Deep Research Skill

Purpose

Produce well-researched, fact-checked reports by gathering information from multiple independent sources, cross-referencing claims, and synthesizing findings into a structured output.

Workflow

Phase 1: Scoping

1. Clarify the research question — what exactly needs to be answered?
2. Identify key subtopics and angles to explore
3. Determine the expected depth (quick overview vs. exhaustive report)

Phase 2: Multi-Source Search

1. Broad search: Use web_search with 3-5 different query formulations to capture diverse perspectives
2. Deep dive: For the most promising results, use web_fetch to read the full content
3. Cross-reference: Verify key claims against at least 2 independent sources
4. Gap analysis: Identify what's missing and search specifically for those gaps

Phase 3: Synthesis

1. Organize findings by theme, not by source
2. Identify consensus views vs. minority opinions
3. Note conflicting information explicitly — don't hide uncertainty
4. Rank evidence quality: primary > secondary > tertiary

Phase 4: Report Writing

1. Start with an executive summary (3-5 sentences)
2. Structure with clear headings
3. Include inline citations: [citation:Source Title](URL)
4. End with a "Sources" section listing all references

Output Template

# [Research Topic]

## Executive Summary
[3-5 sentence overview of key findings]

## Key Findings

### [Theme 1]
[Findings with citations]

### [Theme 2]
[Findings with citations]

## Conflicting Perspectives
[Areas of disagreement among sources]

## Limitations
[What this research couldn't cover, data quality notes]

## Sources
- [Source 1](URL) — Description
- [Source 2](URL) — Description

Quality Standards

• Every factual claim must have a citation
• At least 3 independent sources per major claim
• Acknowledge uncertainty and conflicting evidence
• Distinguish between fact and opinion

References

See references/search_strategies.md for advanced search techniques. See templates/report_template.md for alternative report formats.