) Structured
Compilation Speed Fast Slower Fast-Medium
Best For Academic conferences Creative designs Multi-column layouts

Recommendation:

  • First-time poster makers: beamerposter (familiar, simple)
  • Modern conferences: tikzposter (beautiful, flexible)
  • Complex layouts: baposter (automatic positioning)

Example Usage

In Scientific Writer CLI

> Create a research poster for NeurIPS conference on transformer attention

The assistant will:
1. Ask about poster size and orientation
2. Generate complete LaTeX poster with your content
3. Configure for full page coverage
4. Provide compilation instructions
5. Run quality checks on generated PDF

Manual Creation

# 1. Copy template
cp assets/tikzposter_template.tex my_poster.tex

# 2. Edit content
vim my_poster.tex

# 3. Compile
pdflatex my_poster.tex

# 4. Review
./scripts/review_poster.sh my_poster.pdf

# 5. Test print at 25% scale
# (A0 on A4 paper)

# 6. Final printing

Tips for Success

Content Strategy

  1. One main message: What's the one thing viewers should remember?
  2. 3-5 key figures: Visual content dominates
  3. 300-800 words: Less is more
  4. Bullet points: More scannable than paragraphs

Design Strategy

  1. High contrast: Dark on light or light on dark
  2. Large fonts: 30pt+ body text for readability from distance
  3. White space: 30-40% of poster should be empty
  4. Visual hierarchy: Vary sizes significantly (title 3× body text)

Technical Strategy

  1. Test early: Print at 25% scale before final printing
  2. Vector graphics: Use PDF/SVG when possible
  3. Verify specs: Check page size, fonts, resolution
  4. Get feedback: Ask colleague to review before printing

Additional Resources

Online Tools

LaTeX Packages

  • beamerposter: Extends Beamer for poster-sized documents
  • tikzposter: Modern poster creation with TikZ
  • baposter: Box-based automatic poster layout
  • qrcode: Generate QR codes in LaTeX
  • graphicx: Include images
  • tcolorbox: Colored boxes and frames

Further Reading

  • All reference documents in references/ directory
  • Quality checklist in assets/poster_quality_checklist.md
  • Package comparison in references/latex_poster_packages.md

Support

For issues or questions:

  • Review reference documentation in references/
  • Check troubleshooting section above
  • Run automated review: ./scripts/review_poster.sh
  • Use quality checklist: assets/poster_quality_checklist.md

Version

LaTeX Poster Skill v1.0 Compatible with: beamerposter, tikzposter, baposter Last updated: January 2025

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