quasi:citation-snowball

Follow citation chains from a seed paper to build a topic-focused reading corpus.

2|Updated Mar 8, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/giraphant/quasi --skill quasi-citation-snowball
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: quasi:citation-snowball
Source: https://github.com/giraphant/quasi/tree/main/skills/citation-snowball
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/giraphant/quasi --skill quasi-citation-snowball

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill includes scripts (resource) and references (resource) components.

What problem does it solve?

This Skill automates the process of discovering and analyzing research papers by following citation links, helping you build a comprehensive reading corpus on a specific topic.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • Automated Literature Discovery: Starts with a seed paper and iteratively finds papers that cite it and papers it cites.
  • Topic-Focused Corpus Building: Ensures the discovered literature is relevant to your specified topic.
  • Synthesis and Reporting: Generates a comprehensive synthesis report and a curated reading list from the analyzed papers.
  • Use Case: You're researching "posthuman embodiment and digital technology." Use this Skill with a key paper to automatically find and analyze related works, building a rich understanding of the field.

Quick Start

Use the citation-snowball skill to expand references for the topic 'posthuman-embodiment' starting with the seed paper DOI '10.xxxx/xxxxx'.

Frequently Asked Questions about quasi:citation-snowball

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

FAQPage Schema
How do I automate literature discovery from a seed paper?

To automate literature discovery, you use a seed paper and follow its citation chains to iteratively find citing works and referenced sources. This builds a topic-focused reading corpus by extracting citations and analyzing papers using structured prompts.

What is citation snowballing for academic research?

Citation snowballing is a research discovery technique that starts with a seed paper and iteratively follows its citation links. It builds a comprehensive reading corpus by finding and analyzing related academic papers relevant to a specific topic.

How do I build a topic-focused corpus for a literature review?

You build a topic-focused corpus by starting with a seed paper and automating the extraction of its citation chains. The process filters discovered academic papers by your specified topic before synthesizing findings into a comprehensive report.

Do I need Python to run citation snowballing and corpus building?

Yes, Python is required for citation snowballing and corpus building. The process requires Python scripts to orchestrate search, download, and analysis when automating the iterative discovery and extraction of academic papers.

Does the citation snowballing process generate a synthesis report?

Yes, the citation snowballing process generates a synthesis report. After analyzing the discovered academic papers using structured prompts, it synthesizes findings into a comprehensive report and outputs a curated reading list.