---
name: academic-research
description: Search academic papers, scholarly articles, and research publications through SandBase. Use when asked for literature review, academic citations, scholarly research, paper discovery, or scientific evidence gathering.
---

# Academic Research

Academic paper search and research synthesis through SandBase. Find scholarly articles, search across academic databases, and get AI-powered explanations of findings. Read [the API map](references/sandbase-api-map.md) before selecting a capability.

## Call SandBase capabilities

Use the capability identifiers below as discovery hints, not MCP tool names. Find the matching endpoint with `sandbase_discover(q: "<provider and capability>")`; use its returned `name` in `sandbase_inspect(name: "<returned name>")`. Read `inputSchema`, pricing, and `execute_as`, then call `sandbase_run` using `execute_as.arguments.name` and schema-defined `arguments`. If a `run_id` is returned, poll `sandbase_run_get(run_id: "<returned run_id>")` within the task budget until `completed` or `failed`; report pending or failed runs without resubmitting them automatically.

## Operating principles

- Distinguish peer-reviewed sources from preprints and working papers.
- Cite papers with title, authors, year, and source.
- Use academic search for evidence-based claims; use web search for current context.
- Note publication recency — older papers may not reflect current consensus.

## Workflow

### 1. Search academic literature

Use `scholar_search_scholar` for pure academic/scholarly results.
Use `scholar_search_web` for broader web-inclusive academic search.
Use `scholar_search_mixed` for combined academic + web results (best default).

### 2. Analyze and explain

Use `scholar_explain` to get AI-powered confidence-scored explanations of research findings.

## Output

Return: paper citations (title, authors, year, source), key findings, methodology notes, evidence strength, and research gaps.

## Example tasks

- "Find recent academic papers about [topic] published in the last 2 years."
- "What does the research say about [question]? Cite the key studies."
- "Find papers comparing [approach A] vs [approach B] in [field]."
- "Literature review on [topic] — give me the top 10 papers with summaries."
- "What's the current scientific consensus on [claim]?"