> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/Shubhamsaboo/awesome-llm-apps/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Research Skills

> Agent skills for deep research, fact-checking, and academic analysis

# Research Skills

Research skills enable agents to conduct thorough investigations, verify claims, and synthesize information from multiple sources with proper citations.

## Available Research Skills

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Deep Research" icon="book-open">
    Comprehensive research with multi-source synthesis and citations
  </Card>

  <Card title="Fact Checker" icon="circle-check">
    Systematic fact verification and misinformation identification
  </Card>

  <Card title="Academic Researcher" icon="graduation-cap">
    Literature review and academic writing expertise
  </Card>

  <Card title="Data Analyst" icon="chart-line">
    SQL, pandas, and statistical analysis capabilities
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

***

## Deep Research

### Overview

**Triggers:** Conducting research, gathering sources, writing research summaries, analyzing topics from multiple perspectives, investigation, synthesized analysis with citations

### When to Use

* Conducting in-depth research on a topic
* Synthesizing information from multiple sources
* Creating research summaries with proper citations
* Analyzing different viewpoints and perspectives
* Identifying key findings and trends
* Evaluating the quality and credibility of sources

### Research Process

<Steps>
  <Step title="Clarify the Research Question">
    * What exactly needs to be researched?
    * What level of detail is required?
    * Are there specific angles to prioritize?
    * What is the purpose of the research?
  </Step>

  <Step title="Identify Key Aspects">
    * Break the topic into subtopics or dimensions
    * List main questions to answer
    * Note important context or background needed
  </Step>

  <Step title="Gather Information">
    * Consider multiple perspectives
    * Look for primary and secondary sources
    * Check publication dates and currency
    * Evaluate source credibility
  </Step>

  <Step title="Synthesize Findings">
    * Identify patterns and themes
    * Note areas of consensus and disagreement
    * Highlight key insights
    * Connect related information
  </Step>

  <Step title="Document Sources">
    * Use numbered citations \[1], \[2], etc.
    * List full sources at the end
    * Note if information is uncertain or contested
    * Indicate confidence levels where appropriate
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Output Format

```markdown theme={null}
## Executive Summary
[2-3 sentence overview of key findings]

## Key Findings
- **[Finding 1]**: [Brief explanation] [1]
- **[Finding 2]**: [Brief explanation] [2]
- **[Finding 3]**: [Brief explanation] [3]

## Detailed Analysis

### [Subtopic 1]
[In-depth analysis with citations]

### [Subtopic 2]
[In-depth analysis with citations]

## Areas of Consensus
[What sources agree on]

## Areas of Debate
[Where sources disagree or uncertainty exists]

## Sources
[1] [Full citation with credibility note]
[2] [Full citation with credibility note]

## Gaps and Further Research
[What's still unknown or needs investigation]
```

### Source Evaluation Criteria

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Peer-Reviewed Journals">
    **Credibility:** Highest

    * Undergone rigorous peer review
    * Published in reputable journals
    * Methodology transparent
    * Data and analysis verifiable
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Official Reports">
    **Credibility:** High

    * Government statistics and data
    * International organizations (WHO, UN, etc.)
    * Authoritative industry reports
    * Primary data sources
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Reputable News">
    **Credibility:** Medium-High

    * Established news organizations
    * Fact-checked reporting
    * Multiple sources cited
    * Timely information
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Expert Commentary">
    **Credibility:** Medium

    * Qualified experts in the field
    * Clearly stated as opinion
    * Context and credentials provided
    * Cross-reference with other sources
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="General Websites">
    **Credibility:** Low

    * Verify independently
    * Check author credentials
    * Look for bias or agenda
    * Cross-reference with authoritative sources
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

### Example Research Output

**Research Question:** "What are the benefits and risks of intermittent fasting?"

**Executive Summary:**
Intermittent fasting (IF) shows promising benefits for weight loss and metabolic health based on current research, though long-term effects remain under study. Evidence supports its safety for most healthy adults, with certain populations requiring medical supervision \[1]\[2].

**Key Findings:**

* **Weight Loss**: IF produces similar weight loss to calorie restriction (5-8% body weight over 12 weeks), with potentially better adherence \[1]
* **Metabolic Health**: May improve insulin sensitivity by 20-31% and reduce inflammation markers \[2]
* **Safety**: Not recommended for pregnant women, diabetics without supervision, or those with eating disorder history \[4]

***

## Fact Checker

### Overview

**Triggers:** Verifying claims, checking facts, identifying misinformation, "fact check", "verify", "is this true", evaluating source credibility

### When to Use

* Verifying specific claims or statements
* Identifying potential misinformation or disinformation
* Checking statistics and data accuracy
* Evaluating source credibility
* Separating fact from opinion or interpretation
* Analyzing viral claims or rumors

### Verification Process

<Steps>
  <Step title="Identify the Claim">
    * Extract the specific factual assertion
    * Distinguish fact from opinion
    * Note any implicit claims
    * Identify measurable aspects
  </Step>

  <Step title="Determine Required Evidence">
    * What would prove this claim?
    * What would disprove it?
    * What sources would be authoritative?
    * Can this be verified or is it opinion?
  </Step>

  <Step title="Evaluate Available Evidence">
    * Check authoritative sources
    * Look for primary data
    * Consider source credibility
    * Note publication dates
    * Check for context
  </Step>

  <Step title="Rate the Claim">
    * Assess accuracy based on evidence
    * Note confidence level
    * Explain reasoning clearly
    * Highlight missing context if relevant
  </Step>

  <Step title="Provide Context">
    * Why does this matter?
    * Common misconceptions
    * Related facts
    * Proper interpretation
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Rating Scale

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="✅ TRUE" icon="check">
    Claim is accurate and supported by reliable evidence
  </Card>

  <Card title="⚠️ MOSTLY TRUE" icon="circle-exclamation">
    Claim is accurate but missing important context or minor details wrong
  </Card>

  <Card title="🔶 MIXED" icon="circle-half-stroke">
    Claim contains both true and false elements
  </Card>

  <Card title="❌ MOSTLY FALSE" icon="xmark">
    Claim is misleading or largely inaccurate
  </Card>

  <Card title="🚫 FALSE" icon="ban">
    Claim is demonstrably wrong
  </Card>

  <Card title="❓ UNVERIFIABLE" icon="question">
    Cannot be confirmed or denied with available evidence
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

### Common Misinformation Patterns

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Statistical Manipulation">
    * Cherry-picking data
    * Misleading graphs or scales
    * Correlation vs causation confusion
    * Inappropriate comparisons
    * Selective timeframes
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Context Removal">
    * Quote mining (taking statements out of context)
    * Omitting important qualifiers
    * Ignoring timeframes or conditions
    * Removing statistical caveats
    * Partial truths presented as whole story
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="False Equivalences">
    * Comparing incomparable things
    * Treating all sources as equally valid
    * Both-sidesing settled science
    * Anecdotes vs statistical evidence
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Logical Fallacies">
    * Ad hominem attacks
    * Appeal to authority (improper)
    * False dichotomies
    * Slippery slope arguments
    * Straw man arguments
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

### Example Fact Check

**Claim:** "Humans only use 10% of their brain"

**Verdict:** 🚫 FALSE

**Analysis:**
This is a persistent myth with no scientific basis. Neurological research consistently shows that humans use virtually all parts of their brain, though not all at the same time.

**Evidence:**

* Brain imaging (fMRI, PET scans) shows activity throughout the brain during even simple tasks \[1]
* Brain damage to any area causes functional impairment, indicating all regions serve purposes \[2]
* Metabolic studies show the brain uses \~20% of body's energy despite being \~2% of body weight \[3]

**Correct Information:**
Humans use virtually all of their brain. Different regions activate for different tasks, and brain imaging shows activity distributed throughout the brain during both active tasks and rest.

***

## Academic Researcher

### Overview

**Triggers:** Literature review, academic writing, research papers, scholarly sources, peer review, academic citations, thesis, dissertation

### When to Use

* Conducting literature reviews
* Writing academic papers
* Finding and evaluating scholarly sources
* Synthesizing academic research
* Following academic citation styles (APA, MLA, Chicago)
* Critiquing research methodology

### Academic Research Process

1. **Define Research Question**: Clear, focused, answerable
2. **Literature Search**: Use academic databases (Google Scholar, PubMed, JSTOR)
3. **Source Evaluation**: Assess peer-review status, methodology, citations
4. **Synthesis**: Identify themes, gaps, contradictions
5. **Citation**: Proper academic citation format
6. **Critical Analysis**: Evaluate strengths and limitations

### Academic Writing Principles

* **Objective Tone**: Avoid emotional language
* **Evidence-Based**: Every claim supported by citations
* **Clear Structure**: Introduction, literature review, methodology, results, discussion
* **Proper Citations**: Follow style guide exactly
* **Critical Thinking**: Analyze, don't just summarize
* **Acknowledge Limitations**: Be transparent about constraints

***

## Data Analyst

### Overview

**Triggers:** Data analysis, SQL queries, pandas, statistical analysis, data visualization, analyzing datasets, data insights

### When to Use

* Analyzing datasets with pandas
* Writing SQL queries
* Performing statistical analysis
* Creating data visualizations
* Finding patterns and insights in data
* Cleaning and preprocessing data
* Generating reports from data

### Key Capabilities

**SQL:**

* Complex queries with JOINs
* Aggregations and window functions
* Query optimization
* Database design

**Python (pandas):**

* Data cleaning and preprocessing
* Exploratory data analysis
* Statistical calculations
* Data transformation

**Visualization:**

* Choosing appropriate chart types
* Creating clear, informative plots
* Dashboard design
* Storytelling with data

**Statistics:**

* Descriptive statistics
* Hypothesis testing
* Correlation and regression
* Probability distributions

***

## Installation

Add all research skills:

```bash theme={null}
npx skills add shubhamsaboo/awesome-agent-skills
```

Or install individual skills manually.

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Coding Skills" icon="code" href="/agent-skills/coding-skills">
    Explore software development skills
  </Card>

  <Card title="Writing Skills" icon="pen" href="/agent-skills/writing-skills">
    Discover writing and documentation skills
  </Card>

  <Card title="Planning Skills" icon="list-check" href="/agent-skills/planning-skills">
    Learn about project and sprint planning
  </Card>

  <Card title="Create Custom Skills" icon="plus" href="/agent-skills/creating-skills">
    Build your own agent skills
  </Card>
</CardGroup>
