| name | deep-research |
| description | Generate format-controlled research reports with evidence tracking, citations, and iterative review. This skill should be used when users request a research report, literature review, market or industry analysis, competitive landscape, policy or technical brief, or require a strict report template and section formatting that a single deepresearch pass cannot reliably enforce.
|
Deep Research
Create high-fidelity research reports with strict format control, evidence mapping, and multi-pass synthesis.
Quick Start
- Clarify the report spec and format contract
- Build a research plan and query set
- Collect evidence with the deepresearch tool (multi-pass if needed)
- Triage sources and build an evidence table
- Draft the full report in multiple complete passes (parallel subagents)
- UNION merge, enforce format compliance, verify citations
- Present draft for human review and iterate
Core Workflow
Copy this checklist and track progress:
Deep Research Progress:
- [ ] Step 1: Intake and format contract
- [ ] Step 2: Research plan and query set
- [ ] Step 3: Evidence collection (deepresearch tool)
- [ ] Step 4: Source triage and evidence table
- [ ] Step 5: Outline and section map
- [ ] Step 6: Multi-pass full drafting (parallel subagents)
- [ ] Step 7: UNION merge and format compliance
- [ ] Step 8: Evidence and citation verification
- [ ] Step 9: Present draft for human review and iterate
Step 1: Intake and Format Contract
Establish the report requirements before any research:
- Confirm audience, purpose, scope, time range, and geography
- Lock output format: Markdown, DOCX, slides, or user-provided template
- Capture required sections and exact formatting rules
- Confirm citation style (footnotes, inline, numbered, APA, etc.)
- Confirm length targets per section
- Ask for any existing style guide or sample report
Create a concise report spec file:
Report Spec:
- Audience:
- Purpose:
- Scope:
- Time Range:
- Geography:
- Required Sections:
- Section Formatting Rules:
- Citation Style:
- Output Format:
- Length Targets:
- Tone:
- Must-Include Sources:
- Must-Exclude Topics:
If a user provides a template or an example report, treat it as a hard constraint and mirror the structure.
Step 2: Research Plan and Query Set
Define the research strategy before calling tools:
- Break the main question into 3-7 subquestions
- Define key entities, keywords, and synonyms
- Identify primary sources vs secondary sources
- Define disqualifiers (outdated, low quality, opinion-only)
- Assemble a query set per section
Use references/research_plan_checklist.md for guidance.
Step 3: Evidence Collection (Deepresearch Tool)
Use the deepresearch tool to collect evidence and citations.
- Run multiple complete passes if coverage is uncertain
- Vary query phrasing to reduce blind spots
- Preserve raw tool output in files for traceability
File structure (recommended):
<output_dir>/research/<topic-name>/
deepresearch_pass1.md
deepresearch_pass2.md
deepresearch_pass3.md
If deepresearch is unavailable, rely on user-provided sources only and state limitations explicitly.
Step 4: Source Triage and Evidence Table
Normalize and score sources before drafting:
Evidence table minimum columns:
- Source ID
- Title
- Publisher
- Date
- URL or reference
- Quality tier (A/B/C)
- Notes
Step 5: Outline and Section Map
Create an outline that enforces the format contract:
Step 6: Multi-Pass Full Drafting (Parallel Subagents)
Avoid single-pass drafting; generate multiple complete reports, then merge.
Preferred Strategy: Parallel Subagents (Complete Draft Each)
Use the Task tool to spawn parallel subagents with isolated context. Each subagent must:
- Load the report spec, outline, and evidence table
- Draft the FULL report (all sections)
- Enforce formatting rules and citation style
Implementation pattern:
Task(subagent_type="general-purpose", prompt="Draft complete report ...", run_in_background=false) -> version1.md
Task(subagent_type="general-purpose", prompt="Draft complete report ...", run_in_background=false) -> version2.md
Task(subagent_type="general-purpose", prompt="Draft complete report ...", run_in_background=false) -> version3.md
Write drafts to files, not conversation context:
<output_dir>/intermediate/<topic-name>/version1.md
<output_dir>/intermediate/<topic-name>/version2.md
<output_dir>/intermediate/<topic-name>/version3.md
Step 7: UNION Merge and Format Compliance
Merge using UNION, never remove content without evidence-based justification:
- Keep all unique findings from all versions
- Consolidate duplicates while preserving the most detailed phrasing
- Ensure every claim in the merged draft has a cited source
- Enforce the exact section order, headings, and formatting
- Re-run formatting rules from references/formatting_rules.md
Step 8: Evidence and Citation Verification
Verify traceability:
- Every numeric claim has at least one source
- Every recommendation references supporting evidence
- No orphan claims without citations
- Dates and time ranges are consistent
- Conflicts are explicitly called out with both sources
Use references/completeness_review_checklist.md.
Step 9: Present Draft for Human Review and Iterate
Present the draft as a reviewable version:
- Emphasize that format compliance and factual accuracy need human review
- Accept edits to format, structure, and scope
- If the user provides another AI output, cross-compare and UNION merge
Output Requirements
- Match the requested language and tone
- Preserve technical terms in English
- Respect the report spec and formatting rules
- Include a references section or bibliography
Reference Files
Anti-Patterns
- Single-pass drafting without parallel complete passes
- Splitting passes by section instead of full report drafts
- Ignoring the format contract or user template
- Claims without citations or evidence table mapping
- Mixing conflicting dates without calling out discrepancies
- Copying external AI output without verification
- Deleting intermediate drafts or raw research outputs
