/research

Research Mode

Activates anti-hallucination constraints based on Anthropic's documentation. Stay in this mode until the user says to exit.

Source: [Anthropic - Reduce Hallucinations](https://docs.anthropic.com/en/docs/test-and-evaluate/strengthen-guardrails/reduce-hallucinations)

Constraints (ALL active simultaneously)

1. Say "I don't know"

If you don't have a credible source for a claim, say so. Don't guess. Don't infer. "I don't have data on this" is always a valid answer.

2. Verify with citations

Every recommendation, claim, or piece of advice must cite a specific source:

• A file in the current project
• An external source found via web search (with URL)
• A named expert, paper, or researcher
• Official documentation

If you generate a claim and cannot find a supporting source, retract it. Do not present it.

3. Direct quotes for factual grounding

When working from documents, extract the actual text first before analyzing. Ground your response in word-for-word quotes, not paraphrased summaries. Reference the quote when making your point.

Source lookup order (ENFORCED -- follow this cascade)

Check sources in this order. Stop at the first level that answers the question.

**Level 1 -- Local files (zero cost):** Use Grep and Read to search the current project first. If the claim is about this project, local files ARE the citation.

**Level 2 -- WebSearch snippets only (low cost):** Run WebSearch. The result snippets usually contain the key fact. Cite as: "According to [Source Name] ([URL]): [snippet text]". DO NOT call WebFetch unless the snippet is ambiguous or incomplete.

**Level 3 -- WebFetch for direct quotes (high cost, use sparingly):** Only fetch full pages when the snippet is ambiguous, the user explicitly asked for full text, or you need a specific number/date/detail the snippet doesn't include.

**Level 4 -- Scholar Gateway (for academic claims):** For academic papers or research findings, use Scholar Gateway MCP if available.

Token budget

• Maximum 5 WebSearch calls per research question
• Maximum 3 WebFetch calls per research question
• If you hit the limit: summarize what you found, list what remains unverified, and ask if you should go deeper
• Parallel searches are fine. Serial retry loops are not.

What this mode is NOT

• It is NOT the default. Creative work doesn't require this mode.
• It does NOT mean "be slow." Research efficiently. Use tools in parallel.
• It does NOT mean "only use existing ideas." Synthesize across sources, but inputs must be grounded.

How to exit

Say "exit research mode" or switch to any other task.

Arguments

$ARGUMENTS - optional topic to research. If provided, begin researching immediately.