Conduct comprehensive, systematic literature reviews using multiple academic databases (PubMed, arXiv, bioRxiv, Semantic Scholar, etc.). This skill should be used when conducting systematic literature
Install
The skill file stays in the publisher's repository.
Paste the copied command in a terminal. It installs this SKILL.md into that agent.
npx skills add brycewang-stanford/Auto-Empirical-Research-Skills --skill literature-review -a cursor -y
Conduct comprehensive, systematic literature reviews using multiple academic databases (PubMed, arXiv, bioRxiv, Semantic Scholar, etc.). This skill should be used when conducting systematic literature reviews, meta-analyses, research synthesis, or comprehensive literature searches across biomedical, scientific, and technical domains. Creates professionally formatted markdown documents and PDFs with verified citations in multiple citation styles (APA, Nature, Vancouver, etc.).
Questions
How do I install literature-review?
Download skills/03-K-Dense-AI-claude-scientific-skills/literature-review/SKILL.md from the publisher, or copy the path and open the repository. PlugMCP lists the skill and does not host the file.
Where does literature-review live?
The publisher keeps it at https://github.com/brycewang-stanford/Auto-Empirical-Research-Skills.
Which agents can use literature-review?
Claude, Cursor, and Codex can read a SKILL.md you add from the publisher's repository.
Conduct comprehensive, systematic literature reviews using multiple academic databases (PubMed, arXiv, bioRxiv, Semantic Scholar, etc.). This skill should be used when conducting systematic literature reviews, meta-analyses, research synthesis, or comprehensive literature searches across biomedical, scientific, and technical domains. Creates professionally formatted markdown documents and PDFs with verified citations in multiple citation styles (APA, Nature, Vancouver, etc.).
name: literature-review
description: Conduct comprehensive, systematic literature reviews using multiple academic databases (PubMed, arXiv, bioRxiv, Semantic Scholar, etc.). This skill should be used when conducting systematic literature reviews, meta-analyses, research synthesis, or comprehensive literature searches across biomedical, scientific, and technical domains. Creates professionally formatted markdown documents and PDFs with verified citations in multiple citation styles (APA, Nature, Vancouver, etc.).
allowed-tools: Read Write Edit Bash
license: MIT license
metadata:
skill-author: K-Dense Inc.
Literature Review
Overview
Conduct systematic, comprehensive literature reviews following rigorous academic methodology. Search multiple literature databases, synthesize findings thematically, verify all citations for accuracy, and generate professional output documents in markdown and PDF formats.
This skill integrates with multiple scientific skills for database access (gget, bioservices, datacommons-client) and provides specialized tools for citation verification, result aggregation, and document generation.
When to Use This Skill
Use this skill when:
Conducting a systematic literature review for research or publication
Synthesizing current knowledge on a specific topic across multiple sources
Performing meta-analysis or scoping reviews
Writing the literature review section of a research paper or thesis
Investigating the state of the art in a research domain
Identifying research gaps and future directions
Requiring verified citations and professional formatting
Visual Enhancement with Scientific Schematics
⚠️ MANDATORY: Every literature review MUST include at least 1-2 AI-generated figures using the scientific-schematics skill.
This is not optional. Literature reviews without visual elements are incomplete. Before finalizing any document:
Generate at minimum ONE schematic or diagram (e.g., PRISMA flow diagram for systematic reviews)
Organize Results section by themes or research questions
Synthesize findings across multiple studies within each theme
Compare and contrast different approaches and results
Identify consensus areas and points of controversy
Highlight the strongest evidence
Example structure:
#### 3.3.1 Theme: CRISPR Delivery Methods
Multiple delivery approaches have been investigated for therapeutic
gene editing. Viral vectors (AAV) were used in 15 studies^1-15^ and
showed high transduction efficiency (65-85%) but raised immunogenicity
concerns^3,7,12^. In contrast, lipid nanoparticles demonstrated lower
efficiency (40-60%) but improved safety profiles^16-23^.
Critical Analysis:
Evaluate methodological strengths and limitations across studies
Assess quality and consistency of evidence
Identify knowledge gaps and methodological gaps
Note areas requiring future research
Write Discussion:
Interpret findings in broader context
Discuss clinical, practical, or research implications
Acknowledge limitations of the review itself
Compare with previous reviews if applicable
Propose specific future research directions
Phase 6: Citation Verification
CRITICAL: All citations must be verified for accuracy before final submission.
# Search PubMed
gget search pubmed "CRISPR gene editing" -l 100
# Search with filters
# Use PubMed Advanced Search Builder to construct complex queries
# Then execute via gget or direct Entrez API
# For PDF generation
brew install pandoc # macOS
apt-get install pandoc # Linux
# For LaTeX (PDF generation)
brew install --cask mactex # macOS
apt-get install texlive-xetex # Linux
Check dependencies:
python scripts/generate_pdf.py --check-deps
Summary
This literature-review skill provides:
Systematic methodology following academic best practices
Multi-database integration via existing scientific skills
Citation verification ensuring accuracy and credibility
Professional output in markdown and PDF formats
Comprehensive guidance covering the entire review process
Quality assurance with verification and validation tools
Reproducibility through detailed documentation requirements
Conduct thorough, rigorous literature reviews that meet academic standards and provide comprehensive synthesis of current knowledge in any domain.
How do I install literature-review?
Download skills/03-K-Dense-AI-claude-scientific-skills/literature-review/SKILL.md from the publisher, or copy the path and open the repository. PlugMCP lists the skill and does not host the file.
Where does literature-review live?
The publisher keeps it at https://github.com/brycewang-stanford/Auto-Empirical-Research-Skills.
Which agents can use literature-review?
Claude, Cursor, and Codex can read a SKILL.md you add from the publisher's repository.