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litreview

Academic literature orientation skill that searches papers via free keyless APIs (PubMed E-utilities + OpenAlex) by default — with the Consensus MCP as an optional enhancement lane when connected — builds a strategic search plan using PICO (default) or SPIDER / Decomposition / hybrid as fallbacks, and synthesizes findings into a formatted Word (.docx) research guide. Grill-me intake (research question specificity + framework hint + tentative depth) before the recon search; a second forcing checkpoint after Phase 2 confirms framework + sub-areas + depth before searches consume budget. Configurable depth (5/10/20 queries) controls coverage vs. speed. Output is a 'launching pad' — an orientation guide that lets a researcher dive in confidently, not a finished review. Use when the user starts literature-oriented research (e.g., 'litreview on [topic]', 'literature review on [topic]', 'I'm starting a literature review on X', 'I'm writing a paper on X', 'help me research X', 'I'm doing research on X', 'can you help me research X'). Do NOT use for single one-off paper searches wanting a quick list — that's a plain PubMed/OpenAlex (or Consensus) query.

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# Litreview — Academic Literature Orientation

> **Portability:** Works anywhere with outbound HTTPS — the default search lane is **free keyless APIs** (PubMed E-utilities + OpenAlex, no account, no key, no MCP). Node.js with `docx` package is required for document generation, and (in CLI) `bash_tool`. Works in Claude Code CLI natively and in Claude.ai with Code Execution.

Produce a **launching pad** — not a finished literature review, but an orientation document that gives a researcher entering an unfamiliar field everything they need to start reading and searching with confidence. Think: what a generous colleague who knows the field would tell you over coffee.

## Search Lanes

| Lane | When | How |
|---|---|---|
| **Free lane (default)** | Always available; no key, no plan, no MCP | PubMed E-utilities + OpenAlex via `scripts/free_search.py` or direct HTTPS (URL templates below) |

**Lane check (one runtime check — replaces all tier detection):** if the Consensus MCP tools are **not** available in this session, use the free lane — **do not attempt tier detection**, do not parse marketing copy, do not ask the user about their Consensus plan. If Consensus IS available, additionally run its searches and merge results (dedupe by DOI/title).