From scientific-skills
Creates LaTeX research posters with beamerposter, tikzposter, or baposter. Supports layouts, color schemes, multi-columns, figure integration via schematics for conferences and science.
npx claudepluginhub logauaengstrom/claude-scientific-skills --plugin scientific-skillsThis skill is limited to using the following tools:
Research posters are a critical medium for scientific communication at conferences, symposia, and academic events. This skill provides comprehensive guidance for creating professional, visually appealing research posters using LaTeX packages. Generate publication-quality posters with proper layout, typography, color schemes, and visual hierarchy.
Creates LaTeX research posters with beamerposter, tikzposter, or baposter. Supports layouts, color schemes, multi-columns, figure integration via schematics for conferences and science.
Creates professional LaTeX research posters using beamerposter, tikzposter, or baposter for conferences and academic events. Supports layouts, color schemes, columns, figures, and visual best practices.
Creates professional LaTeX research posters using beamerposter, tikzposter, or baposter for conferences, academic events, and scientific communication. Covers layouts, colors, multi-columns, figures, and overflow prevention.
Share bugs, ideas, or general feedback.
Research posters are a critical medium for scientific communication at conferences, symposia, and academic events. This skill provides comprehensive guidance for creating professional, visually appealing research posters using LaTeX packages. Generate publication-quality posters with proper layout, typography, color schemes, and visual hierarchy.
This skill should be used when:
⚠️ MANDATORY: Every research poster MUST include at least 2-3 AI-generated figures using the scientific-schematics skill.
This is not optional. Posters are primarily visual media - text-heavy posters fail to communicate effectively. Before finalizing any poster:
How to generate figures:
How to generate schematics:
python scripts/generate_schematic.py "your diagram description" -o figures/output.png
The AI will automatically:
When to add schematics:
For detailed guidance on creating schematics, refer to the scientific-schematics skill documentation.
Support for three major LaTeX poster packages, each with distinct advantages. For detailed comparison and package-specific guidance, refer to references/latex_poster_packages.md.
beamerposter:
tikzposter:
baposter:
Create effective poster layouts following visual communication principles. For comprehensive layout guidance, refer to references/poster_layout_design.md.
Common Poster Sections:
Layout Strategies:
Apply evidence-based design principles for maximum impact. For detailed design guidance, refer to references/poster_design_principles.md.
Typography:
Color and Contrast:
Visual Elements:
Content Guidelines:
Support for international and conference-specific poster dimensions:
International Standards:
North American Standards:
Orientation:
Provide ready-to-use templates for each major package. Templates available in assets/ directory.
beamerposter Templates:
beamerposter_classic.tex - Traditional academic stylebeamerposter_modern.tex - Clean, minimal designbeamerposter_colorful.tex - Vibrant theme with blockstikzposter Templates:
tikzposter_default.tex - Standard tikzposter layouttikzposter_rays.tex - Modern design with ray themetikzposter_wave.tex - Professional wave-style themebaposter Templates:
baposter_portrait.tex - Classic portrait layoutbaposter_landscape.tex - Landscape multi-columnbaposter_minimal.tex - Minimalist designOptimize visual content for poster presentations:
Best Practices:
LaTeX Figure Commands:
% Include graphics package
\usepackage{graphicx}
% Simple figure
\includegraphics[width=0.8\linewidth]{figure.pdf}
% Figure with caption in tikzposter
\block{Results}{
\begin{tikzfigure}
\includegraphics[width=0.9\linewidth]{results.png}
\end{tikzfigure}
}
% Multiple subfigures
\usepackage{subcaption}
\begin{figure}
\begin{subfigure}{0.48\linewidth}
\includegraphics[width=\linewidth]{fig1.pdf}
\caption{Condition A}
\end{subfigure}
\begin{subfigure}{0.48\linewidth}
\includegraphics[width=\linewidth]{fig2.pdf}
\caption{Condition B}
\end{subfigure}
\end{figure}
Provide professional color palettes for various contexts:
Academic Institution Colors:
Scientific Color Palettes (color-blind friendly):
Package-Specific Theme Selection:
beamerposter:
\usetheme{Berlin}
\usecolortheme{beaver}
tikzposter:
\usetheme{Rays}
\usecolorstyle{Denmark}
baposter:
\begin{poster}{
background=plain,
bgColorOne=white,
headerColorOne=blue!70,
textborder=rounded
}
Ensure readability and visual appeal:
Font Selection:
% Sans-serif fonts recommended for posters
\usepackage{helvet} % Helvetica
\usepackage{avant} % Avant Garde
\usepackage{sfmath} % Sans-serif math fonts
% Set default to sans-serif
\renewcommand{\familydefault}{\sfdefault}
Text Sizing:
% Adjust text sizes for visibility
\setbeamerfont{title}{size=\VeryHuge}
\setbeamerfont{author}{size=\Large}
\setbeamerfont{institute}{size=\normalsize}
Emphasis and Highlighting:
\textbf{important}\textcolor{blue}{highlight}Enhance poster interactivity for modern conferences:
QR Code Integration:
\usepackage{qrcode}
% Link to paper, code repository, or supplementary materials
\qrcode[height=2cm]{https://github.com/username/project}
% QR code with caption
\begin{center}
\qrcode[height=3cm]{https://doi.org/10.1234/paper}\\
\small Scan for full paper
\end{center}
Digital Enhancements:
Generate high-quality PDF output for printing or digital display:
Compilation Commands:
# Basic compilation
pdflatex poster.tex
# With bibliography
pdflatex poster.tex
bibtex poster
pdflatex poster.tex
pdflatex poster.tex
# For beamer-based posters
lualatex poster.tex # Better font support
xelatex poster.tex # Unicode and modern fonts
Ensuring Full Page Coverage:
Posters should use the entire page without excessive margins. Configure packages correctly:
beamerposter - Full Page Setup:
\documentclass[final,t]{beamer}
\usepackage[size=a0,scale=1.4,orientation=portrait]{beamerposter}
% Remove default beamer margins
\setbeamersize{text margin left=0mm, text margin right=0mm}
% Use geometry for precise control
\usepackage[margin=10mm]{geometry} % 10mm margins all around
% Remove navigation symbols
\setbeamertemplate{navigation symbols}{}
% Remove footline and headline if not needed
\setbeamertemplate{footline}{}
\setbeamertemplate{headline}{}
tikzposter - Full Page Setup:
\documentclass[
25pt, % Font scaling
a0paper, % Paper size
portrait, % Orientation
margin=10mm, % Outer margins (minimal)
innermargin=15mm, % Space inside blocks
blockverticalspace=15mm, % Space between blocks
colspace=15mm, % Space between columns
subcolspace=8mm % Space between subcolumns
]{tikzposter}
% This ensures content fills the page
baposter - Full Page Setup:
\documentclass[a0paper,portrait,fontscale=0.285]{baposter}
\begin{poster}{
grid=false,
columns=3,
colspacing=1.5em, % Space between columns
eyecatcher=true,
background=plain,
bgColorOne=white,
borderColor=blue!50,
headerheight=0.12\textheight, % 12% for header
textborder=roundedleft,
headerborder=closed,
boxheaderheight=2em % Consistent box header heights
}
% Content here
\end{poster}
Common Issues and Fixes:
Problem: Large white margins around poster
% Fix for beamerposter
\setbeamersize{text margin left=5mm, text margin right=5mm}
% Fix for tikzposter
\documentclass[..., margin=5mm, innermargin=10mm]{tikzposter}
% Fix for baposter - adjust in document class
\documentclass[a0paper, margin=5mm]{baposter}
Problem: Content doesn't fill vertical space
% Use \vfill between sections to distribute space
\block{Introduction}{...}
\vfill
\block{Methods}{...}
\vfill
\block{Results}{...}
% Or manually adjust block spacing
\vspace{1cm} % Add space between specific blocks
Problem: Poster extends beyond page boundaries
% Check total width calculation
% For 3 columns with spacing:
% Total = 3×columnwidth + 2×colspace + 2×margins
% Ensure this equals \paperwidth
% Debug by adding visible page boundary
\usepackage{eso-pic}
\AddToShipoutPictureBG{
\AtPageLowerLeft{
\put(0,0){\framebox(\LenToUnit{\paperwidth},\LenToUnit{\paperheight}){}}
}
}
Print Preparation:
Digital Display:
CRITICAL: Always review the generated PDF before printing or presenting. Use this systematic checklist:
Step 1: Page Size Verification
# Check PDF dimensions (should match poster size exactly)
pdfinfo poster.pdf | grep "Page size"
# Expected outputs:
# A0: 2384 x 3370 points (841 x 1189 mm)
# 36x48": 2592 x 3456 points
# A1: 1684 x 2384 points (594 x 841 mm)
Step 2: Visual Inspection Checklist
Open PDF at 100% zoom and check:
Layout and Spacing:
Typography:
Visual Elements:
Content Completeness:
Technical Quality:
Step 3: Reduced-Scale Print Test
Essential Pre-Printing Test:
# Create reduced-size test print (25% of final size)
# This simulates viewing full poster from ~8-10 feet
# For A0 poster, print on A4 paper (24.7% scale)
# For 36x48" poster, print on letter paper (~25% scale)
Print Test Checklist:
Step 4: Digital Quality Checks
Font Embedding Verification:
# Check that all fonts are embedded (required for printing)
pdffonts poster.pdf
# All fonts should show "yes" in "emb" column
# If any show "no", recompile with:
pdflatex -dEmbedAllFonts=true poster.tex
Image Resolution Check:
# Extract image information
pdfimages -list poster.pdf
# Check that all images are at least 300 DPI
# Formula: DPI = pixels / (inches in poster)
# For A0 width (33.1"): 300 DPI = 9930 pixels minimum
File Size Optimization:
# For email/web, compress if needed (>50MB)
gs -sDEVICE=pdfwrite -dCompatibilityLevel=1.4 \
-dPDFSETTINGS=/printer -dNOPAUSE -dQUIET -dBATCH \
-sOutputFile=poster_compressed.pdf poster.pdf
# For printing, keep original (no compression)
Step 5: Accessibility Check
Color Contrast Verification:
Color Blindness Simulation:
Step 6: Content Proofreading
Systematic Review:
Peer Review:
Step 7: Technical Validation
LaTeX Compilation Log Review:
# Check for warnings in .log file
grep -i "warning\|error\|overfull\|underfull" poster.log
# Common issues to fix:
# - Overfull hbox: Text extending beyond margins
# - Underfull hbox: Excessive spacing
# - Missing references: Citations not resolved
# - Missing figures: Image files not found
Fix Common Warnings:
% Overfull hbox (text too wide)
\usepackage{microtype} % Better spacing
\sloppy % Allow slightly looser spacing
\hyphenation{long-word} % Manual hyphenation
% Missing fonts
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc} % Better font encoding
% Image not found
% Ensure paths are correct and files exist
\graphicspath{{./figures/}{./images/}}
Step 8: Final Pre-Print Checklist
Before Sending to Printer:
Printing Specifications to Confirm:
Digital Presentation Checklist:
Review Script (Available in scripts/review_poster.sh):
#!/bin/bash
# Automated poster PDF review script
echo "Poster PDF Quality Check"
echo "======================="
# Check file exists
if [ ! -f "$1" ]; then
echo "Error: File not found"
exit 1
fi
echo "File: $1"
echo ""
# Check page size
echo "1. Page Dimensions:"
pdfinfo "$1" | grep "Page size"
echo ""
# Check fonts
echo "2. Font Embedding:"
pdffonts "$1" | head -20
echo ""
# Check file size
echo "3. File Size:"
ls -lh "$1" | awk '{print $5}'
echo ""
# Count pages (should be 1 for poster)
echo "4. Page Count:"
pdfinfo "$1" | grep "Pages"
echo ""
echo "Manual checks required:"
echo "- Visual inspection at 100% zoom"
echo "- Reduced-scale print test (25%)"
echo "- Color contrast verification"
echo "- Proofreading for typos"
Common PDF Issues and Solutions:
| Issue | Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Large white margins | Incorrect margin settings | Reduce margin in documentclass |
| Content cut off | Exceeds page boundaries | Check total width/height calculations |
| Blurry images | Low resolution (<300 DPI) | Replace with higher resolution images |
| Missing fonts | Fonts not embedded | Compile with -dEmbedAllFonts=true |
| Wrong page size | Incorrect paper size setting | Verify documentclass paper size |
| Colors look wrong | RGB vs CMYK mismatch | Convert color space for print |
| File too large (>50MB) | Uncompressed images | Optimize images or compress PDF |
| QR codes don't work | Too small or low resolution | Minimum 2×2cm, high contrast |
Effective content organization for different research types:
Experimental Research Poster:
Computational/Modeling Poster:
Review/Survey Poster:
Design posters that are accessible to diverse audiences:
Color Blindness Considerations:
Visual Impairment Accommodations:
Language and Content:
Guidance beyond LaTeX for effective poster sessions:
Content Strategy:
Physical Presentation Tips:
Digital Backups:
Determine poster requirements:
Develop content outline:
Choose LaTeX package:
Select or create template:
assets/Design layout structure:
Set typography:
Create poster header:
Populate content sections:
Add visual elements:
Include references:
Review and iterate:
Test readability:
Optimize for printing:
Compile final PDF:
pdflatex poster.tex
# Or for better font support:
lualatex poster.tex
Verify output quality:
Prepare for printing:
Create supplementary materials:
This skill works effectively with:
Design Mistakes:
Content Mistakes:
Technical Mistakes:
Best Practices:
Ensure required LaTeX packages are installed:
# For TeX Live (Linux/Mac)
tlmgr install beamerposter tikzposter baposter
# For MiKTeX (Windows)
# Packages typically auto-install on first use
# Additional recommended packages
tlmgr install qrcode graphics xcolor tcolorbox subcaption
Helper scripts available in scripts/ directory:
compile_poster.sh: Automated compilation with error handlinggenerate_template.py: Interactive template generatorresize_images.py: Batch image optimization for postersposter_checklist.py: Pre-submission validation toolComprehensive reference files for detailed guidance:
references/latex_poster_packages.md: Detailed comparison of beamerposter, tikzposter, and baposter with examplesreferences/poster_layout_design.md: Layout principles, grid systems, and visual flowreferences/poster_design_principles.md: Typography, color theory, visual hierarchy, and accessibilityreferences/poster_content_guide.md: Content organization, writing style, and section-specific guidanceReady-to-use poster templates in assets/ directory:
Load these templates and customize for your specific research and conference requirements.