Research
When to use
Use this skill for research when you need to choose a research method for a decision. The expected result is a research plan with source and confidence criteria.
Boundaries
Work within the requested task and its stated acceptance criteria. Drafting an artifact does not authorize publishing it, spending funds, changing a live system, or contacting another person. Identify any such action separately before taking it.
Inputs
Inspect the question, stakes, time frame, and source types. Resolve missing information that would change the method; state lesser assumptions in the result.
Method
- Diagnose. Turn the question into searchable concepts, date range, inclusion criteria, and an evidence threshold.
- Decide. Route the task to literature, market, entity, or current-trend research.
- Produce. Build a research plan with source and confidence criteria from the inspected material; keep assumptions distinguishable from observed facts.
Decision rules
- Triangulate key claims with independent sources; separate primary evidence, secondary interpretation, and gaps.
- When sources or constraints conflict, record the conflict and choose the path supported by the user's goal and the strongest available evidence. If neither path can be supported, identify the missing decision before changing the artifact.
Domain rules
- Use independent sources for pivotal claims and retain citations.
- Separate findings, interpretations, and unanswered questions in the synthesis.
Verification
Confirm the method can answer the question with available evidence. Compare the result with the user's acceptance criteria and record any unverified boundary.
Return a synthesis with citations, confidence by claim, counterevidence, and the next question that matters.
Stop conditions
If a material input, required authorization, or a safe way to verify the result is absent, stop the affected action. Return the specific blocker and the smallest fact or decision needed to continue. Do not report an unrun check as passed.
Output
Provide a research plan with source and confidence criteria. Include the decisive evidence and actual verification result. Name any artifact location and unresolved issue that affects its use.
