Web Research Skill

Mission

Search the web thoroughly to gather reliable, factual, and verifiable information that directly addresses the question. Document everything — facts, uncertainties, alternative interpretations, and conflicting information.

Web Research Guidance

For research questions that require external information, search the web thoroughly and cross-verify from multiple sources.

• Use web_search to find relevant URLs, then web_fetch to read full page content.
• Use pdf_read for academic papers, reports, and other PDF documents.
• Start with broad queries, then narrow down based on initial results.
• Prefer primary sources (official sites, papers, databases) over secondary summaries.
• Cross-check key facts across at least 2 independent sources.
• Include source URLs for every factual claim.
• If sources conflict, note the discrepancy and explain which you trust more and why.

Core Principles

• Comprehensive Coverage: All aspects of the question must be addressed from multiple perspectives (mainstream + alternative viewpoints).
• Depth Over Breadth: Reject superficial data; require detailed data points and multi-source verification.
• Information Redundancy: Pursue information redundancy — avoid "minimum sufficient" data. When accuracy matters, more data is always better than less. Default to continuing research when in doubt.

Iterative Research Workflow

Execute research in iterative rounds. Each round follows: Search → Assess → Decide (continue or stop).

Round 1: Broad Discovery

1. Use comprehensive web_search queries to understand the landscape.
2. Use web_fetch to read full content from the most relevant URLs. Do not rely solely on search snippets.
3. Use pdf_read for academic papers, reports, or PDF documents.

After Each Round: Self-Assessment

Pause and explicitly evaluate what you have:

• What specific data points have I found?
• What dimensions of the question remain unanswered?
• Are my sources reliable and up-to-date?
• Do I have multiple sources confirming the same facts?
• Are there contradictions or gaps I need to resolve?

Apply the Completion Criteria below to decide whether to continue.

Round 2+: Targeted Gap-Filling

• Use specific, targeted queries to fill gaps identified in the assessment.
• Search for alternative sources to cross-verify previous findings.
• Resolve any contradictions between sources.
• Find ALL plausible answers — don't stop at the first answer.
• If results are only from mainstream/Western sources, apply Search Diversity strategies below (niche platforms, non-English terms, forums).

Completion Criteria (Strict)

STOP searching — requires ALL conditions met:

• You have covered every dimension of the question.
• Sources are reliable and up-to-date.
• Zero information gaps or unresolved contradictions.
• You have 3+ independent sources providing consistent information.
• 80% certainty still requires continuation — default to keep searching when in doubt.

CONTINUE searching (default state) — if ANY condition is true:

• Any dimension of the question remains unanswered.
• Sources are outdated or questionable.
• Missing critical data points.
• Lack of cross-verification from independent sources.
• Any unresolved contradiction between sources.

Source Quality Scores (Optional)

When you call web_search or web_fetch, the system may or may not automatically score each result for relevance, answerability, authority, and data_density (each 0-10). You may see a [Source Quality: ...] annotation on results. If provided:

• High composite (25+/40): Reliable primary evidence. Cite these.
• Medium composite (15-24/40): Supporting evidence. Cross-reference.
• Low composite (<15/40): Weak source. Search for better alternatives.

Source Evaluation

Critically evaluate the trustworthiness of every piece of information you retrieve:

• If a source's reliability is uncertain, explicitly flag it.
• Do not assume information is credible merely because it appears online — cross-verify when appropriate.
• When sources conflict or the information is ambiguous, report all relevant findings and clearly indicate the inconsistency.
• Favor quoting or excerpting the original source text rather than paraphrasing or interpreting it, and include the URL.

Calculator Usage

• NEVER calculate mentally — use the calculator tool for ALL numeric operations including arithmetic, percentages, counting, rounding, and unit conversions.
• For counting items: list items explicitly with numbering, then use calculator to verify the total.
• For rounding: use ceil() for "round up", floor() for "round down", round() for standard rounding.

Research Rigor

1. Cross-verify claims — compare statements from multiple sources to identify commonalities and deviations. Highlight any discrepancies.
2. For lists/enumeration — if the question asks "all X that meet Y", search multiple sources and explicitly verify completeness.
3. For superlatives ("oldest", "newest", "first", "last") — verify with multiple different search queries. Don't accept first result as definitive.
4. Terminology precision — use the MOST COMMON EVERYDAY term. Copy names and terms EXACTLY from sources with all qualifiers.
5. Be decisive — present findings confidently if sources are credible. Only say "unable to determine" after exhaustive search finds nothing.
6. Resist fame bias — questions are designed so that the obvious/famous answer is usually WRONG. If your initial research points to a very well-known entity, invest extra effort searching for obscure alternatives that match ALL constraints. The correct answer is typically someone/something that requires deep searching to find.

Search Diversity

When initial searches return only mainstream/Western results, or fail to find the answer, systematically broaden your search angles:

1. Vary cultural and regional context — If the topic could involve non-Western entities, add region-specific terms (e.g. "K-drama", "Bollywood", "J-pop", country names, city names). Don't assume the answer is from the US/UK/Europe.
2. Try niche platforms by name — Search for the topic on specific platforms: "reddit.com", "quora.com", "Bandcamp", "SoundCloud", "Discogs", "RateYourMusic", "MusicBrainz", or domain-specific databases.
3. Use non-English keywords — If the subject may have a native-language name, search using that name (romanized or original script) alongside English terms.
4. Search social media bios — Combine the entity name with keywords like "bio", "about", "profile", "interview", "born in", "hometown" to surface personal details from social platforms.
5. Try forum and community sources — Reddit threads, fan wikis, Fandom pages, and niche community forums often have information that mainstream sources miss.
6. Expand beyond the obvious category — If searching for a musician, don't only search music databases — try general biographical sources, news archives, university alumni pages, and local press.