Research Methods

Comprehensive standards for conducting research, evaluating sources, and presenting information in clear, well-formatted responses.

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when:

• •Researching documentation for tools, frameworks, or APIs
• •Gathering information from multiple sources
• •Synthesizing findings into coherent responses
• •Creating reference materials
• •Answering questions requiring external information
• •Building knowledge bases

Key Principles

1. •Ask before researching - Clarify ambiguous queries before starting
2. •Prioritize official sources - Documentation over tutorials, primary over secondary
3. •Track all sources - Maintain attribution for every piece of information
4. •Match format to need - Simple questions get simple answers, complex get detailed
5. •Accuracy over speed - Cross-reference critical information
6. •User-focused presentation - Scannable, organized, actionable

Response Type Selection

Simple Response

Use when:

• •Single, specific question
• •How-to query with clear scope
• •Quick reference lookup
• •Command syntax or parameter info
• •Definition or concept explanation
• •User wants fast answer

Template:

# [Concise Title]

[Direct answer to the question]

[Code example if applicable]

## Sources
- [URL] - [Description]

Example questions:

• •"How do I amend a git commit?"
• •"What is the Stop hook in Claude Code?"
• •"How to use WebFetch tool?"

Detailed Response

Use when:

• •Broad, exploratory question
• •Request mentions "comprehensive", "all", "detailed"
• •Time estimate provided ("5 min intro", "quick overview")
• •Multiple related concepts
• •Comparative analysis
• •Building reference material

Template:

# [Descriptive Title]

[Executive summary - 2-3 sentences providing overview]

## Overview
[Context and background]

## [Topic Section 1]
[Detailed information]

## [Topic Section 2]
[Detailed information]

## Key Takeaways
- [Point 1]
- [Point 2]
- [Point 3]

## Sources
- [URL] - [Description]

Example questions:

• •"Research all available hooks in Claude Code"
• •"Give me a comprehensive overview of git workflows"
• •"Explain React hooks and when to use them"

Research Process

1. Clarification Phase

Before starting research:

• •Identify ambiguities in the query
• •Ask specific clarifying questions
• •Don't assume user intent
• •Use AskUserQuestion tool for multiple clarifications

Examples of good clarifications:

• •"Are you asking about React library hooks or Claude Code hooks?"
• •"Do you want a quick reference or detailed explanation?"
• •"Which version are you using?"

2. Source Selection

Priority order:

Tier 1: Official Documentation

• •https://code.claude.com/docs/** - Claude Code docs
• •https://github.com/** - Official repositories
• •https://gist.github.com/** - Official gists
• •Tool/framework official documentation sites

Tier 2: Community Resources

• •Stack Overflow (for specific problems)
• •Technical blogs (recent, authoritative)
• •Tutorial sites (well-maintained)

Tier 3: General Web

• •General search results
• •Use only when Tier 1-2 insufficient
• •Verify information quality carefully

3. Information Gathering

For each source:

1. •Read thoroughly
2. •Extract relevant information
3. •Note source URL and description
4. •Identify key points
5. •Check publication date/relevance

Cross-referencing:

• •Verify critical facts across 2+ sources
• •Note version-specific information
• •Flag contradictions for investigation
• •Prefer recent over outdated

4. Synthesis

Organize information:

• •Group related concepts
• •Order from general to specific
• •Identify patterns and relationships
• •Extract key takeaways

Quality checks:

• •Is it accurate?
• •Is it complete for the query?
• •Is it clearly presented?
• •Are sources properly attributed?

Formatting Standards

Markdown Structure

Headers:

• •H1 (#) - Title only
• •H2 (##) - Major sections
• •H3 (###) - Subsections if needed
• •Keep hierarchy shallow (max 3 levels)

Code blocks:

# Always specify language
# Include comments for clarity

Lists:

• •Use bullets for unordered items
• •Use numbers for sequential steps
• •Keep items parallel in structure
• •One idea per bullet point

Emphasis:

• •Bold for key terms and important points
• •Italic sparingly for subtle emphasis
• •Code font for technical terms, commands, file names

Source Attribution

Format:

## Sources
- [URL] - [Brief description of what info came from this source]

Best practices:

• •List in order of importance/relevance
• •Keep descriptions concise (5-10 words)
• •Include official docs first
• •Don't duplicate similar sources

Example:

## Sources
- https://code.claude.com/docs/hooks - Hook events and configuration
- https://github.com/example/repo/docs - Implementation examples
- https://blog.example.com/hooks-guide - Best practices guide

Template Usage

Simple Response Template

Structure:

1. •Title (clear, specific)
2. •Direct answer (1-3 paragraphs)
3. •Code example (if applicable)
4. •Sources (2-4 typically)

Length: 100-300 words plus code examples

Tone: Direct, practical, focused

Detailed Response Template

Structure:

1. •Title (descriptive, comprehensive)
2. •Executive summary (2-3 sentences)
3. •Overview section (context/background)
4. •Topic sections (2-5 sections, organized logically)
5. •Key takeaways (3-5 bullet points)
6. •Sources (5-10 typically)

Length: 500-1500 words

Tone: Comprehensive, educational, organized

Quality Standards

Accuracy

• •Cross-reference critical information
• •Note version-specific details
• •Flag assumptions or uncertainties
• •Prefer official sources

Completeness

• •Answer the actual question asked
• •Include necessary context
• •Provide examples when helpful
• •Cover edge cases if relevant

Clarity

• •Use simple, direct language
• •Define technical terms
• •Organize information logically
• •Make content scannable

Attribution

• •Cite every source used
• •Track where information came from
• •Describe what each source contributed
• •Link to original documentation

Error Handling

Insufficient Information

I found limited information about [topic]. Based on available sources:
[Present what was found]

This might indicate:
- Recent/unreleased feature
- Deprecated functionality
- Different terminology

Would you like me to search with alternative terms?

Contradictory Sources

I found conflicting information:
- Source A: [X]
- Source B: [Y]

This appears to be due to [version/context/timing].
The most current information suggests: [recommendation]

No Results

I couldn't find reliable sources for [topic].

Could you:
- Verify the terminology?
- Provide more context?
- Specify the tool/version?

Related Files

• •templates.md - Detailed template examples with full samples
• •search-strategies.md - Advanced search techniques per domain
• •source-evaluation.md - Criteria for assessing source quality