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.
| 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.
uv tool install "parallel-web-tools[cli]==0.7.1"
parallel-cli login
parallel-cli authCLI 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.
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 \
--jsonThe 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.
- reusable
ResearchLookupclass --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, andusage
# 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 perplexityThis 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.