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

Request	Backend
Manuscript literature or many academic references	Parallel Search + Extract
Fast current-information lookup	Parallel Search
Explicit deep/exhaustive report	Parallel Research
Explicit OpenAI-compatible synthesis	Parallel Chat
Optional alternative/failure fallback	Perplexity through OpenRouter

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

bash

uv tool install "parallel-web-tools[cli]==0.7.1"
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.

Manuscript packet

bash

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.

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

bash

# 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.