7 Advanced LaTeX Tips to Fix Layout and Speed Up Academic Paper Submissions

A guide published on DEV Community outlines seven advanced LaTeX techniques aimed at AI and computer science researchers facing tight conference submission deadlines. The tips address common pain points such as floating figures jumping out of place in double-column templates used by venues like NeurIPS, ICLR, IEEE, and ACM. Key recommendations include using the microtype package for sub-pixel font adjustments that can recover 10–25 lines without affecting readability, and the stfloats package to better control placement of full-width figures and tables. Another highlighted technique involves caching complex TikZ diagrams externally to significantly reduce document compilation times. The guide targets researchers who rely on outdated LaTeX workflows and aims to reduce hours spent on typesetting rather than research.