# Research Scan

Pulls 5–10 recent papers that fit a research question and checks every DOI against the live record. Useful when a decision needs literature behind it.

- MCP server · `type=mcp` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Windsurf (Devin Desktop), Cline, Zed, Gemini CLI · ★ 1
- Author: Synectic-Research
- License: Apache-2.0 · policy=link-only · description only; the file stays with the author
- Source: https://github.com/Synectic-Research/research-scan
- Updated: 2026-10-15
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/mcp/research-scan

## What it does

The tool splits the job in two. A model-free CLI queries OpenAlex, Semantic Scholar and arXiv, follows citation links, drops duplicates, tallies coverage against each criterion and confirms DOIs against the live record. Judgement stays with the agent: it drafts the queries, scores candidates from 0 to 3, writes extra queries where coverage looks thin and reranks the shortlist. The scoring rubrics ship as plain Markdown under `skills/research-scan/references/`.

Files carry the handoff. Reasoning and execution talk through the filesystem, so Claude, Codex, Cursor or a plain Python loop can drive the same chain over the same artifacts. Each run leaves a directory of validated JSON plus a Markdown brief for a human, with title, year, first author and DOI of every paper checked against the live record.

You need Python ≥ 3.11 and `uv`. `OPENALEX_API_KEY` is mandatory — `doctor` exits 3 without it. `OPENALEX_MAILTO` lifts the OpenAlex rate and puts you in the Crossref polite pool; `S2_API_KEY` removes the throttling on Semantic Scholar. `research-scan configure` writes them to `~/.config/research-scan/.env`.

## Requirements
- Needs: Python and uv (commands run via uvx)

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

**Platform CLI**
```bash
claude mcp add research-scan -- uvx research-scan
```
uvx runs the command named after the package; if the README names another one, use uvx --from research-scan <command>

### Codex

**Platform CLI**
```bash
codex mcp add research-scan -- uvx research-scan
```
uvx runs the command named after the package; if the README names another one, use uvx --from research-scan <command>

### Cursor

**Config file**
File `.cursor/mcp.json`:
```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "research-scan": {
            "command": "uvx",
            "args": [
                "research-scan"
            ]
        }
    }
}
```
uvx runs the command named after the package; if the README names another one, use uvx --from research-scan <command>

### GitHub Copilot

**Config file**
File `.vscode/mcp.json`:
```json
{
    "servers": {
        "research-scan": {
            "type": "stdio",
            "command": "uvx",
            "args": [
                "research-scan"
            ]
        }
    }
}
```
uvx runs the command named after the package; if the README names another one, use uvx --from research-scan <command>

### Gemini CLI

**Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini mcp add research-scan uvx research-scan
```
uvx runs the command named after the package; if the README names another one, use uvx --from research-scan <command>

## When to use it
- build a recent reading list around a decision, not a topic
- filter out candidates whose DOIs fail live verification
- spot thin coverage and run a second round of queries
- get a ranked shortlist instead of a pile of links
- hand a colleague a brief where every paper was checked against current metadata

## Example prompts
- Run `/research-scan` on `research/my-brief.md` with `--profile standard` and keep 10 papers
- Use `/research-scan` to ask which interventions show the strongest recent evidence on long-term savings
- Do an `orient` scan and tell me where coverage is still thin

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