research-lookup

The saved excerpt is a snapshot from when this skill was listed. The external source remains the complete and most current version.

---
name: research-lookup
description: "Compiles current scholarly evidence for a scientific manuscript or research brief when the user explicitly asks to gather literature, references, background evidence, competing findings, or a manuscript research packet. Uses Parallel Search by default, Parallel Extract for source retrieval, Parallel Research for explicitly deep/exhaustive work, optional explicit Parallel Chat, and optional Perplexity only when requested or allowed as a failure fallback."
license: MIT license
compatibility: Requires Python 3.10+ and network access; targets parallel-web-tools CLI 0.9.3 for Search, Extract, and Research. Explicit Chat requires requests and PARALLEL_API_KEY; optional Perplexity through openrouter.ai requires requests and OPENROUTER_API_KEY.
metadata:
  version: "1.7"
  last-reviewed: "2026-09-30"
  skill-author: K-Dense Inc.
  openclaw:
    primaryEnv: PARALLEL_API_KEY
    envVars:
    - name: PARALLEL_API_KEY
      required: false
      description: Parallel API key; CLI login may be used instead.
    - name: OPENROUTER_API_KEY
      required: false
      description: Optional OpenRouter key for explicit Perplexity use.
---

# Research Lookup

Compile the external evidence needed to plan and write a high-quality scientific
manuscript. The default academic workflow targets **60 verified, unique references**
and produces a manuscript-ready research packet rather than a loose list of links.
Here `verified_references` counts successful retrieval of nonempty Extract excerpts,
excluding flagged retractions. It does not establish bibliographic identity, claim
support, peer review, or absence of corrections; those require source review.

## Scope and boundaries

Use this skill when the user explicitly wants:

- literature and background research for a manuscript
- many high-quality academic references
- evidence supporting or contradicting a scientific claim
- a structured evidence matrix or claim-to-source map
- current studies, methods precedent, mechanisms, limitations, or research gaps

Do not activate it for casual factual questions that do not need research, private
or unpublished material, or a claim that can be answered from user-provided files.
Query text is sent to Parallel. It is sent to OpenRouter only when Perplexity is
explicitly selected or the user enables that fallback.

This skill compiles **external evidence**. It cannot supply the user's unpublished
study data, decide what their Results show, or guarantee systematic-review
completeness. For a PRISMA-style systematic review, use `literature-review` for
protocols, database-specific searching, screening, exclusion reasons, and risk of
bias.

## Parallel-first routing

| Need | Backend | Selection |
|---|---|---|
| Manuscript literature and references | Parallel Search + Extract | Default; use `--academic` |
| Fast bounded web lookup | Parallel Search | Use `--no-academic` |
| Deep/exhaustive multi-source report | Parallel Research | Explicit `--force-backend research` |
| OpenAI-compatible synthesis with research basis | Parallel Chat | Explicit `--force-backend chat` |
| Optional alternative academic search | Perplexity via OpenRouter | Explicit or enabled failure fallback |

Important compatibility behavior:

- A bare script query uses **Parallel Search**. Chat Completions remains available
  only through explicit backend selection.
- `--force-backend parallel` remains an alias for explicit Parallel Research.
- Academic keywords select the multi-pass Parallel academic strategy; they do not
  silently switch the provider to Perplexity.
- `--batch`, `--json`, `-o/--output`, the `ResearchLookup` class, progress output,
  and the existing result envelope remain supported.

## Recommended manuscript workflow

### 1. Capture manuscript context

Use the user's available context to constrain retrieval:

- research question or hypothesis
- study type
- population or biological/technical system
- intervention or exposure
- comparator
- out