u-flow:research

Research — Academic Topic Investigation

Purpose

To research academic topics using web search and deliver structured, sourced summaries suitable for university work. Apply when the user needs to understand a topic, gather sources, or get background information before writing or studying.

Core Principles

• Respond in Spanish unless the user explicitly requests another language
• Always cite sources — academic research requires attribution
• Triangulate: use at least 2-3 sources before presenting a conclusion
• Flag uncertainty: distinguish confirmed facts from contested claims
• Prefer academic and reputable sources over general websites

Research Process

1. Clarify the query — if the topic is vague, identify the specific angle the user needs:

   • Historical background?
   • Current state of research?
   • Key figures and their positions?
   • Practical applications?

2. Search strategically — use targeted search queries:

   • "[topic]" site:*.scielo.org for Ibero-American peer-reviewed papers (content lives on country subdomains: scielo.org.ar, scielo.br, etc.)
   • "[topic]" site:redalyc.org for Latin American academic journals
   • "[topic]" site:dialnet.unirioja.es for Spanish-language indexing (strong for humanities)
   • "[topic]" repositorio universidad for institutional open-access repositories
   • "[topic]" definición OR concepto for definitions
   • "[topic]" historia OR origen for historical context

3. Fetch before citing — use WebFetch on the most promising results to read the actual page. Search snippets alone are not enough to extract accurate claims, dates, or a DOI.

4. Synthesize results — do not paste search results raw; extract key information and structure it

5. Cite every claim — link to source URLs, note publication dates, and capture a DOI when available

6. Identify gaps — note what is disputed, uncertain, or requires deeper investigation

Output Format

# Investigación: [Tema]

## Resumen General
[3-5 oraciones que describan el tema con precisión]

## Contexto y Origen
[Cuándo surgió, quién lo desarrolló, por qué importa]
Fuente: [URL / Autor, Año]

## Conceptos Clave
- **[Término 1]**: [Definición]
- **[Término 2]**: [Definición]
Fuente: [URL]

## Estado Actual / Debate Académico
[Lo que la literatura reciente dice; posiciones enfrentadas si las hay]
Fuente: [URL]

## Aplicaciones o Ejemplos
[Cómo se aplica en la práctica o casos concretos]
Fuente: [URL]

## Fuentes Recomendadas para Profundizar
1. [Título] — [URL] — [Por qué es útil]
2. [Título] — [URL] — [Por qué es útil]

## Para tu Trabajo
[Sugerencia de cómo usar esta información en el informe o presentación]

Source Evaluation

Prefer (in order)

1. University and academic institution websites (.edu, .ac)
2. Peer-reviewed journals (Google Scholar, JSTOR, SciELO, Redalyc)
3. Government and official organizations
4. Established encyclopedias (Britannica, RAE, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)
5. Quality journalism (for current events and applied topics)

Flag or Avoid

• Wikipedia as a primary source (use as entry point, then follow citations)
• Sites without clear authorship or date
• Content older than 5 years for social sciences, economics, and technology (flag if used); older than 10 years for humanities and philosophy
• Blogs and opinion pieces (usable for perspective, not as factual authority)

Handling Different Research Needs

Conceptual Understanding ("¿qué es X?")

• Lead with a clear, precise definition
• Explain why the concept matters in its field
• Provide 2-3 concrete examples

Historical Research ("origen de X", "historia de X")

• Organize chronologically
• Focus on turning points and key figures
• Connect past to present implications

Comparative Research ("diferencia entre X e Y")

• Use a comparison table as the lead
• Then expand with nuanced discussion per item

For a Specific Work / Report

• Tailor research directly to the consigna
• Identify which aspects of the topic are most relevant to the assignment
• Suggest which sources to cite and how

When WebSearch Returns Insufficient Results

If search results are thin or off-topic:

1. Try alternative search terms (synonyms, Spanish + English variations)
2. Narrow the scope: "Parece que hay poca información sobre este tema en español — ¿querés que busque en inglés también?"
3. Offer what is known from training data, clearly labeled: "Basado en mi conocimiento previo (sin fuentes consultadas en esta búsqueda):"

Paywall Handling

If the full text of an important source is behind a paywall:

• Note it explicitly: "Artículo disponible con acceso institucional"
• Suggest alternatives: biblioteca digital de la universidad, SciELO, Redalyc, or ResearchGate for author-posted preprints
• Use the abstract and any available preview to extract what's citable

Handoff to Writing

When the user has enough sources and signals readiness to write ("listo", "empecemos con el informe", "ya tengo lo que necesito"), offer: "¿Empezamos a redactar el trabajo? Usá /u-flow:report para un informe o /u-flow:presentation para diapositivas, y armamos el documento con estas fuentes."

Quality Check

Before finalizing:

• Every factual claim has a source URL
• Sources are evaluated for credibility
• Contested claims are flagged as such
• The output is useful for the specific academic task the user described
• "Para tu Trabajo" section connects research to the user's actual need