| name | research-synthesis |
| model | sonnet |
| description | Produces a unified Synthesis Document organized by themes with cross-source evidence, contradictions surfaced, and concrete recommendations. Use when: 'synthesize these research files', 'find patterns across these sources', 'consolidate my notes into insights', 'create a literature review', 'what do these sources agree and disagree on'. |
| category | continuous-learning |
| triggers | ["synthesize these research files","find patterns across these sources","consolidate my notes into insights","create a literature review","what do these sources agree and disagree on"] |
| tier | 1 |
| agents | ["primary"] |
| tool_dependencies | ["file_system"] |
| inputs | [{"name":"research_files","type":"string[]","description":"Paths to 3+ research files to synthesize","required":true}] |
| outputs | [{"name":"synthesis_document","type":"ref","format":"cas-ref","description":"Synthesis Document organized by themes with cross-source evidence, contradictions surfaced, and concrete recommendations"}] |
Research Synthesis Engine
Version: 1.0
Created: 2026-02-08
Author: Manus AI
Purpose: To turn raw research into a coherent understanding of a topic, identifying patterns, contradictions, and key recommendations.
I. The Philosophy: From Information to Insight
This skill transforms the act of research from a process of information gathering to a process of insight generation. By systematically cataloging, cross-referencing, and synthesizing multiple sources, it uncovers patterns and contradictions that are not visible from any single source, leading to a deeper, more actionable understanding.
II. When to Use This Skill
- When you have 3 or more research files on a single topic.
- When you need to create a literature review or a competitive analysis.
- When you want to consolidate notes from multiple meetings or interviews.
- When the
planning-with-files meta-skill routes to this mode.
III. The Workflow
This is a 5-step workflow for synthesizing multiple research files.
Step 1: File Ingestion and Cataloging
Goal: Read all uploaded research files and create a structured catalog.
- Read Files: Use the
file tool to read each uploaded file (use view for PDFs).
- Extract Metadata: Identify author, date, and key topics for each file.
- Create Catalog: Create an internal catalog document listing all files and their metadata.
Step 2: Cross-Referencing and Pattern Identification
Goal: Identify patterns, contradictions, and connections across all files.
- Identify Themes: Read through the catalog to identify recurring themes.
- Note Convergence: Where do the sources agree?
- Note Divergence: Where do the sources disagree or contradict each other?
- Identify Gaps: What topics are mentioned in one source but not others?
- Create Cross-Reference Matrix: Create an internal matrix to map themes to sources.
Step 3: Synthesis Document Creation
Goal: Create a unified synthesis document that integrates findings from all files.
