paper-lookup

Search scholarly databases by topic, identifiers, authors, or citations via REST APIs.

4|Updated Mar 2, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/shushuzn/Rairos --skill paper-lookup-shushuzn
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: paper-lookup
Source: https://github.com/shushuzn/Rairos/tree/main/skills/paper-lookup
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/shushuzn/Rairos --skill paper-lookup-shushuzn

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill includes references (resource) components.

What problem does it solve?

Paper Lookup eliminates the time-consuming task of locating relevant academic articles by automatically searching multiple scholarly databases and returning the underlying API results for transparency.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • Multi-database paper discovery: Searches PubMed, PMC (full text), bioRxiv, medRxiv, arXiv, OpenAlex, Crossref, Semantic Scholar, CORE, and Unpaywall to cover both metadata and open-access/full-text needs.
  • Identifier-aware lookups: Handles DOI, PMID, PMCID, arXiv IDs, OpenAlex IDs, and Semantic Scholar IDs to support targeted citation/DOI queries and cross-referencing.
  • Cross-database workflows: Combines services (e.g., Crossref + Semantic Scholar + Unpaywall) to return comprehensive “everything about a paper” results with OA PDF links when available.
  • Expected output for downstream use: Always returns the raw JSON (or Atom/XML for arXiv) plus a list of databases queried and endpoints used, including explicit “no results” reporting.

Quick Start

Use paper-lookup to find papers about “CRISPR gene therapy” and return the raw API responses for each database searched.

Frequently Asked Questions about paper-lookup

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I search for open access PDFs across multiple scholarly databases?

To find open access PDFs across scholarly databases, query platforms like OpenAlex, Unpaywall, and CORE to retrieve metadata and detect available full-text links for relevant papers.

Can I convert a PMID to a PMCID and retrieve the full citation metadata?

Yes, identifier-aware lookups support converting PMID to PMCID by querying PubMed and PMC, allowing you to retrieve comprehensive citation metadata and full-text records.

Does Crossref work with Unpaywall to find everything about a specific paper?

Crossref works with Unpaywall and Semantic Scholar to provide comprehensive cross-database workflows, returning raw JSON metadata alongside open-access PDF links for a specific paper.

What is the best way to execute a literature review using arXiv and Semantic Scholar?

For a literature review using arXiv and Semantic Scholar, execute REST API calls to gather raw JSON or Atom/XML responses, capturing citation graphs and topic-specific metadata.

How are empty results handled when querying academic search APIs?

When querying academic search APIs, empty results are explicitly reported without omission, ensuring transparent records of queried databases, endpoints used, and response statuses.

Do I need API keys to perform DOI lookups across PubMed and bioRxiv?

To perform DOI lookups across PubMed and bioRxiv, the process executes REST API calls with correct identifier formatting and applies rate-limit-aware retry and error recovery protocols.