# Web Research

> Use when the user asks you to research a topic, fact-check a claim, compare options, or gather current information from the web. Guides thorough, multi-source research using the search and web-fetch tools.

- Skill: `ag2ai/web-research` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add ag2ai/web-research`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/ag2ai/web-research/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Research & Search
- License: Apache-2.0
- Author: ag2ai (https://skillmd.com/u/ag2ai)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/ag2ai/web-research

---


# Web research

A method for answering research questions well instead of from a single search.

## Method

1. **Clarify the question.** Identify exactly what's being asked and what a good
   answer looks like (a fact, a comparison, a recommendation, a summary).
2. **Search broadly, then narrow.** Run more than one search with different
   phrasings. Don't stop at the first result — the first hit is often an ad,
   an SEO page, or out of date.
3. **Open the primary sources.** Use the web-fetch tool to read the actual pages,
   not just search snippets. Prefer official docs, original reporting, primary
   data, and recent dates over aggregators.
4. **Cross-check.** Confirm any important fact in at least two independent
   sources. If sources disagree, say so rather than picking one silently.
5. **Mind recency.** For anything that changes over time (versions, prices,
   news, "latest"), check the publication date and prefer the most recent
   reliable source. Note the date in your answer.

## Answering

- Lead with the direct answer, then the supporting detail.
- **Cite sources** — name the site/publication (and link if available) for each
  key claim so the user can verify.
- Distinguish what you're confident about from what's uncertain or contested.
- If you couldn't verify something, say "I couldn't confirm this" — don't guess.

## Pitfalls

- One source ≠ a fact. Single-source claims are leads, not conclusions.
- Snippets lie / lack context — open the page.
- Stale results: a top result can be years old. Check dates.