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latex-tables skill

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This skill generates publication-ready LaTeX regression and summary statistics tables with captions, notes, and aligned numeric output.

npx playbooks add skill meleantonio/awesome-econ-ai-stuff --skill latex-tables

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SKILL.md

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---
name: latex-tables
description: Generate publication-ready regression tables in LaTeX.
workflow_stage: writing
compatibility:
  - claude-code
  - cursor
  - codex
  - gemini-cli
author: Awesome Econ AI Community
version: 1.0.0
tags:
  - latex
  - tables
  - regression
  - booktabs
---

# LaTeX Tables

## Purpose

This skill creates clean, publication-ready tables in LaTeX for regression results and summary statistics, using standard academic formatting.

## When to Use

- Converting model output into LaTeX tables
- Standardizing table style across a paper
- Adding notes, significance stars, and labels

## Instructions

Follow these steps to complete the task:

### Step 1: Understand the Context

Before generating any code, ask the user:

- What type of table is needed (regression, summary stats, balance)?
- What software produced the results (Stata, R, Python)?
- Which formatting style is required (journal-specific, AEA, etc.)?

### Step 2: Generate the Output

Based on the context, generate LaTeX code that:

1. **Uses `booktabs`** for clean horizontal rules
2. **Includes labels and captions** for referencing in the paper
3. **Adds notes** for standard errors and significance
4. **Aligns numeric columns** for readability

### Step 3: Verify and Explain

After generating output:

- Explain how to compile the table
- Highlight any assumptions in the formatting
- Suggest refinements for journal submission

## Example Prompts

- "Create a regression table with three models in LaTeX"
- "Format summary statistics with mean and sd columns"
- "Add significance stars and standard error notes"

## Example Output

```latex
% ============================================
% Regression Table
% ============================================
\begin{table}[htbp]\centering
\caption{Effect of Treatment on Outcome}
\label{tab:main_results}
\begin{tabular}{lccc}
\toprule
 & (1) & (2) & (3) \\
\midrule
Treatment & 0.125*** & 0.118*** & 0.102** \\
 & (0.041) & (0.039) & (0.046) \\
Controls & No & Yes & Yes \\
Fixed Effects & No & Yes & Yes \\
\midrule
Observations & 2,145 & 2,145 & 2,145 \\
R-squared & 0.18 & 0.24 & 0.31 \\
\bottomrule
\end{tabular}
\begin{tablenotes}
\small
\item Notes: Standard errors in parentheses. * p<0.10, ** p<0.05, *** p<0.01.
\end{tablenotes}
\end{table}
```

## Requirements

### Software

- LaTeX distribution (TeX Live or MikTeX)

### Packages

- `booktabs`
- `threeparttable` (optional for notes)

## Best Practices

1. **Keep tables compact** and readable
2. **Use consistent notation** for standard errors and stars
3. **Provide clear captions and labels**

## Common Pitfalls

- Overly wide tables that do not fit the page
- Missing notes for standard errors
- Inconsistent labeling across tables

## References

- [LaTeX booktabs documentation](https://ctan.org/pkg/booktabs)
- [AEA Author Guidelines](https://www.aeaweb.org/journals/policies/author-instructions)

## Changelog

### v1.0.0

- Initial release

Overview

This skill generates publication-ready LaTeX tables for regression results and summary statistics with academic formatting. It produces clean code using booktabs, aligned numeric columns, labels, captions, and notes for standard errors and significance stars. The output is ready to drop into a LaTeX document and easy to adapt to journal styles.

How this skill works

You tell the skill the table type (regression, summary, balance), the software that produced the output (Stata, R, Python), and any journal/style constraints. The skill builds a LaTeX table using booktabs, optional threeparttable for notes, aligned numeric columns, and a caption/label. It also adds significance stars, standard-error rows, and a compact notes block, and returns brief compilation and refinement instructions.

When to use it

Converting regression output from Stata, R, or Python into LaTeX
Standardizing table style across a manuscript or replication package
Preparing summary statistics or balance tables for appendices
Adding clear notes, significance stars, and labels for submission
Creating multi-model side-by-side regression tables

Best practices

Keep tables as narrow as possible; prefer compact variable names and abbreviations
Use booktabs for horizontal rules and threeparttable for notes when needed
Align numeric columns on the decimal point for readability
Include clear captions, labels, and a notes block explaining standard errors and stars
Test compile with your target LaTeX class and adjust column widths or font size for fit

Example use cases

Three-column regression table with controls and fixed effects, plus standard errors in parentheses
Summary statistics table with mean and standard deviation columns and sample size
Balance table for pre-treatment covariates with mean differences and p-values
Appendix tables formatted to AEA-style with notes and data source line
Quick conversion of a Python/R model summary into ready-to-use LaTeX code

FAQ

Which LaTeX packages are required?

booktabs is required for clean rules; threeparttable is recommended for notes. Use siunitx if you want automatic decimal alignment.

Can you match a journal-specific style?

Yes. Provide the journal or a sample table and I will adapt caption, label placement, font size hints, and notes formatting to match common journal conventions.