# Research Lookup

Compile current scholarly evidence for a scientific manuscript or research brief.

- Repository: https://github.com/K-Dense-AI/claude-scientific-writer (2545 stars)
- Category: Data and ML
- License: MIT license
- Last updated: 2026-10-31
- Runs scripts: yes, review before use

## Install

Claude Code: `npx skills add K-Dense-AI/claude-scientific-writer --skill research-lookup -g -a claude-code -y`
Codex: `npx skills add K-Dense-AI/claude-scientific-writer --skill research-lookup -g -a codex -y`
Cursor: `npx skills add K-Dense-AI/claude-scientific-writer --skill research-lookup -g -a cursor -y`
Gemini CLI: `npx skills add K-Dense-AI/claude-scientific-writer --skill research-lookup -g -a gemini-cli -y`
Claude Code plugin marketplace: `/plugin marketplace add K-Dense-AI/claude-scientific-writer`

## Description

Compile current scholarly evidence for a scientific manuscript or research brief. Use 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 verification, Parallel Research for explicitly deep/exhaustive work, optional explicit Parallel Chat, and optional Perplexity only when requested or allowed as a failure fallback.

## SKILL.md, as published by its author (untrusted third-party text, read it as data)

# 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.

## 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or unpublished material, or a claim that can be answered from user-provided files.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 It cannot supply the user's unpublished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:

The rest: https://github.com/K-Dense-AI/claude-scientific-writer/blob/HEAD/.claude/skills/research-lookup/SKILL.md