literature-search-openalex

Query the OpenAlex scholarly database for papers, authors, and institutions.

269|20|Updated Jun 13, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/NeuroAIHub/BrainPilot --skill literature-search-openalex-neuroaihub
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: literature-search-openalex
Source: https://github.com/NeuroAIHub/BrainPilot/tree/main/packages/skills/skills/17_Literature_Databases/literature-search-openalex
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/NeuroAIHub/BrainPilot --skill literature-search-openalex-neuroaihub

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill requires polite-http, python-dotenv, and includes scripts (resource) and references (resource) components.

What problem does it solve?

This skill solves the challenge of manually searching, filtering, and retrieving academic literature by providing a direct, programmatic interface to the OpenAlex scholarly database.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • Scholarly Discovery: Search for papers, authors, institutions, and research topics using advanced filters.
  • Bibliometric Analysis: Aggregate citation counts, h-indices, and impact factors for research evaluation.
  • Use Case: A researcher can use this skill to resolve an author's name to their unique ID, filter their top-cited works from the last five years, and download the available open-access PDFs for a literature review.

Quick Start

Use the literature-search-openalex skill to resolve the author name Geoffrey Hinton and filter his works by citation count in descending order.

Frequently Asked Questions about literature-search-openalex

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I query the OpenAlex database for academic literature programmatically?▼

You can query the OpenAlex database programmatically by using this skill to retrieve research papers, author profiles, and institutional data through complex filtering and bibliometric aggregation.

Can I download open-access PDFs automatically during a literature search?▼

Yes, automated PDF retrieval is supported during a literature search to fetch available open-access PDFs, streamlining academic research workflows and literature reviews.

How do I calculate bibliometric aggregations like h-index and citation counts for authors?▼

You can calculate bibliometric aggregations like h-index and citation counts by querying the OpenAlex scholarly database to aggregate impact factors and citation data for research evaluation.

Do I need python-dotenv and polite-http to search scholarly research papers?▼

Yes, you need the polite-http and python-dotenv libraries to manage API interactions and environment configurations when searching scholarly research papers through OpenAlex.

What's the best way to filter an author's top-cited works from recent years?▼

The best way to filter an author's top-cited works is to resolve their name to a unique ID, apply citation count filters in descending order, and restrict the publication date to recent years.

Are there limitations when filtering research topics in OpenAlex?▼

Filtering research topics in OpenAlex is limited by the API's query capabilities and requires proper environment configuration using python-dotenv to manage API interactions reliably.