---
name: auto-research-50421843d08e
description: Premier research workflow for systematic investigation, synthesis, and verification. Use for literature reviews, competitive analysis, deep dives, market research, or any task requiring structured research with source attribution.
---

# Auto Research

Systematic research orchestration for pi. Replaces Claude CoWork research workflows with a native pi skill set.

## Workflow

```
Clarify → Investigate → Synthesize → Validate → Output
```

### 1. Clarify Scope

Before researching, confirm with the user:
- What questions need answering?
- What are the boundaries?
- What depth is needed?
- What format for output?

### 2. Investigate

Use the best tool for the source type:

| Source Type | Tool |
|-------------|------|
| Web docs, APIs, current info | `intelli_research` from intelli-search skill |
| Specific URLs | `web_fetch` from pi-browse |
| Local files | `read` |
| Multiple local files | Batch `read` or `rg` |
| GitHub repos | Clone and `read` |

Always use `intelli_research` with a `focusPrompt`. Without it, extractions are generic.

### 3. Synthesize

Organize findings:
- Group by theme or question
- Identify patterns, consensus, debates
- Note contradictions between sources
- Distinguish fact from interpretation

### 4. Validate

- Cross-reference key claims across multiple sources
- Assess source reliability (peer-reviewed > official > journalism > blog > forum)
- Flag uncertainty rather than guessing
- Mark speculative claims as such

### 5. Output

Choose the right output format based on depth needed.

## Output Formats

### Research Brief (Quick)

```markdown
## Research Brief: [Topic]
**Date**: [Date] | **Confidence**: [Level]

### Key Findings
1. [Finding with source]
2. [Finding with source]

### Sources
- [Source](url) - [Brief description]

### Next Steps
- [Follow-up recommendations]
```

### Comprehensive Report (Deep)

```markdown
## [Title]

### Executive Summary
[2-3 paragraph overview]

### Background
[Context and importance]

### Methodology
[How research was conducted]

### Findings
[Detailed with inline citations]

### Analysis
[Interpretation and synthesis]

### Limitations
[Acknowledged constraints]

### References
[Full citations]
```

### Verification Report (Fact-Check)

```markdown
## Verification: [Claim]

**Verdict**: [VERIFIED / PARTIALLY VERIFIED / UNVERIFIED / CONTRADICTED]

### Evidence
| Source | Claim | Confidence |
|--------|-------|------------|
| [Name] | [Quote] | H/M/L |

**Confidence**: [H/M/L with reasoning]
```

## Source Markers

Use inline markers to indicate source type:
- `[A]` Academic / peer-reviewed
- `[O]` Official / government / primary
- `[N]` News / journalism
- `[I]` Industry / technical docs
- `[E]` Expert opinion / blog

## Knowledge Types

Label every factual claim:
- `FACT`: Verifiable with direct source
- `LIKELY`: Consistent with multiple sources
- `SPECULATIVE`: Based on reasoning, not direct evidence
- `UNKNOWN`: Beyond current knowledge, stated clearly

## File Organization

For multi-session research, use this structure:

```
/Research/
└── [Project]/
    ├── 01-sources/      # PDFs, notes, source materials
    ├── 02-analysis/     # Analysis documents
    ├── 03-synthesis/    # Synthesized findings
    └── 04-output/       # Final reports
```

Naming conventions:
- Sources: `YYYY-MM-DD_[topic]_source.[ext]`
- Analysis: `YYYY-MM-DD_[topic]_analysis.md`
- Outputs: `[topic]_report_[version]_[date].md`

## Research Task Templates

### Literature Review
> Analyze all documents in this folder as a literature review on [topic]. For each source, extract: main thesis, methodology, key findings, and how it connects to other sources. Identify consensus and debates.

### Competitive Analysis
> Research [topic/competitor] using all available sources. Create a competitive analysis covering: market position, key offerings, strengths, weaknesses, and differentiation. Include source citations.

### Fact Verification
> Verify the following claims: [list claims]. For each, provide: verification status, supporting evidence, source quality assessment, and confidence level.

### Deep Research
> Conduct comprehensive research on [topic]. Include: executive summary, key findings with source attribution, analysis and implications, limitations and uncertainties, recommendations for further research. Cite all sources with URLs.


---
Source attribution: v1truv1us
Original project: https://github.com/v1truv1us/ai-eng-system/blob/eaff192b6e8bcb204a1f1b132b98f748a9b4572e/agents/research-runner/deploy/skills/auto-research/SKILL.md
License: MIT
License information: https://opensource.org/license/mit
Original upstream instructions; downloaded from Mega AI Hub.

## Upstream license notice

MIT License

Copyright (c) 2025 John Ferguson

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
SOFTWARE.



# Mega AI Hub resource metadata

Creator / publisher: v1truv1us
Original project: https://github.com/v1truv1us/ai-eng-system/blob/eaff192b6e8bcb204a1f1b132b98f748a9b4572e/agents/research-runner/deploy/skills/auto-research/SKILL.md
Attribution basis: Source repository record

Fields of work: Data & Analytics, Education & Research, Marketing, Product Management
Roles: Content Marketer, Growth Marketer, Market Research Analyst, Product Manager, Researcher
Specialties: Specialty not specified
Tools: Intelli_Research
Country applicability: Country not specified
Classification basis: Source catalog labels
Instruction SHA-256: 910ab10b4dced2e81cf63370109d36c4d752ed34001f4deafaaa152ef96ee8e3