🇺🇸English
Web Search Skill
Overview
I help you formulate effective web search queries and strategies to find the information you need. I can optimize search queries, suggest alternative approaches, evaluate sources, and synthesize findings.
What I can do:
- Formulate optimized search queries
- Suggest search operators and techniques
- Recommend specialized search engines
- Analyze and evaluate search results
- Identify reliable sources
- Synthesize information from multiple sources
What I cannot do:
- Execute actual web searches (need external tools)
- Access real-time search results
- Access paywalled content
- Guarantee source accuracy
How to Use Me
Step 1: Describe Your Information Need
Tell me:
- What you're trying to find
- Why you need this information
- What you've already tried
- Any constraints (time period, source type, language)
Step 2: Get Search Strategy
I'll provide:
- Optimized search queries
- Alternative query formulations
- Recommended search engines/tools
- Search operators to use
Step 3: Evaluate Results
If you share results, I can:
- Assess source reliability
- Extract key information
- Identify gaps
- Suggest follow-up searches
Search Query Optimization
Google Search Operators
| Operator | Usage | Example |
|---|
"exact phrase" | Exact match | "climate change policy" |
site: | Search within site | site:reddit.com AI tools |
filetype: | Find specific files | filetype:pdf annual report |
-word |
Query Formulation Techniques
1. Start Broad, Then Narrow
Broad: electric vehicles
Narrow: electric vehicle battery technology 2024
More narrow: solid-state battery EV range comparison 2024
2. Use Synonyms and Variations
Original: AI writing tools
Variations:
- artificial intelligence writing software
- AI content generator
- machine learning writing assistant
- GPT writing tool
3. Question-Based Queries
How: "how to implement SSO"
What: "what is zero trust security"
Why: "why companies use kubernetes"
Best: "best practices API design"
Compare: "AWS vs Azure vs GCP comparison"
4. Source-Specific Queries
Academic: site:edu OR site:ac.uk [topic]
Government: site:gov [topic]
News: [topic] site:reuters.com OR site:bbc.com
Forum: [topic] site:reddit.com OR site:stackoverflow.com
Specialized Search Engines
| Search Engine | Best For | URL |
|---|
| Google Scholar | Academic papers | scholar.google.com |
| Semantic Scholar | AI-powered paper search | semanticscholar.org |
| PubMed | Medical/biomedical | pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov |
| arXiv | Preprints (CS, physics) | arxiv.org |
| Perplexity | AI-powered research | perplexity.ai |
| Wolfram Alpha | Computations, data | wolframalpha.com |
| Statista | Statistics | statista.com |
| Crunchbase | Company data | crunchbase.com |
| Product Hunt | New products | producthunt.com |
| GitHub |
Source Evaluation Framework
CRAAP Test
| Criterion | Questions to Ask |
|---|
| Currency | When was it published? Updated? |
| Relevance | Does it relate to your topic? Audience? |
| Authority | Who is the author? Credentials? |
| Accuracy | Is it supported by evidence? Verifiable? |
| Purpose | Why was it written? Bias? |
Source Reliability Tiers
| Tier | Source Type | Reliability |
|---|
| Tier 1 | Peer-reviewed journals, official statistics | Highest |
| Tier 2 | Quality news (Reuters, AP), industry reports | High |
| Tier 3 | Company blogs, trade publications | Medium |
| Tier 4 | Social media, forums, wikis | Verify required |
| Tier 5 | Anonymous sources, content farms | Low |
Output Format
# Web Search Strategy: [Topic]
**Information Need**: [What you're looking for]
**Search Date**: [Date]
---
## Recommended Search Queries
### Primary Query
[Optimized search query with operators]
**Rationale**: [Why this query works]
### Alternative Queries
1. `[Alternative query 1]`
- Use when: [Scenario]
2. `[Alternative query 2]`
- Use when: [Scenario]
3. `[Alternative query 3]`
- Use when: [Scenario]
---
## Recommended Search Engines
| Engine | Why | Query Modification |
|--------|-----|-------------------|
| [Engine 1] | [Reason] | [Any modifications] |
| [Engine 2] | [Reason] | [Any modifications] |
---
## Search Strategy
### Step 1: [First search approach]
- Query: `[query]`
- Expected results: [What to look for]
### Step 2: [Second search approach]
- Query: `[query]`
- Expected results: [What to look for]
### Step 3: [Third search approach]
- Query: `[query]`
- Expected results: [What to look for]
---
## Expected Source Types
| Source Type | What to Look For |
|-------------|-----------------|
| [Type 1] | [Specifics] |
| [Type 2] | [Specifics] |
---
## Verification Strategy
1. [How to verify finding 1]
2. [How to verify finding 2]
---
## Potential Challenges
- [Challenge 1]: [How to address]
- [Challenge 2]: [How to address]
---
*Use multiple sources and cross-reference findings for accuracy.*
Example Use Cases
Case 1: Finding Recent Statistics
Need : Latest global EV sales figures Strategy :
Query: global electric vehicle sales 2024 statistics
Operators: after:2024-01-01 (filetype:pdf OR site:statista.com)
Sources: IEA, Bloomberg NEF, industry reports
Case 2: Technical How-To
Need : How to implement OAuth 2.0 Strategy :
Query: "OAuth 2.0" implementation tutorial
Site-specific: site:stackoverflow.com OR site:auth0.com
Filter: Look for official docs, recent posts
Case 3: Competitive Intelligence
Need : Information about a competitor's product Strategy :
Query: "[Company name]" product launch OR announcement
Sources: Press releases, news, Product Hunt
Social: site:twitter.com OR site:linkedin.com "[Company]"
Tips for Better Results
- Start with the end in mind - know what type of answer you need
- Use quotes for exact phrases
- Combine operators for precision
- Try multiple query variations
- Check source dates - information expires
- Cross-reference findings across sources
- Use specialized engines for specific content types
Limitations
- Cannot execute actual searches
- Cannot access real-time results
- Cannot access paywalled content
- Search engines change their algorithms
- Results vary by location and personalization
Built by the Claude Office Skills community. Contributions welcome!
Weekly Installs
27
Repository
claude-office-s…s/skills
GitHub Stars
5
First Seen
1 day ago
Security Audits
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Installed on
claude-code23
gemini-cli7
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