# Research > Use this skill for multi-stage, evidence-based research with parallel investigation, source ranking, verification, and synthesis. - Skill: `materialofair/research` (Agent Skill) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add materialofair/research` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/materialofair/research/raw - Safety review: pending - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: AI & ML - Author: materialofair (https://skillmd.com/u/materialofair) - Updated: 2026-09-17 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/materialofair/research --- # Research Skill > Codex invocation: use `$research ...` or `research: ...` Orchestrate parallel scientist agents for comprehensive, citation-backed research. ## Capabilities - Decompose broad questions into independent research stages. - Run parallel investigations with bounded concurrency. - Rank and filter sources by authority and recency. - Cross-validate findings and resolve contradictions. - Generate reproducible report artifacts with evidence trails. ## Input Requirements - `goal` (required): research question or decision to support. - `scope` (required): domain/system/time window. - `deliverable` (required): summary, comparison, recommendation, or deep report. - `constraints` (optional): budget, risk tolerance, compliance context. - `deadline` (optional): timebox and required depth. ## How to Use ```text $research Compare OAuth token rotation strategies for Node backends $research AUTO: Analyze auth failure patterns in this codebase $research status $research resume $research list $research report ``` ## Native Subagent Protocol (Codex) Codex supports native subagents. Delegate with `spawn_agent`, coordinate with `send_input`, collect via `wait_agent`, and clean up with `close_agent`. Minimal orchestration pattern: ```text spawn_agent -> send_input (optional) -> wait_agent -> close_agent ``` Fallback: if delegation is unavailable, execute stages sequentially in one thread. ## Research Operating Rules 1. Retrieval over memory: prefer repository facts and authoritative external sources. 2. Primary sources first: official docs, standards, papers, vendor references. 3. Date awareness: for unstable topics, verify publication/update dates. 4. Evidence minimum: each finding must include at least one source and one artifact. 5. Contradiction handling: unresolved conflicts must be surfaced, not hidden. ## Source Quality Rubric Priority order: 1. Official documentation/specifications 2. Peer-reviewed papers / standards bodies 3. Maintainer-authored technical references 4. High-quality practitioner analysis (only when primary sources are insufficient) For each citation, capture: - URL - source type - publication/update date - relevance note ## Workflow ### Stage 1: Decomposition Break goal into 3-7 independent stages: ```markdown ## Research Decomposition Goal: ### Stage N: - Focus: - Scope: - Expected output: - Tier: LOW | MEDIUM | HIGH ``` ### Stage 2: Parallel Execution Run independent stages in parallel (max 5 concurrent scientists). Tier guidance: - `LOW`: enumeration/counting/simple extraction - `MEDIUM`: pattern analysis/comparison/synthesis - `HIGH`: tradeoff reasoning/architecture/security implications If stages > 5, execute in batches. ### Stage 3: Verification Cross-check for: 1. Contradictions between stage findings 2. Missing dependencies or blind spots 3. Weak evidence or outdated sources 4. Overstated confidence Verification output must be one of: - `[VERIFIED]` - `[CONFLICTS:]` ### Stage 4: Synthesis Produce final report with: - executive summary - key findings with confidence - options/tradeoffs - recommendations - limitations and open questions ## AUTO Mode AUTO runs decomposition -> execution -> verification -> synthesis continuously. Loop control: - `maxIterations`: 10 (default) - stop on completion promise or blocking promise - persist state after each stage transition Promise tags: - `[PROMISE:RESEARCH_COMPLETE]` - `[PROMISE:RESEARCH_BLOCKED]` ## Session State Directory: ```text .omc/research/{session-id}/ state.json stages/stage-*.md findings/raw/ findings/verified/ report.md ``` `state.json` minimum contract: ```json { "id": "research--", "goal": "", "status": "pending|in_progress|complete|blocked|cancelled", "mode": "standard|auto", "iteration": 1, "maxIterations": 10, "stages": [], "verification": { "status": "pending|passed|failed", "conflicts": [] }, "updatedAt": "ISO-8601" } ``` ## Structured Evidence Tags Use structured tags in stage outputs: ```text [FINDING:] <analysis> [/FINDING] [EVIDENCE:<finding-id>] - Source: <url> - File: <path or n/a> - Date: <YYYY-MM-DD> - Note: <why this evidence supports finding> [/EVIDENCE] [CONFIDENCE:HIGH|MEDIUM|LOW] <confidence rationale> ``` Quality gates: - every `[FINDING]` must include `[EVIDENCE]` - every finding must include `[CONFIDENCE]` - unsupported claims must be downgraded or removed ## Report Template ```markdown # Research Report: <goal> ## Executive Summary <2-3 paragraphs> ## Methodology - decomposition strategy - source selection criteria - verification approach ## Findings ### Finding 1: <title> Confidence: <HIGH|MEDIUM|LOW> Evidence: <linked citations> ## Conflicts and Resolutions <resolved/unresolved contradictions> ## Recommendations 1. <action> 2. <action> ## Limitations - <gap> - <gap> ``` ## Session Commands - `$research status`: show current session state. - `$research resume [session-id]`: continue interrupted research. - `$research list`: list saved sessions. - `$research report <session-id>`: regenerate report from saved stage files. - `$research cancel`: stop and persist current state. ## Cancellation and Resume Cancellation keeps `.omc/research/{session-id}/` intact. Resume loads `state.json` and continues pending stages only. ## Failure Handling Stop and emit `[PROMISE:RESEARCH_BLOCKED]` when: - required data is inaccessible - source quality is below minimum and cannot be improved - contradictions cannot be resolved within iteration budget Always include blocker details and recommended next action.