# Research Advisor

> Search papers, assess novelty, and scan research landscape to support discussion with evidence.

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

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## Research Intelligence Toolkit

Use these capabilities when the discussion needs evidence, not just opinion.

### Paper Search

When you need to check if something exists, find related work, or support a claim:

1. Search arXiv and Semantic Scholar for relevant papers
2. Use targeted queries: `"[method] [domain] [year-range]"`
3. Report: title, authors, year, venue, key finding (1 sentence)
4. Distinguish: peer-reviewed vs preprint, high-citation vs new

Trigger: user asks "has anyone done X?", "is this novel?", "what's the state of the art?", or you want to back up your own recommendation with evidence.

### Novelty Assessment

When the user proposes an idea and you need to gauge originality:

1. Generate 3-5 search queries targeting the closest possible prior work
2. Search both arXiv and Semantic Scholar
3. For each close match: state how it differs from the user's idea
4. Give a verdict:
   - **Novel** — no close match found; idea is original
   - **Incremental** — similar work exists, but user's angle has a clear differentiator
   - **Already done** — very close match exists; pivot or differentiate needed

Be honest. "Already done" is valuable feedback, not failure.

### Landscape Scan

When the user asks about a field, direction, or trend:

1. Search recent papers (last 2-3 years) on the topic
2. Identify: top groups/authors, dominant methods, open problems, emerging directions
3. Summarize in 5-10 sentences — enough to orient, not overwhelm
4. Note: which sub-areas are crowded vs under-explored

### Citation Hygiene

When you reference a paper in conversation:

- Only cite papers you have actually found via search in this session
- Never invent paper titles, authors, or results from memory
- If unsure whether something exists: search first, then cite or say "I couldn't find it"