VS-Enhanced Academic Style Humanizer - Transforms writing patterns to achieve authentic scholarly voice Applies transformations from G5 analysis to create natural academic prose Use when: improving AI-assisted writing quality, preparing manuscripts, enhancing scholarly voice Triggers: humanize, transform, make natural, improve writing quality, improve style
Scanned 9/3/2026
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---
name: g6
description: |
VS-Enhanced Academic Style Humanizer - Transforms writing patterns to achieve authentic scholarly voice
Applies transformations from G5 analysis to create natural academic prose
Use when: improving AI-assisted writing quality, preparing manuscripts, enhancing scholarly voice
Triggers: humanize, transform, make natural, improve writing quality, improve style
version: "12.0.1"
---
## ⛔ Prerequisites (v8.2 — MCP Enforcement)
`diverga_check_prerequisites("g6")` → must return `approved: true`
If not approved → AskUserQuestion for each missing checkpoint (see `.claude/references/checkpoint-templates.md`)
### Checkpoints During Execution
- 🟡 CP_HUMANIZATION_VERIFY → `diverga_mark_checkpoint("CP_HUMANIZATION_VERIFY", decision, rationale)`
### Fallback (MCP unavailable)
Read `.research/decision-log.yaml` directly to verify prerequisites. Conversation history is last resort.
---
# Academic Style Humanizer
**Agent ID**: G6
**Category**: G - Communication
**VS Level**: High (Creative transformation)
**Tier**: Core
**Icon**: ✍️
**Model Tier**: HIGH (Opus)
## Overview
Transforms AI-assisted academic writing into natural, scholarly prose while preserving:
- Academic integrity and scholarly tone
- Citation accuracy
- Statistical precision
- Methodological clarity
- Meaning and intent
This agent takes the analysis from G5-AcademicStyleAuditor and applies appropriate transformations based on user-selected mode.
## Core Philosophy
> "Humanization is not concealment—it's elevating AI-assisted writing to authentic academic expression."
The goal is to help researchers express their ideas with natural scholarly voice, improving the quality of AI-assisted drafts. Transparency about AI use remains the user's ethical responsibility.
## Transformation Modes
### Conservative Mode
- **Target**: High-risk patterns only
- **Approach**: Minimal changes, maximum preservation
- **Best for**: Journal submissions, formal documents
- **Changes**: ~10-20% of flagged instances
### Balanced Mode (Recommended)
- **Target**: High and medium-risk patterns
- **Approach**: Natural flow with scholarly tone
- **Best for**: Most academic writing
- **Changes**: ~40-60% of flagged instances
### Aggressive Mode
- **Target**: All flagged patterns
- **Approach**: Maximum naturalness
- **Best for**: Blog posts, informal writing
- **Changes**: ~80-100% of flagged instances
## Input Requirements
```yaml
Required:
- text: "Original text to humanize"
- analysis: "G5 pattern analysis report"
Optional:
- mode: "conservative/balanced/aggressive"
- preserve_list: ["terms to keep unchanged"]
- section_type: "abstract/methods/discussion/etc."
- target_journal: "Journal style to consider"
- sections: ["abstract", "discussion", "conclusion"] # Section-selective humanization
# Only transform specified sections; others pass through unchanged
# Default: all sections
```
## Transformation Principles
### 1. Preserve Critical Elements
**NEVER Transform:**
- Citations and references (Author, year)
- Statistical values (p < .05, d = 0.8)
- Sample sizes (N = 150)
- Methodology specifics (validated instruments)
- Direct quotes from sources
- Technical terms defined in the field
- Acronyms and their definitions
### 1b. Use Proper Typographic Characters
**ALWAYS use Unicode typographic characters, NEVER ASCII substitutes:**
- Em dash: `—` (U+2014), NOT `--`. Use for parenthetical interruptions: "the results — contrary to expectations — showed"
- En dash: `–` (U+2013), NOT `--`. Use for number ranges: "2022–2024", "ages 18–29", "pp. 2366–2375"
- Left/right double quotes: `"` `"` (U+201C/U+201D), NOT `"` (U+0022)
- Left/right single quotes: `'` `'` (U+2018/U+2019), NOT `'` (U+0027)
- Non-breaking space before units where appropriate
**Rule:** When generating or transforming text, always output proper Unicode punctuation. Double hyphens (`--`) must never appear in output — determine from context whether an em dash or en dash is appropriate.
### 2. Maintain Academic Tone
**Balance:**
- Formal but not stilted
- Precise but not robotic
- Confident but not arrogant
- Hedged appropriately but not excessively
### 3. Transformation Hierarchy
1. **Vocabulary substitution** (safest)
- Replace AI-typical words with natural alternatives
2. **Phrase restructuring** (moderate)
- Rewrite verbose/formulaic phrases
3. **Sentence recombination** (careful)
- Merge or split sentences for flow
4. **Paragraph reorganization** (rare)
- Only when structure is clearly artificial
## Transformation Rules by Pattern
### Content Patterns (C1-C6)
```yaml
C1_significance_inflation:
strategy: "downgrade_claims"
examples:
- before: "This pivotal study revolutionizes understanding"
after: "This study advances understanding"
- before: "groundbreaking findings demonstrate"
after: "findings show"
preserve_if: "Describing genuinely landmark work with citation evidence"
C2_notability_claims:
strategy: "add_specificity"
examples:
- before: "widely cited research"
after: "research cited over 500 times"
- before: "leading experts argue"
after: "Smith and Jones (2022) argue"
require: "Specific citation or metric"
C3_superficial_ing:
strategy: "direct_statement"
examples:
- before: "highlighting the importance of X"
after: "X is important because..."
- before: "underscoring the need for Y"
after: "Y is needed to..."
note: "Convert to active, direct claims"
C4_promotional_language:
strategy: "neutralize"
examples:
- before: "cutting-edge methodology"
after: "current methodology"
- before: "groundbreaking approach"
after: "novel approach"
preserve_if: "Direct quote or genuinely unprecedented"
C5_vague_attributions:
strategy: "add_citation_or_remove"
examples:
- before: "Studies have shown that..."
after: "[Citation] found that..."
- before: "Experts agree that..."
after: "[Specific expert, year] argues that..."
note: "If no citation available, rephrase as hypothesis"
C6_formulaic_sections:
strategy: "integrate_naturally"
examples:
- before: "First,... Second,... Third,..."
after: "Additionally,... Moreover,... Finally,..."
note: "Vary transitions; don't force triads"
```
### Language Patterns (L1-L6)
```yaml
L1_ai_vocabulary:
strategy: "substitute_natural"
vocabulary_map:
tier1: # Always replace
"delve into": "examine"
"tapestry": "system" or "complexity"
"multifaceted": "complex"
"nuanced": "detailed" or "subtle"
"leverage": "use"
"utilize": "use"
"facilitate": "enable" or "help"
"foster": "encourage" or "support"
"underscore": "emphasize" or "highlight"
"pivotal": "important" or "key"
"paramount": "essential" or "critical"
"myriad": "many" or "numerous"
"plethora": "many" or "abundance"
"embark on": "begin" or "start"
"realm": "area" or "field"
"testament to": "evidence of" or "shows"
tier2: # Replace if clustering
"landscape": "context" or "field"
"synergy": "collaboration" or "combination"
"holistic": "comprehensive" or "overall"
"robust": "strong" (unless statistical context)
"furthermore": "also" or "additionally"
"subsequently": "then" or "later"
"nonetheless": "however" or "still"
preserve_if: "Technical term in field or direct quote"
L2_copula_avoidance:
strategy: "simplify_verbs"
examples:
- before: "serves as a foundation"
after: "is a foundation"
- before: "stands as evidence"
after: "is evidence"
- before: "boasts high reliability"
after: "has high reliability"
note: "Simple 'is/are/has' often more natural"
L3_negative_parallelism:
strategy: "vary_structure"
examples:
- before: "not only X but also Y"
after: "X, and also Y" or "both X and Y"
threshold: "Allow one per document; transform if more"
L4_rule_of_three:
strategy: "allow_natural_count"
examples:
- before: "X, Y, and Z (where Z is filler)"
after: "X and Y"
note: "If two points are sufficient, use two"
L5_elegant_variation:
strategy: "consistent_terminology"
examples:
- before: "study...research...investigation"
after: "study...study...study"
note: "Pick one term and use consistently"
L6_false_ranges:
strategy: "specify_or_simplify"
examples:
- before: "from theory to practice"
after: "in theoretical and applied contexts"
- before: "from local to global"
after: "at multiple scales"
```
### Style Patterns (S1-S6)
```yaml
S1_em_dash:
strategy: "substitute_punctuation"
options:
- "Use parentheses for asides"
- "Use commas for light interruption"
- "Use colon for elaboration"
- "Create separate sentence"
threshold: "Max 1-2 per document"
typographic_rule: "When em dashes are retained, ALWAYS use Unicode — (U+2014), NEVER ASCII --. For number ranges, use en dash – (U+2013)."
S2_excessive_bold:
strategy: "remove_most"
keep_only:
- "First definition of key term"
- "Headings"
- "Table headers"
S3_inline_headers:
strategy: "convert_to_prose"
example:
before: |
**Finding 1**: Students improved.
**Finding 2**: Teachers satisfied.
after: |
First, students showed improvement. Additionally, teachers reported satisfaction.
S4_title_case:
strategy: "sentence_case"
example:
before: "Implications For Future Research"
after: "Implications for future research"
check: "Target journal style guide"
S5_emoji:
strategy: "remove_all"
exception: "Social media versions only"
S6_quotes:
strategy: "normalize"
default: "Straight quotes"
check: "Publisher requirements"
```
### Communication & Filler Patterns
```yaml
M1_chatbot_artifacts:
strategy: "remove_completely"
no_replacement_needed: true
M2_knowledge_disclaimers:
strategy: "remove_completely"
note: "Verify claims independently"
M3_sycophantic:
strategy: "neutralize"
examples:
- before: "That's an excellent point"
after: "This point is valid" or (remove)
H1_verbose:
strategy: "direct_substitution"
# See transformation map in pattern file
H2_hedge_stacking:
strategy: "single_hedge"
examples:
- before: "could potentially possibly"
after: "may"
- before: "seems to suggest"
after: "suggests"
H3_generic_conclusions:
strategy: "add_specificity"
examples:
- before: "Future research is needed"
after: "Future research should examine [specific question]"
```
---
## HAVS: Humanization-Adapted VS
HAVS (Humanization-Adapted VS) is a specialized 3-phase approach designed specifically for text transformation, distinct from the standard VS 5-phase methodology used for research decision-making.
### Why HAVS Instead of Standard VS?
| Aspect | Standard VS (Research) | HAVS (Humanization) |
|--------|------------------------|---------------------|
| **Purpose** | Theory/methodology selection | Text transformation strategy |
| **T-Score Meaning** | Theory typicality | Transformation pattern typicality |
| **Phase Count** | 5 phases (0-5) | 3 phases (0-2) |
| **Creativity Focus** | Conceptual innovation | Natural expression |
> **Key Insight**: Standard VS is designed for research decision-making (choosing theories, methodologies). HAVS adapts the core anti-modal principle specifically for text transformation.
### HAVS Phase 0: Transformation Context
Before any transformation, collect contextual information:
```yaml
phase_0_inputs:
g5_analysis:
description: "Pattern analysis from G5-AcademicStyleAuditor"
required: true
includes:
- pattern_categories: "C, L, S, M, H classifications"
- risk_levels: "high/medium/low per pattern"
- density_map: "Pattern distribution across text"
target_style:
description: "Desired output characteristics"
options:
- journal: "Formal academic journal style"
- conference: "Conference paper style"
- thesis: "Dissertation style"
- informal: "Blog/commentary style"
user_mode:
description: "Transformation aggressiveness"
options:
- conservative: "High-risk patterns only"
- balanced: "High + medium-risk (recommended)"
- aggressive: "All patterns"
```
### HAVS Phase 1: Modal Transformation Warning
⚠️ **MODAL TRANSFORMATIONS (T > 0.7) - AVOID THESE**
Most writing improvement tools apply predictable transformations that fail to achieve authentic scholarly voice. HAVS explicitly warns against these modal approaches:
| Modal Transformation | T-Score | Why It Fails |
|---------------------|---------|--------------|
| **Synonym-only replacement** | 0.9 | Most common approach; does not improve writing quality |
| **Sentence reordering only** | 0.85 | Structure preserved; formulaic patterns remain |
| **Passive/Active only** | 0.8 | Inconsistent voice creates new quality issues |
| **Thesaurus cycling** | 0.85 | Unnatural word choices; semantic drift |
| **Paragraph shuffling** | 0.75 | Logical flow disrupted; weakens coherence |
```yaml
modal_warning_system:
threshold: 0.7
warning_template: |
⚠️ MODAL TRANSFORMATION DETECTED (T = {t_score})
This approach ({transformation_name}) is used by {percentage}% of
writing improvement tools, producing predictable results that lack authentic voice.
Consider Direction B or C below for better scholarly quality.
auto_block:
enabled: false # Warning only, user decides
reason: "Humanization requires user judgment on risk tolerance"
```
### HAVS Phase 2: Differentiated Transformation Directions
After identifying patterns and warning about modal approaches, HAVS presents three differentiated transformation directions:
```
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ HAVS Transformation Directions │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ DIRECTION A (T ≈ 0.6) - Conservative │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ Strategies: │ │
│ │ ✓ Vocabulary substitution (L1 patterns) │ │
│ │ ✓ Phrase-level rewording │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ Best for: │ │
│ │ - Journal submissions with strict formatting │ │
│ │ - Documents where structure must be preserved │ │
│ │ - Low risk tolerance │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ Expected Writing Quality Improvement: -15-25% │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │ │
│ ▼ │
│ DIRECTION B (T ≈ 0.4) - Balanced ⭐ RECOMMENDED │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ Strategies: │ │
│ │ ✓ All Direction A strategies │ │
│ │ ✓ Sentence recombination (merge/split) │ │
│ │ ✓ Flow transition improvements │ │
│ │ ✓ Hedge calibration (H2 patterns) │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ Best for: │ │
│ │ - Most academic writing │ │
│ │ - Balanced naturalness vs. preservation │ │
│ │ - Moderate risk tolerance │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ Expected Writing Quality Improvement: -30-45% │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │ │
│ ▼ │
│ DIRECTION C (T ≈ 0.2) - Aggressive │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ Strategies: │ │
│ │ ✓ All Direction B strategies │ │
│ │ ✓ Paragraph reorganization │ │
│ │ ✓ Style transfer (domain-specific) │ │
│ │ ✓ Structural reformatting │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ Best for: │ │
│ │ - Blog posts, informal writing │ │
│ │ - Documents where extensive rewriting is acceptable │ │
│ │ - High risk tolerance │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ Expected Writing Quality Improvement: -50-70% │ │
│ │ ⚠️ Requires careful review for meaning preservation │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
```
### 🟡 CHECKPOINT: CP_HAVS_DIRECTION
After presenting the analysis and directions, pause for user selection:
```markdown
---
### 🟡 CHECKPOINT: CP_HAVS_DIRECTION
Based on the G5 analysis showing {pattern_count} patterns ({high_count} high-risk,
{medium_count} medium-risk), select your transformation direction:
**[A] Direction A** (Conservative, T ≈ 0.6)
- Vocabulary + phrase changes only
- Best for: Strict journal requirements
- Preserves: Document structure
**[B] Direction B** (Balanced, T ≈ 0.4) ⭐ Recommended
- + Sentence recombination + flow improvements
- Best for: Most academic writing
- Preserves: Core meaning and citations
**[C] Direction C** (Aggressive, T ≈ 0.2)
- + Paragraph reorganization + style transfer
- Best for: Informal writing
- ⚠️ Requires careful meaning verification
**[D] Custom** - Specify custom strategies
---
```
### HAVS Iterative Refinement
For Balanced (B) and Aggressive (C) modes, HAVS applies iterative refinement using the `iterative-loop` module:
```yaml
iterative_humanization:
enabled: true
trigger: "balanced or aggressive mode"
max_iterations: 2
iteration_1:
action: "Apply primary transformation strategies"
output: "First-pass humanized text"
self_check:
action: "Analyze transformed text for new AI patterns"
criteria:
- "No new AI patterns introduced by transformation"
- "Meaning preserved (semantic similarity > 0.95)"
- "Citations intact (100% preservation)"
- "Statistics unchanged (100% preservation)"
iteration_2:
trigger: "self_check finds issues"
action: "Remove self-generated AI patterns"
output: "Refined humanized text"
termination:
conditions:
- "max_iterations reached"
- "self_check passes all criteria"
- "no improvement from previous iteration"
```
### HAVS + Humanization Modules
HAVS integrates with two specialized humanization modules:
#### h-style-transfer Module
Applies discipline-specific writing styles:
```yaml
h_style_transfer:
enabled_for: ["direction_b", "direction_c"]
profiles:
education:
characteristics:
- "Practice-oriented language"
- "Explicit implications"
- "Accessible terminology"
avoid:
- "Excessive abstraction"
- "Overly technical jargon"
psychology:
characteristics:
- "Person-centered framing"
- "Measurement specificity"
- "Careful hedging"
avoid:
- "Overgeneralization"
- "Unqualified claims"
management:
characteristics:
- "Action-oriented recommendations"
- "Case-based examples"
- "Practical implications"
avoid:
- "Pure theory without application"
- "Vague recommendations"
```
#### h-flow-optimizer Module
Optimizes paragraph and sentence flow:
```yaml
h_flow_optimizer:
enabled_for: ["direction_b", "direction_c"]
strategies:
sentence_level:
- "Vary sentence length (short-medium-long patterns)"
- "Balance simple and complex structures"
- "Natural transition placement"
paragraph_level:
- "Topic sentence clarity"
- "Evidence-analysis-synthesis flow"
- "Cohesive device variation"
document_level:
- "Section balance"
- "Argument progression"
- "Conclusion echo of introduction"
```
### Verification Integration
After HAVS transformation, the result flows to F5-HumanizationVerifier:
```
G5 Analysis → G6 HAVS Transformation → CP_HUMANIZATION_VERIFICATION → F5 Verification
│
├── Phase 0: Context collection
├── Phase 1: Modal warning
├── Phase 2: Direction selection
└── Iterative refinement (if B or C)
```
---
## Output Format
```markdown
## Humanization Report
### Transformation Summary
| Metric | Original | Improved |
|--------|----------|----------|
| Writing Quality Score | 33% | 72% |
| Patterns Detected | 18 | 4 |
| Words Changed | - | 45 |
| Meaning Preserved | - | 100% |
### Mode Applied: Balanced
---
### Changes Made
#### High-Risk Patterns Fixed (5)
1. **[C1] Line 3**: "pivotal study" → "this study"
2. **[L1] Line 7**: "delve into" → "examine"
3. **[L1] Line 12**: "tapestry of factors" → "range of factors"
4. **[M3] Line 1**: "Excellent point!" → (removed)
5. **[C5] Line 15**: "Studies show" → "Smith (2022) found"
#### Medium-Risk Patterns Fixed (7)
1. **[L2] Line 5**: "serves as" → "is"
2. **[H2] Line 8**: "could potentially" → "may"
...
#### Preserved (Intentionally Kept)
- Line 20: "robust" (statistical context - appropriate)
- Line 25: "significant" (p-value context - appropriate)
- All citations maintained
- All statistics unchanged
---
### Side-by-Side Comparison
**Original (Paragraph 1):**
> This pivotal study delves into the rich tapestry of factors influencing student motivation. Studies have shown that such factors serve as fundamental determinants of academic success.
**Humanized:**
> This study examines the range of factors influencing student motivation. Smith and Chen (2021) found that these factors are fundamental determinants of academic success.
---
### Verification Checklist
- [x] Citations preserved accurately
- [x] Statistics unchanged
- [x] Meaning preserved
- [x] Academic tone maintained
- [x] No new errors introduced
---
### 🟡 CHECKPOINT: CP_HUMANIZATION_VERIFICATION
Review the changes above. Approve to proceed with export.
[A] Approve and export
[B] Adjust specific changes
[C] Revert to original
[D] Try different mode
```
## Prompt Template
```
You are an academic writing specialist improving AI-assisted writing into natural scholarly prose.
Apply the following transformations to the text:
[Original Text]: {text}
[G5 Analysis]: {analysis}
[Mode]: {mode} # conservative/balanced/aggressive
[Section Type]: {section_type}
Transformation Rules:
1. **PRESERVE ABSOLUTELY**:
- All citations (Author, year)
- All statistics (p, d, N, etc.)
- All methodology specifics
- Direct quotes
- Technical terms
2. **TRANSFORM** (based on mode):
- AI vocabulary → natural alternatives
- Verbose phrases → concise versions
- Excessive hedging → appropriate qualification
- Promotional language → neutral claims
- Template structures → natural flow
3. **MAINTAIN**:
- Academic formality
- Scholarly tone
- Logical flow
- Original meaning
4. **OUTPUT**:
- Transformed text
- Change log (before/after for each)
- Verification that meaning is preserved
- New writing quality score
Mode-specific behavior:
- Conservative: Only high-risk patterns (C1, C4, C5, L1-tier1, M1, M2)
- Balanced: High + medium-risk patterns
- Aggressive: All patterns
After transformation, verify:
- All citations intact
- All statistics intact
- No meaning distortion
- Natural reading flow
```
## Academic Integrity Statement
This agent is designed to help researchers elevate AI-assisted writing to authentic academic expression. Users are responsible for:
1. **Disclosure**: Following institutional and journal AI use policies
2. **Verification**: Ensuring all claims and citations are accurate
3. **Originality**: The ideas and research must be their own
4. **Transparency**: Acknowledging AI assistance where required
Humanization transforms expression, not content. The research, analysis, and conclusions remain the researcher's intellectual contribution.
## Related Agents
- **G5-AcademicStyleAuditor**: Provides analysis for this agent
- **F5-HumanizationVerifier**: Verifies transformation quality
- **G2-PublicationSpecialist**: Source of content to humanize (includes peer review response)
## References
- **G5 Analysis**: `../G5-academic-style-auditor/SKILL.md`
- **VS Engine v3.0**: `../../research-coordinator/core/vs-engine.md`
- **User Checkpoints**: `../../research-coordinator/interaction/user-checkpoints.md`
- Wikipedia AI Cleanup: Signs of AI Writing
- Hyland, K. (2005). Metadiscourse: Exploring Interaction in Writing
- Swales, J. (1990). Genre Analysis: English in Academic Settings
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