---
name: research-memo
description: Use this when the user wants a source-grounded memo, briefing, landscape summary, or background note that is broader than a single paper.
---

# Research Memo

## When To Use

Use this skill for:
- background research
- topic briefings
- market or field overviews
- synthesis across multiple sources
- internal memos that need traceable evidence

## Procedure

1. Find relevant sources first.
2. If the topic is current, product-oriented, market-facing, or asks about latest developments, use `web_search` and `fetch_content` first.
3. If there is an academic literature component, use `alpha_search` and inspect the strongest papers directly.
4. Inspect the strongest sources directly before synthesizing.
5. Separate:
   - established facts
   - plausible inferences
   - unresolved questions
6. Write a memo with clear sections and a concise narrative.
7. End with a `Sources` section containing direct links.
8. Save the memo to `outputs/` when the user wants a durable artifact.

## Pitfalls

- Do not summarize from search snippets alone.
- Do not omit the source list.
- Do not present inference as fact.
- Do not rely on paper search alone for latest/current topics.

## Deliverable

Include:
- topic
- key findings
- disagreements or caveats
- open questions
- sources