research-with-sources

Investigate topics against preserved sources and write draft research articles in a knowledge base.

3.9k|256|Updated Jun 3, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/inkeep/open-knowledge --skill research-with-sources
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: research-with-sources
Source: https://github.com/inkeep/open-knowledge/tree/main/packages/server/assets/skills/packs/knowledge-base/research
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/inkeep/open-knowledge --skill research-with-sources

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve?

Research done in chat disappears when the session ends, and unsourced findings cannot be verified later. This Skill enforces an evidence-driven research workflow that preserves every source, writes findings incrementally, and produces a draft research article that survives crashes and compounds over time.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • Gated research procedure: Scans existing knowledge base coverage first, proposes a research rubric for user confirmation, then captures sources before analyzing them.
  • Crash-safe incremental writing: Ingests each source the moment it is fetched and fills the article section-by-section, so a rate limit or crash never discards completed analysis.
  • Cited, linked output: Produces a status: draft research article under research/ with inline source citations, a sources frontmatter list, and backlinks from neighboring docs.
  • Use Case: Ask your agent to research CRDT alternatives for a collaborative editor; it scans prior notes, confirms a rubric with you, preserves 3-8 external sources, and delivers a cited draft article with trade-offs, open questions, and a tentative recommendation.

Quick Start

Ask your agent to research a topic, for example: research the trade-offs between local-first sync engines and write it up as a draft research article in my knowledge base.

Frequently Asked Questions about research-with-sources

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

FAQPage Schema
How do I research a topic and save findings to my knowledge base?

Ask your agent to research the topic; the skill scans existing coverage, proposes a research rubric for confirmation, ingests each source as it is fetched, and writes a draft research article under research/ with inline citations and a sources frontmatter list.

How do I update an existing research document instead of creating a new one?

Reference the existing research doc by name or say update, refresh, or extend. The skill routes to Path C, which makes surgical additions and corrections to the existing article rather than creating a new one.

Can I get a quick answer without creating a research document?

Yes, but only by explicit request such as just tell me or no doc needed. This triggers Path B, which delivers findings in conversation while still scanning existing coverage and preserving sources.

Does this skill work outside OpenKnowledge projects?

It is designed for agent hosts with the OpenKnowledge MCP server configured and is installed project-local via ok seed --pack knowledge-base. It layers on top of the platform open-knowledge skill, which governs markdown operations.

What happens if a research session crashes or hits a rate limit?

Sources are ingested one at a time as fetched and the article is filled section-by-section, so completed work persists in the knowledge base. On resume, the agent reads the partial article back and fills only the missing sections.

When should research findings become canonical knowledge base articles?

Not within this skill. Research articles stay at status: draft; promotion to canonical articles is handled by the sibling consolidate-notes skill only after a decision lands.