Deep Research

Create high-fidelity research reports with strict format control, evidence mapping, and multi-pass synthesis.

Quick Start

Clarify the report spec and format contract
Build a research plan and query set
Collect evidence with the deepresearch tool (multi-pass if needed)
Triage sources and build an evidence table
Draft the full report in multiple complete passes (parallel subagents)
UNION merge, enforce format compliance, verify citations
Present draft for human review and iterate

Core Workflow

Copy this checklist and track progress:

Deep Research Progress:
- [ ] Step 1: Intake and format contract
- [ ] Step 2: Research plan and query set
- [ ] Step 3: Evidence collection (deepresearch tool)
- [ ] Step 4: Source triage and evidence table
- [ ] Step 5: Outline and section map
- [ ] Step 6: Multi-pass full drafting (parallel subagents)
- [ ] Step 7: UNION merge and format compliance
- [ ] Step 8: Evidence and citation verification
- [ ] Step 9: Present draft for human review and iterate

Step 1: Intake and Format Contract

Establish the report requirements before any research:

Confirm audience, purpose, scope, time range, and geography
Lock output format: Markdown, DOCX, slides, or user-provided template
Capture required sections and exact formatting rules
Confirm citation style (footnotes, inline, numbered, APA, etc.)
Confirm length targets per section
Ask for any existing style guide or sample report

Create a concise report spec file:

Report Spec:
- Audience:
- Purpose:
- Scope:
- Time Range:
- Geography:
- Required Sections:
- Section Formatting Rules:
- Citation Style:
- Output Format:
- Length Targets:
- Tone:
- Must-Include Sources:
- Must-Exclude Topics:

If a user provides a template or an example report, treat it as a hard constraint and mirror the structure.

Step 2: Research Plan and Query Set

Define the research strategy before calling tools:

Break the main question into 3-7 subquestions
Define key entities, keywords, and synonyms
Identify primary sources vs secondary sources
Define disqualifiers (outdated, low quality, opinion-only)
Assemble a query set per section

Use references/research_plan_checklist.md for guidance.

Step 3: Evidence Collection (Deepresearch Tool)

Use the deepresearch tool to collect evidence and citations.

Run multiple complete passes if coverage is uncertain
Vary query phrasing to reduce blind spots
Preserve raw tool output in files for traceability

File structure (recommended):

<output_dir>/research/<topic-name>/
  deepresearch_pass1.md
  deepresearch_pass2.md
  deepresearch_pass3.md

If deepresearch is unavailable, rely on user-provided sources only and state limitations explicitly.

Step 4: Source Triage and Evidence Table

Normalize and score sources before drafting:

De-duplicate sources across passes
Score sources using references/source_quality_rubric.md
Build an evidence table mapping claims to sources

Evidence table minimum columns:

Source ID
Title
Publisher
Date
URL or reference
Quality tier (A/B/C)
Notes

Step 5: Outline and Section Map

Create an outline that enforces the format contract:

Use the template in references/research_report_template.md
Produce a section map with required elements per section
Confirm ordering and headings match the report spec

Step 6: Multi-Pass Full Drafting (Parallel Subagents)

Avoid single-pass drafting; generate multiple complete reports, then merge.

Preferred Strategy: Parallel Subagents (Complete Draft Each)

Use the Task tool to spawn parallel subagents with isolated context. Each subagent must:

Load the report spec, outline, and evidence table
Draft the FULL report (all sections)
Enforce formatting rules and citation style

Implementation pattern:

Task(subagent_type="general-purpose", prompt="Draft complete report ...", run_in_background=false) -> version1.md
Task(subagent_type="general-purpose", prompt="Draft complete report ...", run_in_background=false) -> version2.md
Task(subagent_type="general-purpose", prompt="Draft complete report ...", run_in_background=false) -> version3.md

Write drafts to files, not conversation context:

<output_dir>/intermediate/<topic-name>/version1.md
<output_dir>/intermediate/<topic-name>/version2.md
<output_dir>/intermediate/<topic-name>/version3.md

Step 7: UNION Merge and Format Compliance

Merge using UNION, never remove content without evidence-based justification:

Keep all unique findings from all versions
Consolidate duplicates while preserving the most detailed phrasing
Ensure every claim in the merged draft has a cited source
Enforce the exact section order, headings, and formatting
Re-run formatting rules from references/formatting_rules.md

Step 8: Evidence and Citation Verification

Verify traceability:

Every numeric claim has at least one source
Every recommendation references supporting evidence
No orphan claims without citations
Dates and time ranges are consistent
Conflicts are explicitly called out with both sources

Use references/completeness_review_checklist.md.

Step 9: Present Draft for Human Review and Iterate

Present the draft as a reviewable version:

Emphasize that format compliance and factual accuracy need human review
Accept edits to format, structure, and scope
If the user provides another AI output, cross-compare and UNION merge

Output Requirements

Match the requested language and tone
Preserve technical terms in English
Respect the report spec and formatting rules
Include a references section or bibliography

Reference Files

File	When to Load
research_report_template.md	Build outline and draft structure
formatting_rules.md	Enforce section formatting and citation rules
source_quality_rubric.md	Score and triage sources
research_plan_checklist.md	Build research plan and query set
completeness_review_checklist.md	Review for coverage, citations, and compliance

Anti-Patterns

Single-pass drafting without parallel complete passes
Splitting passes by section instead of full report drafts
Ignoring the format contract or user template
Claims without citations or evidence table mapping
Mixing conflicting dates without calling out discrepancies
Copying external AI output without verification
Deleting intermediate drafts or raw research outputs

deep-research