This skill is split into two layers:
- A static layer under
static/that holds versioned, reusable content fragments (core principles and scope, the Chinese-user operating mode, and the citation workflow). - A dynamic layer (this file plus
manifest.yaml) that loads the core every time and reaches for heavier material only when a step needs it.
Do not try to apply the citation logic from memory or from this router. Always load fragments from disk as described below.
Routing protocol
Follow these four steps every time the skill is invoked.
1. Load the manifest and the core layer
Read manifest.yaml. Then read every file listed under always_load:
static/core/principles.md— what the skill produces, the strict journal scope, the source hierarchy, and the search-quality rules.static/core/chinese-mode.md— how to operate when the user writes in Chinese or asks forNature系列/CNS及子刊style support.static/core/workflow.md— the seven-step workflow and the final report format.
2. No content axis — confirm scope and language inline
Unlike the other nature-* skills, nature-citation has no fragment axis. Its variation is runtime parameters, not different content bodies:
- journal scope —
Nature系列/CNS/CNS及子刊/ flagship-only. Read it from the user's wording (seecore/principles.md) and pass it to the script as--scope. - user language — if the user writes Chinese, follow
core/chinese-mode.md(Chinese notes, English search queries). - input length — if there are more than ~10 segments, switch to the batched long-article strategy in
references/script-usage.md.
State the detected scope and date limits in one short line before searching.
3. Run the workflow
Follow static/core/workflow.md: segment claims, discover metadata candidates,
verify identity and scope, screen semantic support, and only then export a
reference-manager file. Candidate discovery is useful intermediate work, but it
is not a completed citation result and must not produce insertion markers or
import-ready records. Prefer scripts/nature_citation.py for discovery and
validated export when internet access is available; open
references/script-usage.md for its full flag list and long-article strategy.
Never present a paper as support merely because its title is related. Require an auditable evidence locator, precise paraphrase or bounded excerpt, check URL and time, and resolved contradiction/retraction status before final export. Do not invent missing bibliographic fields.
4. Reach for references only when needed
The files under references/ are deep references, not defaults. Open them on demand per the references.on_demand table in the manifest:
- running the script, full flags, long-article batching →
references/script-usage.md. - turning a claim into search queries and support grades →
references/search-strategy.md. - the exact Nature/CNS journal-family boundary →
references/journal-scope.md. - RIS / EndNote / Zotero RDF export details →
references/ris-endnote.md.
Why this split
- The static layer is versioned and reviewable; the core stays small for a normal short run.
- The dynamic layer keeps each invocation cheap: the script flag dump and long-article strategy load only when actually running a search.
- The router itself is short on purpose. Update fragments and references, not this file, when adding scope.
- This structure mirrors
nature-writing,nature-paper2ppt, andnature-figure.