# Second Brain Report

> Produce a research report from the vault: scope the question against existing pages, name the gaps, and write findings with citations, disagreements and limits. Use this skill when the user asks for a research report, a deep write-up on a topic, or wants to understand a subject thoroughly using what they have collected. Do NOT use for a quick answer from the vault, for drafting an article in the user's voice, or for summarising a single source.

- Skill: `undefined-ui/second-brain-report` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add undefined-ui/second-brain-report`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/undefined-ui/second-brain-report/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Docs & Writing
- Author: undefined-ui (https://skillmd.com/u/undefined-ui)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/undefined-ui/second-brain-report

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# Write a research report

A report that presents only findings looks stronger and is less useful, because
the reader cannot tell where it is load-bearing and where it is thin.

## Core rule

Scope against the vault first. Most of the work in a good report is knowing what
you do not need to look up.

## Workflow

1. **Inventory what exists.** Which pages cover this, what is thin, what is
   missing entirely. That answer is the research plan.
2. **Report the gaps before writing,** so the user can decide whether to ingest
   more first.
3. **Write from pages, citing pages.** Every claim traces to a source page with
   a URL behind it.
4. **Record disagreement** where sources conflict, with dates and who says what.
5. **State what could not be established** and what evidence would change the
   conclusion.
6. **Save to `output/`** and offer to ingest it back as a source.

## Output format

```
## Question
## What the vault covers    (with [[page]] citations)
## Where sources disagree
## What I could not establish
## What would change this
## Pages read: <list>
```

## Calibration

If the vault covers less than half the question, say so at the top rather than
producing a report that reads as complete.

Never fill a gap from general knowledge without labelling it as outside the
vault. A report whose sources cannot be checked is worth less than a short one
that can.