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switchboard-research

Research
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Run comprehensive multi-source web research and synthesize a cited summary.

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How to use this skill

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  3. Review the proposed files and risks before you approve installation.
Prompt to paste
I want to install this Agent Skill for this project in Codex.

Source SKILL.md: https://github.com/TentacleOpera/switchboard/blob/HEAD/.claude/skills/switchboard-research/SKILL.md

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Copying this prompt does not install or run the skill. Review third-party files before use. Codex skill guide

Comprehensive Web Research

Purpose

Perform deep, multi-angle web research on any topic using iterative search strategies.

When to Use

  • User asks to "research X", "investigate Y", "find comprehensive information about Z"
  • User needs authoritative sources, comparisons, or deep dives
  • User asks for "latest information on", "state of the art in", "best practices for"

Research Protocol

Phase 0: Research Plan Proposal

Before conducting any searches, propose a research plan to the user for approval:

Present the plan with:

  1. Research objectives: What specific questions will be answered
  2. Research depth options: Present source count options for user to choose:
    • Quick (5-10 sources): Rapid overview, 1-2 search phases, high-level summary
    • Standard (15-30 sources): Balanced depth, 3-4 search phases, moderate detail
    • Deep (50-100+ sources): Comprehensive analysis, 5+ search phases, exhaustive coverage
    • Academic (100-200+ sources): Scholarly rigor, includes academic databases, systematic review
  3. Search strategy: Initial search queries and domains to target
  4. Expected sources: Types of sources (official docs, academic papers, industry reports, etc.)
  5. Scope: What will and won't be covered
  6. Estimated phases: Brief outline of research phases
  7. Estimated time: Time estimate based on chosen depth level
  8. Clarifying questions: If the research topic or context is thin, vague, or missing crucial details (e.g. tech stack, target regulations, country limits), formulate 2-3 specific clarifying questions and include them at the end of the proposal.

Wait for user response:

  • If approved: Proceed with Phase 1
  • If amendments requested: Revise plan and re-present
  • If rejected: Clarify requirements and propose new plan
  • If clarifying questions were posed: wait for answers before proceeding to Phase 1. Incorporate answers into the refined research plan.

Phase 1: Initial Broad Search

Before starting: Check system date/time and use dynamic date ranges in queries (e.g., current year and previous 2 years).

Run 3-4 parallel searches with different query formulations:

  1. Core topic: search_web "topic"
  2. Latest developments: search_web "topic [current_year] [current_year-1] [current_year-2] latest" (use dynamic years)
  3. Best practices/guides: search_web "topic best practices guide"
  4. Comparisons/alternatives: search_web "topic vs alternatives comparison"

Phase 2: Domain-Specific Deep Dive

Based on initial results, run targeted searches:

  • Academic/research: search_web "topic" domain="scholar.google.com"
  • Documentation: search_web "topic documentation" domain="developer.mozilla.org OR docs.python.org"
  • Community discussions: search_web "topic reddit stackoverflow"

Phase 3: Iterative Refinement

  • Extract key terms, names, technologies from results
  • Run follow-up searches on specific subtopics
  • Verify claims across multiple sources

Phase 4: Synthesis

  • Cross-reference findings from different sources
  • Identify consensus vs. controversy
  • Note source credibility (official docs vs. blogs vs. forums)

Output Format

Present research as:

  1. Executive Summary: Key findings in 3-5 bullet points
  2. Detailed Findings: Organized by subtopic with source attribution
  3. Source Credibility Assessment: Note which sources are most authoritative
  4. Knowledge Gaps: What couldn't be found or needs verification
  5. Recommended Next Searches: If deeper research needed

Example Usage

User: "Research the current state of Rust web frameworks"

You:

  1. Run Phase 1 searches in parallel
  2. Identify key frameworks (Actix, Axum, Rocket, Warp)
  3. Run Phase 2 searches on each framework
  4. Synthesize comparison with performance benchmarks, ecosystem maturity, adoption trends