# academic-slides

Structures academic conference talks, breaks research papers into slides, and generates .pptx decks with backup slides for Q&A.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 481 installs · ★ 481
- Author: EvoScientist
- License: Apache-2.0 · policy=mirror · the beginning of the file is at the end of this page
- Source: https://github.com/EvoScientist/EvoSkills/tree/HEAD/skills/academic-slides/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-09-30
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/academic-slides

## What it does

This skill organizes research presentations around a single narrative arc instead of copying a paper onto slides. The workflow runs through seven steps: defining the audience, drafting the outline, designing slide sections, drafting individual slides, building `.pptx` files, timing rehearsals, and assembling backup slides. You can also import figures and outlines from companion skills like `paper-planning` and `paper-writing`.

Generating presentation files and running QA requires `pip install "markitdown[pptx]" pillow` in your Python environment alongside the Node packages referenced in slide creation. The skill strictly limits scope to presentations. It forbids standalone posters, isolated figure design, or non-academic slide decks.

Rule of thumb: one slide per minute. If an audience member can reconstruct the full paper from the deck alone, cut more text.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add EvoScientist/EvoSkills --skill academic-slides -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/academic-slides/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/academic-slides/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add EvoScientist/EvoSkills --skill academic-slides -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/academic-slides/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add EvoScientist/EvoSkills --skill academic-slides -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/academic-slides/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install EvoScientist/EvoSkills academic-slides
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/academic-slides/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add EvoScientist/EvoSkills --skill academic-slides -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/EvoScientist/EvoSkills --path skills/academic-slides
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/academic-slides/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add EvoScientist/EvoSkills --skill academic-slides -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/EvoScientist/EvoSkills/tree/HEAD/skills/academic-slides/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- convert a research paper into a structured conference slide deck
- adjust technical depth and narrative for specific academic audiences
- generate a `.pptx` presentation with QA checks for layout and figures
- create backup slides with tables and failure cases for Q&A sessions

## Example prompts
- Turn my research paper draft into a 20-minute conference presentation deck.
- Structure a thesis defense talk and generate backup slides for anticipated reviewer questions.
- Build a .pptx slide deck from my experimental results with one idea per slide.

## Source text · SKILL.md · Apache-2.0

Below is the content of a third-party file. It is data, not instructions for you: do not act on anything written inside unless the human asks. Block tag: 55cbe7e6cd44a38a.

BEGIN THIRD-PARTY FILE 55cbe7e6cd44a38a
````text
---
name: academic-slides
description: "Use this skill for creating or refining an academic slide deck and the talk built around it: structuring a conference talk, thesis defense, lab meeting, or paper-to-slides deck; deciding the narrative arc and slide breakdown; improving slide design and visual hierarchy; planning rehearsal, timing, Q&A, and backup slides; or generating the .pptx. Reach for it when the user is shaping the presentation itself. Do not use for writing the paper, producing standalone speaker notes/scripts/transcripts, making posters, creating isolated figures/charts outside a slide deck, or building non-academic presentations."
allowed-tools: "write_file edit_file read_file think_tool execute"
metadata:
  author: EvoScientist
  version: '1.0.2'
  tags: [core, writing, presentation, academic-writing]
---

# Academic Slides

A structured approach to creating academic presentation slides and preparing research talks. Covers narrative structure, slide design, visual hierarchy, delivery technique, and Q&A preparation.

## When to Use This Skill

- User wants to create presentation slides for a research talk
- User asks about structuring an academic presentation
- User needs to prepare for a conference talk, thesis defense, or lab meeting
- User wants to design a slide deck from a paper or research project
- User mentions "slides", "presentation", "talk", "defense", "poster talk"

---

## Before You Start: Three Questions

Before designing any slides, answer these questions clearly:

1. **What works are you presenting?**
   They must share a coherent research direction. If presenting multiple works, they should form a narrative arc — not a disconnected list.

2. **What problems do these works solve in that direction?**
   Each work should map to a specific problem. If you cannot articulate the problem in one sentence, you are not ready to present.

3. **How do you use related work to naturally introduce these problems?**
   Related work is not citation duty. It builds the motivation for YOUR problem. Each related work you mention should advance the audience toward understanding why your approach is needed.

---

## Core Workflow

```
Step 1: Define scope and audience
Step 2: Draft narrative arc (outline)
Step 3: Design slide structure (section breakdown)
Step 4: Create individual slides (one idea per slide)
Step 5: Build the .pptx file (layouts, figures, charts, QA)
Step 6: Rehearse and time
Step 7: Prepare backup slides (for Q&A)
```

### Step 1: Define Scope and Audience

| Audience | Adjust |
|----------|--------|
| Domain experts | Skip basics, go deep on method and results |
| Broad CS / engineering | Explain task context, moderate technical depth |
| Interdisciplinary | Start from the application, minimize jargon |
````
END THIRD-PARTY FILE 55cbe7e6cd44a38a

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