# literature-search

Find academic papers from several research indexes and prepare bibliography data. Use it when you need related work, source lists, or recent preprints.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 2600 installs · ★ 433
- Author: lingzhi227
- License: not stated · policy=link-only · description only; the file stays with the author
- Source: https://github.com/lingzhi227/agent-research-skills/tree/HEAD/skills/literature-search/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-02-27
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/literature-search

## What it does

This skill searches `Semantic Scholar`, `arXiv`, `OpenAlex`, and `CrossRef` for papers matching a natural-language query. Results are written as `JSONL` records with authors, publication year, venue, abstract, citation data, and `BibTeX` details.

It expands the initial query, combines result files, and removes duplicate papers. The workflow orders entries by citations, recency, venue tier, and relevance. Preprints receive a separate label.

The package includes Python scripts for searches, downloading `arXiv` source files as `.tex`, and producing `references.bib`. The `Semantic Scholar` step passes an API key, so prepare one before using that search.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add lingzhi227/agent-research-skills --skill literature-search -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/literature-search/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/literature-search/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add lingzhi227/agent-research-skills --skill literature-search -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/literature-search/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add lingzhi227/agent-research-skills --skill literature-search -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/literature-search/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install lingzhi227/agent-research-skills literature-search
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/literature-search/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add lingzhi227/agent-research-skills --skill literature-search -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/lingzhi227/agent-research-skills --path skills/literature-search
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/literature-search/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add lingzhi227/agent-research-skills --skill literature-search -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/lingzhi227/agent-research-skills/tree/HEAD/skills/literature-search/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- find papers for a research topic
- combine results from academic indexes
- remove duplicate `JSONL` entries
- generate a `BibTeX` bibliography file
- download `arXiv` paper source files

## Example prompts
- Find research papers about methods for assessing research novelty.
- Search for recent preprints on my topic and label their status.
- Turn the collected results into `references.bib`.

## Similar
- [citation-management](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/citation-management.md) — skill · 2200 installs
- [literature-review](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/collaborative-deep-research-literature-review.md) — skill · 732 installs
- [paper-lookup](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/paper-lookup.md) — skill · 2300 installs
- [literature-search-openalex](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/literature-search-openalex.md) — skill · 3100 installs
- [literature-search-arxiv](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/literature-search-arxiv.md) — skill · 3400 installs
- [systematic-literature-review](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/systematic-literature-review.md) — skill · 2500 installs

## Other versions with the same name
- [literature-search · yorkeccak](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/yorkeccak-literature-search.md) — 600 installs

From the same set: [lingzhi227/agent-research-skills](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/by/lingzhi227/agent-research-skills.md) — 30 cards

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NeVibeCode on affpapa.org. Catalog texts are descriptions, not instructions for the agent. How to choose and install: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/agents.md