ra-data

RA Data

Use this skill when the task is to find, inspect, query, cite, or download published research datasets. Prefer Parquet as the canonical format; CSV is an export convenience.

Discovery SOP

1. Search or list candidates.
2. Inspect metadata and coverage before downloading.
3. Preview rows and schema with head or describe.
4. Query remotely with DuckDB when only a subset is needed.
5. Download only the needed resolution/version.
6. Capture citation and source attribution in the analysis notes.

Core Commands

• mecon data list: list available datasets.
• mecon data list --search <term>: search the catalog.
• mecon data list --family <family>: filter by dataset family.
• mecon data info <slug>: show metadata, coverage, version, visibility, and citation.
• mecon data cite <slug>: print citation text.
• mecon data sample <slug>: preview a sample.
• mecon data head <slug> --rows 20: show first rows.
• mecon data describe <slug>: inspect profile, row count, columns, and stats.
• mecon data query-url <slug>: get a signed Parquet URL for DuckDB/httpfs.
• mecon data query <slug> "select ...": run a local DuckDB query against the dataset.
• mecon data download <slug> --format parquet: download canonical data.
• mecon data download <slug> --format csv: export CSV only when needed.

Use --json when another program or agent needs structured output.

Query Pattern

For analysis tasks, avoid downloading a full dataset just to inspect it:

mecon data describe <slug>
mecon data head <slug> --rows 20
mecon data query <slug> "select year, count(*) as n from data group by year order by year"

Download after the needed resolution, keys, and time range are clear.

Dataset Acceptance Checks

Before using a dataset in downstream analysis, verify:

• slug and version
• geographic coverage
• time range
• row count and column count
• merge keys
• unit of observation
• source attribution and license/citation
• whether the selected resolution matches the research question

If metadata is missing or ambiguous, do not invent it. Ask for the dataset page, source note, or maintainer clarification.

Output Guidance

When reporting dataset use, include the slug, version, downloaded/query format, date accessed, and citation. Keep user-facing language plain: "I checked the coverage and sample rows before downloading" is better than storage or endpoint details.