Research Lookup

Parallel-first evidence compilation for scientific manuscripts. Academic retrieval targets 60 verified, unique references by default and produces a research packet with structured study evidence, claim provenance, contradictions, gaps, and section briefs.

SKILL.md is the authoritative workflow and safety reference.

Routing

A bare query uses Parallel Search. Parallel Chat remains available through --force-backend chat, but automatic routing never selects it. The legacy --force-backend parallel flag remains an alias for explicit Parallel Research.

Setup

uv tool install "parallel-web-tools[cli]==0.9.3"
parallel-cli login
parallel-cli auth

CLI login may be replaced by PARALLEL_API_KEY. OPENROUTER_API_KEY is needed only for explicit Perplexity use or an enabled fallback. Explicit Chat requires PARALLEL_API_KEY in the process environment. Both direct HTTP backends need requests; the CLI uses its own isolated tool environment. Headless login in 0.9.3 is parallel-cli login --no-browser.

Manuscript packet

python skills/research-lookup/scripts/research_lookup.py \
  "Evidence for the manuscript research question" \
  --academic \
  --target-references 60 \
  --context-file manuscript-context.json \
  --packet-dir sources/manuscript-research \
  --json

The academic workflow runs bounded searches for primary studies, reviews and meta-analyses, seminal publications, methods/mechanisms, and contradictory evidence. It deduplicates candidates and verifies the strongest sources in batches with Parallel Extract.

Packet artifacts include:

• complete packet in JSON and Markdown
• normalized references in JSON and BibTeX
• evidence matrix
• claim-to-source map
• synthesis of consensus, conflicts, patterns, and gaps
• Introduction, Methods-rationale, and Discussion briefs
• coverage diagnostics and reproducible search ledger

The target is not padded. If 60 credible references cannot be verified, the packet reports the shortfall. verified_references means nonempty excerpts were retrieved by Extract, excluding flagged retractions. DOI/PMID detection alone does not count. Review identity, claim support, and correction/retraction status yourself before using the bibliography.

Preserved compatibility

• reusable ResearchLookup class
• --batch, --json, and -o/--output
• explicit backend selection
• per-query error isolation
• DOI/URL citation extraction
• human-readable and structured output
• result fields such as success, query, response, citations, sources, timestamp, backend, model, and usage

Other modes

# Fast bounded Search
python skills/research-lookup/scripts/research_lookup.py \
  "Latest official guidance" --no-academic

# Explicit Parallel Research
python skills/research-lookup/scripts/research_lookup.py \
  "Comprehensive review of topic" \
  --force-backend research \
  --processor pro

# Explicit Parallel Chat (never automatic)
python skills/research-lookup/scripts/research_lookup.py \
  "Synthesize the strongest evidence" \
  --force-backend chat \
  --chat-model core

# Explicit Perplexity
python skills/research-lookup/scripts/research_lookup.py \
  "Find academic evidence" \
  --force-backend perplexity

Boundaries

This skill compiles external evidence. It does not generate the user's unpublished Results or guarantee a PRISMA-complete systematic review. Use literature-review for formal database searching, screening, exclusion tracking, and risk-of-bias procedures; use scientific-writing to turn the packet into manuscript prose.

API contracts were reviewed on 2026-09-30 against official schemas, CLI 0.9.3, and public OpenRouter model metadata. Service examples are illustrative; regression tests mock paid calls. See API contracts.