research

Generates reader-first long-form research documents with TL;DR, citations, and self-review rubric.

1|1|Updated Nov 25, 2024
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/joeledwardson/dev-setup --skill research-joeledwardson
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: research
Source: https://github.com/joeledwardson/dev-setup/tree/main/configs/claude/skills/research
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/joeledwardson/dev-setup --skill research-joeledwardson

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve? Long-form research documents produced by AI assistants are often information-dense but hard to read: unexplained acronyms, filler phrases, bullet soup, and no synthesis. This Skill applies a reader-first style rubric so research reports, market analyses, and strategic memos are structured for re-reading, skimming, and decision-making. ## Core Features & Use Cases - Reader-first rubric: Enforces a TL;DR of standalone findings, acronym expansion on first mention, a decision-oriented "So what" per section, tables for comparisons, and inline footnote citations. - Attended and unattended modes: Asks bundled scoping questions (depth, audience, decision orientation, sources, format) by default, or picks documented defaults when running unattended. - Source discipline and self-review: Requires a sourcing plan, tracked footnotes with fetch dates, a fabrication check, and a grep-based self-review loop that bans tease-forward filler phrases. - Use Case: Ask for a competitive landscape of UK revenue-cycle-management vendors and receive a dated markdown report in scratchpads/ with a TL;DR, comparison tables, cited sources, and open questions. ## Quick Start Ask the assistant to research a topic, for example: "Do a deep-dive research report on the London SMB acquisition market and save it as a markdown document."

Frequently Asked Questions about research

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

FAQPage Schema
How do I write a research report with an AI assistant?

Invoke the research skill with a topic and scope, such as "research the state of X". It gathers sources via web search and fetch, drafts a markdown report with TL;DR, tables, and citations, then self-reviews against a readability rubric before presenting.

What makes a research document readable for busy stakeholders?

Readable research documents lead with a TL;DR of standalone findings, expand acronyms on first mention, end each section with a decision-oriented "So what", use tables for comparisons, and cite every non-obvious claim with inline footnotes.

Where does the research skill save its output files?

Reports are saved to `scratchpads/research-<topic>.md`. Documents over 2000 words are split by theme into multiple files with an index.md linking them, so each file stays scannable and iterable.

When should I not use the research skill?

Skip it for ADRs, code review writeups, README files, PR descriptions, and chat answers. Those formats need conversational concision or their own templates, not the long-form reader-first rubric.

How does the skill avoid fabricated citations?

It requires fetching every cited source via web tools and tracking them in a Sources section with fetch dates. Any claim recalled from training data rather than a fresh fetch must be explicitly flagged or re-fetched.

Can the research skill run without user interaction?

Yes, under unattended mode it skips clarifying questions, applies documented defaults (medium scope, technical audience, decision-oriented), logs scope decisions to the monthly dev log, and runs an extra self-review pass before delivery.