% PNPMD Markdown specification — PNPMD v1.0.5 % Max Freet, An M. Rodriguez, Adrien Hale % November 16, 2025 ## One-Sentence Summary PNPMD is a specification for human-readable-*first*, plain-text, math-aware, markdown documents. ## Abstract PNPMD is a specification for human-readable-*first*, plain-text, math-aware documents. PNPMD honors Pandoc's flavored markdown, rendered with pdflatex. Uses Pandoc's crossref filter (giving numbered and referenceable equations, figures, tables, etc), and adds some syntax sugar to ease cross-referencing and citations. ## Keywords plain-text, research format, markdown, mathjax, pandoc, PNPMD ## Introduction PNPMD is a specification for human-readable-*first*, plain-text, math-aware, markdown documents. PNPMD: - provides a complete Markdown structure for mathematically aware documents, with cross-references and citations, - keeps the format plain-text and human-readable-*first*, and - avoids noisy LaTeX wrappers and PDF-only workflows ## (Suggested) Structure * Header * One-Sentence Summary * Abstract * Keywords * Other body sections * About Author(s) * References ### Header Three lines: ``` % Title % Author(s) % Date ``` ### One-Sentence Summary One sentence summarizing the paper. ### Abstract 3–5 sentences: problem → method → result → significance. No citations or equations. ### Keywords 3–6 topical keywords. ### Other Body Sections (Recommended) Introduction, Theory/Framework, Derivation, Results, Discussion, Conclusion, Future Work, Appendices. ### About Author(s) Immediately before References. A list of authors, with ORCID if available, email if corresponding, or relevant information. For example, * An M. Rodriguez, https://orcid.org/0009-0009-9098-9468, an@preferredframe.com * Max Freet, max@preferredframe.com ### References Use DOI links where possible. ## References and Cross-References Cross-linking, numbering, and citations are produced automatically by Pandoc with the `pandoc-crossref` filter. ## Cross-Reference System and Sugar Substitutions When using the **PNPMD rendering script**, several syntactic sugars are automatically expanded to Pandoc-compatible links: - `{#id}` → `[]{#id}`: For plain prose anchors (no colon). - `@id` → `[label](#id)`: If a `[label]{#id}` exists - `@id` → `[@id](#id)`: otherwise - `[label](@id)` → `[label](#id)`: Always. - `[label](@sec:id)` → `[label](#sec:id)`: Always. - `@sec:`, `@fig:`, `@eq:`, `@tbl:` → *(unchanged)*: Handled by `pandoc-crossref`. - bare `#id` → `[](#id)`: When not inside code blocks, headings, or existing links. Colon-prefixed anchors (e.g., `{#eq:wave}`) are reserved for cross-reference numbering and remain untouched. ## Formatting Rules ### Math * Inline math: `$...$` (e.g., `$E = mc^2$`) * Display math: ``` $$ F_{\mu\nu} = \partial_\mu A_\nu - \partial_\nu A_\mu $$ {#eq:sampleeq} ``` renders as: $$ F_{\mu\nu} = \partial_\mu A_\nu - \partial_\nu A_\mu $$ {#eq:sampleeq} And can be referenced as `@eq:sampleeq`, like so: See @eq:sampleeq * MUST NOT use `\[...\]` or `\(...\)` for latex. ONLY USE $..$ and $$..$$ for latex quoting. * Specify units whenever possible. ### Characters * UTF-8 required (pdflatex-compatible) * Unicode symbols allowed only if supported by pdfLaTeX input; otherwise prefer `$...$` or ASCII ### Text Emphasis Avoid bold/italics/underline unless essential. Clarity is primary. Don’t pollute the document with unnecessary visual noise. ### Section Separation * Separate sections with two blank lines * Never use `---` (horizontal rules) to separate sections * Do **not** number sections manually; Pandoc handles numbering automatically ## Conclusion PNPMD is a plain-text specification for mathematically aware documents. It standardizes minimal syntax, automatic cross-referencing, and deterministic conversion through Pandoc with `pandoc-crossref`. The format remains simple, portable, and human-readable. PNPMD: where notation and meaning remain human before machine. ## Corresponding Author An M. Rodriguez: an@preferredframe.com