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Academic Research
by
rogerSuperBuilderAlpha
· GitHub ↗
· v1.0.0
4639
Downloads
3
Stars
32
Active Installs
1
Versions
Install in OpenClaw
/install academic-research
Description
Search academic papers and conduct literature reviews using OpenAlex API (free, no key needed). Use when the user needs to find scholarly papers by topic/aut...
Usage Guidance
Install this if you are comfortable sending academic queries, author names, and DOIs to OpenAlex or Unpaywall. Use ordinary project-local output filenames, avoid writing to configuration or system paths, and clear /tmp/litreview_cache on shared machines or for sensitive research topics.
Capability Analysis
Type: OpenClaw Skill
Name: academic-research
Version: 1.0.0
The skill's core functionality aligns with its stated purpose of academic research using OpenAlex and Unpaywall APIs. However, the `scripts/literature-review.py` script contains a significant file write vulnerability. The `--output` argument allows writing the generated literature review to an arbitrary file path (`Path(args.output).write_text(output)`). If an attacker can control this argument (e.g., via prompt injection against the OpenClaw agent), they could write to sensitive system files or user configuration files, potentially leading to privilege escalation or persistence. This is a critical vulnerability, but not evidence of intentional malice within the script itself.
Capability Assessment
Purpose & Capability
The SKILL.md and scripts consistently implement academic search, DOI lookup, citation lookup, open-access URL retrieval, and literature review generation using OpenAlex and Unpaywall.
Instruction Scope
Commands are user-directed examples, but the trigger text includes broad phrases like research synthesis and scholarly reference gathering, so users should invoke it only for academic or paper-focused work.
Install Mechanism
There is no install spec or declared dependency list even though the helper scripts require Python and the requests package.
Credentials
Network requests to OpenAlex and Unpaywall, optional review output files, and a temporary cache are proportionate for the stated research purpose, but research queries and DOIs leave the local environment.
Persistence & Privilege
The literature-review script caches API responses under /tmp/litreview_cache for up to 24 hours and can write a user-specified output file; it does not request credentials, elevated privileges, background execution, or account access.
How to Use
- Make sure OpenClaw is installed (local or Docker)
- Run the install command in chat:
/install academic-research - After installation, invoke the skill by name or use
/academic-research - Provide required inputs per the skill's parameter spec and get structured output
Version History
v1.0.0
- Initial release of the academic-research skill, enabling academic search and literature review via the OpenAlex API.
- Search and retrieve scholarly papers by topic, author, or DOI without requiring an API key.
- Access citation chains, paper metadata (title, authors, abstract, citations, DOI, open access URL), and full text for open access articles.
- Automated literature review workflow with theme identification, synthesis, and markdown or JSON output.
- Structured and programmable search output, supporting advanced filtering and export options for research analysis.
Metadata
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Academic Research?
Search academic papers and conduct literature reviews using OpenAlex API (free, no key needed). Use when the user needs to find scholarly papers by topic/aut... It is an AI Agent Skill for Claude Code / OpenClaw, with 4639 downloads so far.
How do I install Academic Research?
Run "/install academic-research" in the OpenClaw or Claude Code chat to install it in one step — no extra setup required.
Is Academic Research free?
Yes, Academic Research is completely free (open-source). You can download, install and use it at no cost.
Which platforms does Academic Research support?
Academic Research is cross-platform and runs anywhere OpenClaw / Claude Code is available (cross-platform).
Who created Academic Research?
It is built and maintained by rogerSuperBuilderAlpha (@rogersuperbuilderalpha); the current version is v1.0.0.
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