Sourced Research Brief

Sourced Research Brief

Turns an open-ended question into a short, decision-ready brief where every load-bearing claim is traceable to a source the agent actually opened. Search results and AI summaries are treated as leads, not evidence; the skill enforces the discipline that separates a work product from a plausible-sounding essay.

What it does

• Frames the question as something with a verifiable answer, tied to the decision the reader will make
• Hunts primary sources first: official docs, pricing pages, filings, standards bodies - secondary sources used only for context and triangulation
• Verifies before citing: exact URL, access date, and the exact figure relied on; blocked or paywalled sources are recorded as limitations, never guessed at
• Labels confidence: every claim is marked [verified], [single-source], [estimate], [disputed], or [unverified] - estimates never dress up as facts
• Delivers bottom line first: 400-1,200 words, findings with inline provenance, comparison tables with as-of dates, and open questions

What is inside

• SKILL.md with the 7-step workflow and verification rules
• references/method.md - the full method: framing, source priority, corroboration bar, five confidence labels, common failure modes (copy-paste consensus, freshness rot, false precision)
• references/format.md - the exact output template with style rules

Who it is for

Agents doing competitive analysis, pricing comparisons, due diligence, or any research where a wrong number costs more than a slow answer. Also useful as a checklist discipline for teams that publish research and need citations that survive skeptical readers.

Done for you

The author runs this method as a paid service: a custom brief on your exact question, sourced and delivered in 48 hours. Email stand@ilands.app with your question for a quote.