dgm-md-to-pdf-chapter-polisher - SKILL.md Agent Skill

name: dgm-md-to-pdf-chapter-polisher description: "Use when ChatGPT/Codex needs to transform multiple Markdown working files for a single research paper chapter into a polished, journal-style chapter draft, create export-ready Markdown/HTML variants, and generate a single-chapter PDF."

DGM Markdown-to-PDF Chapter Polisher

Use this skill when the task is to turn several Markdown working files for one paper chapter into a coherent, publication-oriented chapter draft and export it as a single-chapter PDF.

This is a chapter-level skill, not a full-paper skill.

It is designed for Markdown-first academic workflows where a chapter starts as modular research files such as:

01_xxx.md
02_xxx.md
03_xxx.md
optional figures
optional figure notes or captions
optional reference or audit notes

When to use

Trigger this skill when the user asks to:

merge several Markdown working files into one chapter
polish a chapter into journal-style academic prose
turn modular notes into a paper-facing chapter draft
create a chapter export version
generate a single-chapter PDF
tighten overlap and repetition across several chapter source files

Typical chapter types:

review / related work
method
evaluation design
results
discussion

Typical outputs:

manuscript/sections/<chapter_name>.md
manuscript/sections/<chapter_name>_export.md
manuscript/sections/<chapter_name>_export.html when useful
output/pdfs/<chapter_name>.pdf

What this skill is especially for

This skill is not a generic summarizer.

It should behave like a careful academic chapter polisher that:

preserves the chapter's intellectual structure
removes obvious overlap and repetition
rewrites note-like text into coherent academic prose
keeps claims no stronger than the source material supports
produces a PDF-ready chapter without requiring the full paper to be finished

Core rules

Work chapter by chapter, not full-paper by default.
Read all chapter source files before merging.
Identify overlap before rewriting.
Preserve unique content even when compressing repeated ideas.
Keep the chapter moderately polished, not overcompressed.
Maintain stable terminology across the merged chapter.
Do not hallucinate citations.
Do not invent missing results, experiments, or findings.
Preserve subsection numbering if it already exists and is useful.
Use figure placeholders or figure references conservatively and only where structurally justified.
Keep a clear distinction between:
- working notes
- merged working draft
- polished export

Standard workflow

Inspect the source set.
- Identify the chapter folder or the explicit file list.
- Separate primary source files from support files such as captions, figures, notes, and audits.
Map the structure.
- Determine the intended section logic and subsection hierarchy.
- Note repeated claims, repeated transitions, and conflicting terminology.
Merge into a working chapter draft.
- Combine the source files into a single coherent Markdown chapter.
- Keep the structure explicit.
- Remove obvious duplication.
Rewrite into paper-style prose.
- Convert note language into academic prose.
- Improve transitions across subsections.
- Keep paragraph length and density balanced.
Add figure handling.
- Insert figure placeholders or direct figure references where they improve chapter flow.
- Keep captions separate if the repo workflow prefers separate caption files.
Create export-ready chapter files.
- Prepare a polished export Markdown file.
- Create HTML only if it improves PDF conversion reliability.
Generate the single-chapter PDF.
- Write the final PDF to output/pdfs/.
- Validate heading hierarchy, spacing, margins, and figure placement.

Preferred chapter assembly logic

When merging modular source files:

start from the strongest existing outline
preserve the chapter's intended order
merge repeated motivation paragraphs
compress repeated definitions
avoid repeating the same claim in slightly different language
keep one best version of each transition
keep caveats and non-claims explicit

When the source material is uneven:

prefer a structurally clean draft over maximal source retention
keep unresolved points visible with TODO: rather than smoothing over real gaps

Style target

Target style:

journal-style academic writing
cohesive and readable
moderately polished
not too compressed
not too verbose
stable terminology
strong paragraph transitions
no product language
no casual working-note voice in the final export

Figure handling

Support both patterns:

placeholder style: [Figure X about here]
direct Markdown image references when the chapter export already uses local figure paths

If figures already exist:

place them where they carry structural load
do not over-explain what the figure already shows
keep captions concise and academically worded

PDF guidance

This skill should coordinate with $pdf when final rendering and layout matter.

PDF expectations:

single chapter only
clean heading hierarchy
readable margins and line width
consistent spacing
figures and captions aligned with chapter flow
suitable for sharing as a chapter draft

Output discipline

Preferred outputs:

merged working draft in manuscript/sections/
polished export draft in manuscript/sections/
optional HTML export in manuscript/sections/
final PDF in output/pdfs/

If the source set is not ready for polishing:

still produce a merged working draft
state what blocked a stronger export
do not fake completeness

Repository-specific guidance

This skill is designed for the decision-grade-memory workflow:

modular chapter inputs first
chapter-level assembly and polish second
PDF export third
full paper assembly later

Use it when chapter cohesion and export readiness matter more than raw ideation.

Supporting files

Use the companion templates in this skill when useful:

templates/chapter_workflow.md
templates/export_checklist.md
templates/chapter_output_map.md