| name | research-topic |
| description | Research a topic deeply. Searches the vault for existing knowledge, then the web, synthesizes findings into a resource note in Notes/. Use when the user says 'research', 'look into', 'find out about', 'what do we know about', or 'investigate'. |
| argument-hint | [topic or question] |
| context | fork |
| agent | researcher |
Research: $ARGUMENTS
Existing vault knowledge
!obsidian search query="$ARGUMENTS" vault="{{VAULT_NAME}}" limit=5 2>/dev/null || echo "(Could not search vault — Obsidian may not be running. Use Grep/Glob to search files directly.)"
Your task
Research $ARGUMENTS thoroughly following your research workflow:
-
Vault first — Read any existing notes found above. Also use mcp__qmd__query to find semantically related content beyond keyword matches (see the qmd rule for query construction patterns). Understand what we already know before going external.
-
Web research — Use WebSearch to find current, authoritative information. Search from multiple angles:
- Core facts and definitions
- Recent developments
- Expert perspectives
- Practical applications
Use WebFetch to deep-read the 2-3 most valuable sources.
-
Synthesize — Combine vault knowledge with new findings. Identify what's new, where sources agree/disagree, and what gaps remain.
-
Create resource note — Write a well-structured note in Notes/ with:
- Full frontmatter (categories: ["[[Research]]"], areas, status: active, tags, created)
- Clear headings and sections
- Source citations
- Wikilinks to related vault notes throughout
- Confidence levels where appropriate
-
Link it — Verify categories and areas properties place the note in the correct Bases views. Connect to related existing notes.
-
Commit — Commit the new note and any modified files to git.
Quality standards
- Cite your sources — include URLs or clear references
- Distinguish established facts from opinions or speculation
- Note confidence levels (well-established vs. emerging vs. uncertain)
- Flag knowledge gaps that merit future research
- Be thorough but concise — depth where it matters, brevity where it doesn't
Output
Return:
- Key takeaways (3-5 bullets)
- Created note path in the vault
- Related notes that were linked
- Suggestions for further exploration
