web-research

# Web research A method for answering research questions well instead of from a single search. ## Method 1. **Clarify the question.** Identify exactly what's being asked and what a good answer looks like (a fact, a comparison, a recommendation, a summary). 2. **Search broadly, then narrow.** Run more than one search with different phrasings. Don't stop at the first result — the first hit is often an ad, an SEO page, or out of date. 3. **Open the primary sources.** Use the web-fetch tool to read the actual pages, not just search snippets. Prefer official docs, original reporting, primary data, and recent dates over aggregators. 4. **Cross-check.** Confirm any important fact in at least two independent sources. If sources disagree, say so rather than picking one silently. 5. **Mind recency.** For anything that changes over time (versions, prices, news, "latest"), check the publication date and prefer the most recent reliable source. Note the date in your answer. ## Answering - Lead with the direct answer, then the supporting detail. - **Cite sources** — name the site/publication (and link if available) for each key claim so the user can verify. - Distinguish what you're confident about from what's uncertain or contested. - If you couldn't verify something, say "I couldn't confirm this" — don't guess. ## Pitfalls - One source ≠ a fact. Single-source claims are leads, not conclusions. - Snippets lie / lack context — open the page. - Stale results: a top result can be years old. Check dates.