| name | research-report |
| description | Use this skill when the user asks to research a topic and produce a structured |
Research Report Skill
Overview
This skill guides you through producing a well-structured, cited research report.
You will search for sources, synthesize findings, and produce a polished document.
Step 1: Clarify the Request
Before searching, identify:
- Topic: What is the core subject?
- Scope: How broad or narrow?
- Audience: Technical expert, executive, general public?
- Length: Executive summary (1 page) vs. deep-dive report (5–10 pages)?
- Format: Should the output be a
.docx, .pdf, or Markdown?
If any of these are ambiguous, ask the user one clarifying question before proceeding.
Step 2: Research Strategy
- Start with 2–3 broad queries to map the landscape
- Identify key subtopics from results
- Run targeted follow-up queries for each subtopic
- Fetch full pages for the 3–5 most relevant sources (not just snippets)
- Prioritize: peer-reviewed papers > government/institutional reports > reputable journalism > blogs
Minimum sources: 5 for a short report, 10+ for a deep-dive.
Source Quality Tiers
| Tier | Examples | Trust Level |
|---|
| Primary | PubMed, arXiv, SEC filings, gov data | High |
| Secondary | NYT, Reuters, Nature News | Medium-High |
| Tertiary | Industry blogs, LinkedIn articles | Use with caution |
| Avoid | Anonymous forums, SEO content farms | Do not cite |
Step 3: Synthesis Rules
- Always paraphrase — never reproduce more than 14 words verbatim
- Attribute every claim — "According to [Source], ..."
- Triangulate: If only one source makes a claim, flag it as unverified
- Surface disagreement: If sources conflict, present both views and note the tension
Step 4: Report Structure
1. Executive Summary (150–200 words, no jargon)
2. Background & Context
3. Key Findings (3–5 major themes)
4. Analysis
5. Open Questions
6. Conclusion
7. References
Step 5: Quality Checklist
Before delivering the report, verify:
Known Failure Modes
| Failure | How to Avoid |
|---|
| Hallucinating citations | Only cite sources actually retrieved via search |
| Over-summarizing | Fetch full pages, not just snippets |
| Scope creep | Re-read the user's original request before writing |
| False balance | Don't manufacture controversy where consensus exists |
| Recency bias | Check publication dates; prefer recent but note foundational older sources |
Output Format
- Markdown — default
.docx — if user mentions "Word", "document", or "downloadable".pdf — if user mentions "PDF" or "printable"
Metadata
{
"name": "research-report",
"version": "1.2.0",
"tools_required": ["web_search", "web_fetch"],
"tools_optional": ["file_create"],
"avg_token_cost": 4000,
"max_recommended_depth": "10 sources",
"compatible_models": ["claude-sonnet-4-20250514", "claude-opus-4-5"]
}
