paper-lookup

Search scholarly databases by topic, identifiers, authors, or citations via REST APIs.

4|Updated Mar 2, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/shushuzn/Rairos --skill paper-lookup-shushuzn
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: paper-lookup
Source: https://github.com/shushuzn/Rairos/tree/main/skills/paper-lookup
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/shushuzn/Rairos --skill paper-lookup-shushuzn

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill includes references (resource) components.

What problem does it solve?

Paper Lookup eliminates the time-consuming task of locating relevant academic articles by automatically searching multiple scholarly databases and returning the underlying API results for transparency.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • Multi-database paper discovery: Searches PubMed, PMC (full text), bioRxiv, medRxiv, arXiv, OpenAlex, Crossref, Semantic Scholar, CORE, and Unpaywall to cover both metadata and open-access/full-text needs.
  • Identifier-aware lookups: Handles DOI, PMID, PMCID, arXiv IDs, OpenAlex IDs, and Semantic Scholar IDs to support targeted citation/DOI queries and cross-referencing.
  • Cross-database workflows: Combines services (e.g., Crossref + Semantic Scholar + Unpaywall) to return comprehensive “everything about a paper” results with OA PDF links when available.
  • Expected output for downstream use: Always returns the raw JSON (or Atom/XML for arXiv) plus a list of databases queried and endpoints used, including explicit “no results” reporting.

Quick Start

Use paper-lookup to find papers about “CRISPR gene therapy” and return the raw API responses for each database searched.

Frequently Asked Questions about paper-lookup

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

FAQPage Schema
How do I search for open access PDFs across multiple scholarly databases?▼

To find open access PDFs across scholarly databases, query platforms like OpenAlex, Unpaywall, and CORE to retrieve metadata and detect available full-text links for relevant papers.

Can I convert a PMID to a PMCID and retrieve the full citation metadata?▼

Yes, identifier-aware lookups support converting PMID to PMCID by querying PubMed and PMC, allowing you to retrieve comprehensive citation metadata and full-text records.

Does Crossref work with Unpaywall to find everything about a specific paper?▼

Crossref works with Unpaywall and Semantic Scholar to provide comprehensive cross-database workflows, returning raw JSON metadata alongside open-access PDF links for a specific paper.

What is the best way to execute a literature review using arXiv and Semantic Scholar?▼

For a literature review using arXiv and Semantic Scholar, execute REST API calls to gather raw JSON or Atom/XML responses, capturing citation graphs and topic-specific metadata.

How are empty results handled when querying academic search APIs?▼

When querying academic search APIs, empty results are explicitly reported without omission, ensuring transparent records of queried databases, endpoints used, and response statuses.

Do I need API keys to perform DOI lookups across PubMed and bioRxiv?▼

To perform DOI lookups across PubMed and bioRxiv, the process executes REST API calls with correct identifier formatting and applies rate-limit-aware retry and error recovery protocols.