academic-research
Systematic academic literature search with source prioritization and APA 7th edition citations. Use when the user needs to research a topic with scholarly sources, verify claims with academic backing, find peer-reviewed evidence, compile research findings, or generate properly cited reports. Triggers: "research [topic]", "what does the research say about...", "find studies on...", "verify this claim...", "literature review", "academic sources for...", "peer-reviewed evidence", "scholarly articles about...", "evidence-based", "cite sources for...". This skill provides basic APA citation capabilities; for advanced citation work (complex source types, edge cases, batch formatting), consider the `apa-style-citation` skill which offers enhanced citation expertise.
Best use case
academic-research is best used when you need a repeatable AI agent workflow instead of a one-off prompt.
Systematic academic literature search with source prioritization and APA 7th edition citations. Use when the user needs to research a topic with scholarly sources, verify claims with academic backing, find peer-reviewed evidence, compile research findings, or generate properly cited reports. Triggers: "research [topic]", "what does the research say about...", "find studies on...", "verify this claim...", "literature review", "academic sources for...", "peer-reviewed evidence", "scholarly articles about...", "evidence-based", "cite sources for...". This skill provides basic APA citation capabilities; for advanced citation work (complex source types, edge cases, batch formatting), consider the `apa-style-citation` skill which offers enhanced citation expertise.
Teams using academic-research should expect a more consistent output, faster repeated execution, less prompt rewriting.
When to use this skill
- You want a reusable workflow that can be run more than once with consistent structure.
When not to use this skill
- You only need a quick one-off answer and do not need a reusable workflow.
- You cannot install or maintain the underlying files, dependencies, or repository context.
Installation
Claude Code / Cursor / Codex
Manual Installation
- Download SKILL.md from GitHub
- Place it in
.claude/skills/academic-research/SKILL.mdinside your project - Restart your AI agent — it will auto-discover the skill
How academic-research Compares
| Feature / Agent | academic-research | Standard Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Platform Support | Not specified | Limited / Varies |
| Context Awareness | High | Baseline |
| Installation Complexity | Unknown | N/A |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does this skill do?
Systematic academic literature search with source prioritization and APA 7th edition citations. Use when the user needs to research a topic with scholarly sources, verify claims with academic backing, find peer-reviewed evidence, compile research findings, or generate properly cited reports. Triggers: "research [topic]", "what does the research say about...", "find studies on...", "verify this claim...", "literature review", "academic sources for...", "peer-reviewed evidence", "scholarly articles about...", "evidence-based", "cite sources for...". This skill provides basic APA citation capabilities; for advanced citation work (complex source types, edge cases, batch formatting), consider the `apa-style-citation` skill which offers enhanced citation expertise.
Where can I find the source code?
You can find the source code on GitHub using the link provided at the top of the page.
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SKILL.md Source
# Academic Research Skill Systematic literature search with source prioritization and APA 7th edition citations. ## Research Workflow ### 1. Search Strategy (Execute in Order) **Phase 1 - Academic databases (Priority 1-2):** - `site:scholar.google.com [topic]` - `site:pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov [topic]` - `site:semanticscholar.org [topic]` - `site:arxiv.org [topic]` **Phase 2 - Institutional (Priority 3-4):** - `site:edu [topic] research` - `site:gov [topic]` - `site:who.int OR site:un.org [topic]` **Phase 3 - General (only if needed):** - Verify author credentials before citing - Cross-reference with academic sources ### 2. Classify & Tag Sources Classify each source by priority (1=highest, 6=lowest). See [references/source_hierarchy.md](references/source_hierarchy.md) for domain patterns. Apply uncertainty markers to findings: - `[UNVERIFIED]` - single source only - `[CONFLICTING]` - sources disagree - `[INDUSTRY SOURCE]` - potential commercial bias - `[PREPRINT]` - not peer-reviewed - `[OUTDATED]` - >5 years old in fast-moving field - `[SECONDARY]` - primary source not accessed ### 3. Generate Report ```markdown # Research Report: [Topic] **Query:** [question] **Date:** [YYYY-MM-DD] ## Executive Summary [2-3 paragraph synthesis] ## Methodology - Search queries used - Databases searched - Inclusion/exclusion criteria ## Findings ### [Theme 1] [Content with inline citations (Author, Year)] ## Source Quality Assessment | Source | Type | Priority | Notes | |--------|------|----------|-------| ## Uncertainties and Limitations - [conflicts, gaps, biases] ## References [APA 7th edition, alphabetized] ``` ## APA Citation Basics **Inline:** (Smith, 2023) or (Smith et al., 2023) for 3+ authors **Common reference formats:** - **Journal:** Author, A. (Year). Title of article. *Journal Name, Vol*(Issue), pp–pp. https://doi.org/xxx - **Website:** Author. (Year, Month Day). Title. Site Name. https://url - **Report:** Organization. (Year). *Title of report*. https://url For complete APA 7th edition rules, edge cases, and additional source types, see [references/apa_citation.md](references/apa_citation.md). > **Note:** For advanced citation work (complex source types, legal/media citations, batch formatting), the `apa-style-citation` skill provides enhanced expertise. ## Quality Checklist Before finalizing: - [ ] All claims have citations - [ ] Source hierarchy followed (prioritize peer-reviewed) - [ ] Conflicts noted with `[CONFLICTING]` marker - [ ] Uncertainties section populated - [ ] References complete in APA format ## Core Rules 1. **Never fabricate sources** - if no evidence exists, say so 2. **Acknowledge limitations** - be transparent about gaps 3. **Maintain objectivity** - present conflicting evidence fairly 4. **Prioritize recency** - prefer recent sources unless historical context needed 5. **Weight by priority** - higher priority sources trump lower when conflicting ## Scripts Generate search queries: `python scripts/research_agent.py generate-queries "topic"` Classify a URL: `python scripts/research_agent.py classify-url "https://..."`
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