---
name: prepare-for-exam
description: Convert PDF documents to interactive exam preparation materials. Generates questions per document, cross-document questions, and optional glossary. Produces Markdown and HTML output with navigation and progress tracking. Use when user wants to create exam questions from PDF course materials. Examples: "create exam questions from these PDFs", "convert PDFs to study guide", "generate questions from course notes", "make interactive HTML from PDFs", "create a glossary from course materials"
---

# Prepare for Exam

Convert PDF documents into interactive exam preparation materials with questions, answers, and cross-document correlations.

## Overview

| Capability | Description |
|------------|-------------|
| PDF Conversion | Convert PDFs to Markdown using markitdown |
| Question Generation | Create questions per document (configurable) |
| Cross-Document Questions | Generate questions linking related content |
| Glossary Generation | Optional glossary in Markdown and HTML |
| HTML Output | Interactive HTML with show/hide answers |
| Navigation | Multi-page navigation between sections |
| Progress Tracking | LocalStorage-based progress persistence |

## When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when:
- User provides PDF documents and asks for exam preparation materials
- User wants to create study questions from course notes
- User requests conversion of course materials to interactive format
- User asks for cross-document question generation
- User wants a glossary of key terms from course materials

## Important: Work in Small Batches

**To avoid timeouts, always work in small batches:**
- Process PDFs one at a time or in small groups
- Generate questions in batches (e.g., 5-10 at a time)
- Create HTML files one chapter at a time
- Never attempt large write operations in a single call

## Workflow

### 1. Convert PDFs to Markdown

```bash
uvx "markitdown[pdf]" <input.pdf> > <output.md>
```

Convert each PDF in the provided location to Markdown format.

### 2. Analyze Content

For each converted Markdown file:
- Identify main topics and sections
- Extract key concepts, definitions, frameworks
- Note relationships between documents
- Recognize case studies and examples

### 3. Generate Questions

**Per Document Questions (default: 10)**

Create exam-style questions for each document:

| Question Type | Purpose |
|---------------|---------|
| Definition | Key terms and concepts |
| Explanation | Frameworks and models |
| Comparison | Compare/contrast concepts |
| Application | Apply knowledge to scenarios |
| Analysis | Deep understanding of relationships |

**Question Format:**

```markdown
**Vraag N:** [Question text]?

<details>
<summary>Toon antwoord</summary>

[Answer content]

</details>
```

**Cross-Document Questions**

When documents are related (same course, related topics):
- Generate questions that connect concepts across documents
- Focus on synthesis and integration of knowledge
- Default: 10 cross-document questions

### 4. Create Markdown Output

Structure the Markdown file:

```markdown
# [Title] - Examenvoorbereiding

## Inhoud

1. [Section 1](#section-1)
2. [Section 2](#section-2)
...

---

## Section 1

### Vragen

**Vraag 1:** [Question]?

<details>
<summary>Toon antwoord</summary>

[Answer]

</details>

---

## Tips en Advies

[Study tips, important concepts, exam preparation advice]
```

### 5. Create HTML Output

Generate interactive HTML files:

**File Structure:**

```
output-folder/
├── index.html          # Navigation page
├── style.css           # Styles
├── script.js           # Progress tracking
├── section1.html       # Questions for section 1
├── section2.html       # Questions for section 2
├── ...
├── cross.html          # Cross-document questions
└── tips.html           # Study tips
```

**Key Features:**

| Feature | Implementation |
|---------|---------------|
| Show/Hide Answers | Toggle buttons with CSS |
| Navigation | Top nav + prev/next buttons |
| Progress Tracking | LocalStorage persistence |
| Responsive | Mobile-friendly design |

### 6. Quality Checks

Validate output:
- [ ] All questions have answers
- [ ] Cross-references are valid
- [ ] HTML navigation works
- [ ] Progress tracking functions
- [ ] Responsive on mobile

### 7. Glossary Generation (Optional)

**Ask the user before generating a glossary.**

If the user wants a glossary, create it in two phases:

**Phase 1: Markdown Glossary**

Create a structured Markdown file with all key terms:

```markdown
# Begrippenlijst - [Course Name]

## HC 1: [Chapter Title]

### A

**Term Name**
: Definition of the term.
: *Example: ...* (optional)
: Zie ook: RelatedTerm, OtherTerm

**Another Term**
: Definition here.
: Zie ook: TermName

### B

...

## HC 2: [Chapter Title]

...

---

## Begrippen per Hoofdstuk

- [HC 1: Chapter Title](#hc-1-chapter-title)
- [HC 2: Chapter Title](#hc-2-chapter-title)
...
```

**Phase 2: HTML Glossary**

Convert to interactive HTML with:

1. **Main index page** (`begrippenlijst.html`) with links to all chapters
2. **Per-chapter pages** (`hc1-begrippen.html`, `hc2-begrippen.html`, etc.)
3. **Anchor IDs** on all terms for cross-referencing
4. **Clickable cross-references** between terms
5. **Search functionality** per chapter

**HTML Term Format:**

```html
<div class="term" id="term-name">
    <div class="term-name">Term Name</div>
    <div class="term-definition">
        <p><strong>Definitie:</strong> ...</p>
        <p class="term-example">Voorbeeld: ...</p>
        <p class="term-see-also">Zie ook: <a href="#other-term">Other Term</a></p>
    </div>
</div>
```

**Cross-Chapter References:**

```html
<a href="hcX-begrippen.html#term-name">Term Name (HCX)</a>
```

**Work in Small Batches:**

To avoid timeouts, process chapters one at a time or in small groups (2-3 chapters max per operation). Never try to generate all HTML files in one large write operation.

**Validation:**

After generating all files:
- Verify all anchor IDs exist
- Verify all cross-references point to existing terms
- Test navigation links between pages

## Configuration

| Parameter | Default | Description |
|-----------|---------|-------------|
| questions_per_doc | 10 | Number of questions per document |
| cross_questions | 10 | Number of cross-document questions |
| language | document | Question language (matches source) |
| output_format | both | markdown, html, or both |
| generate_glossary | ask | none, ask, or always generate glossary |

## Common Issues

| Issue | Solution |
|-------|----------|
| PDF conversion fails | Check markitdown installation, verify PDF is readable |
| Large file size | Split into multiple HTML pages |
| Missing cross-document links | Verify document relationships |
| Progress not persisting | Check localStorage permissions |

## Example Usage

**Input:**
```
Convert PDFs in ./course-notes/ to exam preparation materials.
```

**Process:**
1. Convert all PDFs in ./course-notes/ to Markdown
2. Generate 10 questions per document
3. Create 10 cross-document questions
4. Output Markdown file and HTML folder

**Input with options:**
```
Create 15 questions per PDF from ./notes/, HTML output only.
```

## Output Artifacts

### Markdown File

- Complete question set in one file
- Table of contents with links
- Cross-document questions section
- Tips and study advice

### HTML Folder

- Interactive multi-page format
- Show/hide answers functionality
- Navigation between sections
- Progress tracking with localStorage
- Responsive design

### Glossary Files (Optional)

**Markdown Glossary:**
- `begrippenlijst.md` - Complete glossary organized by chapter

**HTML Glossary:**
- `begrippenlijst.html` - Main index with links to all chapters
- `hc1-begrippen.html` through `hcN-begrippen.html` - Per-chapter glossary pages
- All terms have anchor IDs for cross-referencing
- Cross-references are clickable links
- Search functionality per chapter

## Related Skills

- researcher - For additional content research
- python-developer - For complex HTML generation scripts