Agent Skills
› brycewang-stanford/Awesome-Journal-Skills
› molcell-writing
molcell-writing
GitHub用于规范 Molecular Cell 论文写作结构，确保符合期刊格式。涵盖摘要、引言、结果、讨论及 STAR Methods 等部分，严格控制约7000字正文和~7个展示项预算。强调结果需以机制论证为导向，使用描述性小标题，避免方法罗列或重复叙述，确保逻辑严密且符合 Cell Press 标准。
Trigger Scenarios
不确定 Molecular Cell 文章结构时
正文超字数或讨论部分重复结果时
方法部分未采用 STAR Methods 格式时
结果部分偏离单一机制论证或按实验技术罗列时
Install
npx skills add brycewang-stanford/Awesome-Journal-Skills --skill molcell-writing -g -y
SKILL.md
Frontmatter
{
"name": "molcell-writing",
"description": "Use to structure a Molecular Cell Article and hold its length — Summary, Introduction, Results, Discussion, STAR Methods, figure legends, references — with the ~7,000-word main-text and ~7-display-item budgets, and Results subheadings that carry the single-mechanism argument."
}
Main-Text Writing & Structure (molcell-writing)
When to trigger
- Unsure how a Molecular Cell Article is structured.
- The main text is over length, or the Discussion repeats the Results.
- The Methods are written as a free-text section (Molecular Cell uses STAR Methods).
- Results wander through techniques instead of advancing the single-mechanism argument.
Molecular Cell Article structure (in order)
- Summary — single paragraph (
molcell-summary). - Introduction — ~3 short paragraphs posing the molecular question (
molcell-framing). - Results — the bulk; organized by the proof of mechanism, with descriptive subheadings.
- Discussion — concise interpretation, model, limitations; does not re-list results.
- STAR Methods — Structured, Transparent, Accessible Reporting (
molcell-star-methods). - Figure legends — each stands alone (title + per-panel + statistics).
- References — Cell Press numbered style (
molcell-citation). - Supplemental information — supporting figures/tables/videos.
Molecular Cell does not use a free-text Methods section — methods live in STAR Methods with a Key Resources Table. This is non-negotiable for Cell Press.
Length and display-item budget (verify on the official site)
- Article main text ≈ 7,000 words, counting Introduction, Results, Discussion, and main figure legends, but excluding STAR Methods, supplemental item legends, and references. A working target — confirm the current cap.
- Display items: up to ~7 figures/tables for a standard Article; additional supporting items go to Supplemental Information.
- Short Article: ~4,000 words for a single, fully validated conceptual point — consider it when the mechanism is decisive but compact.
- STAR Methods and references sit outside the main-text word budget but have their own expectations.
Numbers are working targets. The principle is fixed: Molecular Cell Articles are deep but tightly written; validation and orthogonal controls go to Supplemental Information and STAR Methods.
Results: subheadings that carry the mechanism
- Use descriptive subheadings that read as molecular claims ("The clamp loader gates ATP hydrolysis", not "Biochemical assays").
- Each Results block: claim sentence first, then the evidence (figure callout + numbers + statistics), then the inference and the alternative you exclude.
- Order by the logic of the proof (phenomenon → mechanism → separation-of-function → physiological relevance), not by the chronology of experiments.
- Each subheading should map to one or two figures.
Discussion discipline (concise)
- Interpret — don't recap. State the molecular model the data support and draw it in words.
- Address the main alternative mechanism and how your data exclude it.
- State limitations honestly (what the reconstitution omits, what the resolution cannot resolve).
- End on the mechanistic significance / open molecular question — not "more work is needed."
Length discipline tactics
- One idea per paragraph; lead with the claim.
- Move orthogonal confirmations, titrations, and controls to Supplemental (cited "Figure S3", "Table S1").
- Cut "In order to" → "To"; cut "It is worth noting that" and throat-clearing.
- Demote any result that doesn't serve the single mechanism; comprehensiveness is not a virtue here.
Cross-references
- Main figures: "Figure 1" (Cell Press spells out "Figure"); panels "Figure 1A".
- Supplemental: "Figure S1", "Table S1", "Video S1".
- STAR Methods sections are referenced by name (e.g., "see STAR Methods").
Output format
【Sections present】 Summary / Intro / Results / Discussion / STAR Methods / legends / refs
【Methods format】 free-text (FIX → STAR Methods) / STAR Methods (ok)
【Main-text length】 ~N words incl. main legends → over/under ~7,000 (or ~4,000 Short Article)
【Display items】 N → within ~7? main vs Supplemental split
【Results subheadings】 molecular-claim style + proof-ordered? yes/no
【Discussion】 interpretive (model + excluded alternative)? limitations stated? yes/no
【Next】 molcell-figures
Anti-patterns
- Do not write a free-text Methods section — Molecular Cell requires STAR Methods.
- Do not let the Discussion re-list the Results.
- Do not order Results by technique chronology when the proof order is clearer.
- Do not pad the main text with arc-irrelevant experiments to look comprehensive.
Confirm exact word and item caps against the current Molecular Cell information-for-authors page.
Version History
- 9f86f09 Current 2026-07-19 17:05
