Where does the skill store my research data?

Data is stored in a structured directory (lit-search/ or a custom project path) containing JSON databases, markdown summaries, and BibTeX files, all tracked via git for version control.

What is citation snowballing in this skill?

Snowballing identifies additional relevant papers by automatically retrieving the references (backward) and citing works (forward) of your included papers.

How does the AI assist in the screening process?

Claude analyzes titles and abstracts to suggest classifications—Include, Borderline, or Exclude—based on your criteria, then presents borderline cases for your final decision.

Can I export my research findings to a citation manager?

Yes, the skill automatically generates a canonical BibTeX (.bib) file that is fully compatible with Zotero, Mendeley, and other major citation managers.

Does this skill require an API key for OpenAlex?

No, the lit-search skill uses the OpenAlex API, which is free and does not require authentication for basic academic use cases.

Systematic Literature Search

Name: Systematic Literature Search
Author: nealcaren

bynealcaren

•

Ciencia de Datos y ML

Automates systematic literature reviews for sociology and academic research using the OpenAlex API and structured screening workflows.

This skill transforms Claude into a specialized research assistant for building comprehensive, reproducible literature databases. It guides researchers through a rigorous seven-phase process—from defining the scope and querying the OpenAlex API to citation snowballing, full-text acquisition, and thematic synthesis. By combining LLM-assisted screening with human expertise, it ensures a high-quality corpus while automating the tedious tasks of deduplication, metadata extraction, and BibTeX generation, making it an essential tool for sociologists and social science researchers.

Características Principales

01Structured multi-phase workflow covering scope definition, screening, and synthesis.

023 GitHub stars

03Automated LLM-assisted paper screening with transparent inclusion and exclusion logic.

04Citation network expansion via integrated backward and forward snowballing techniques.

05Standardized exports including JSON databases, BibTeX files, and annotated bibliographies.

06OpenAlex API integration for accessing over 250 million scholarly works without authentication.

Casos de Uso

01Conducting a systematic literature review for a sociology thesis or academic dissertation.

02Generating a thematic synthesis and bibliography for peer-reviewed journal submissions.

03Building a comprehensive, queryable reading list for new academic research projects.

What are Skills?·How to Install

Install with 🐟 Skill.Fish

npx skillfish add nealcaren/sociology-skillset lit-search

For use in Claude.ai and ChatGPT

Download Skill