Turn a vague research question into a sourced brief

Get a structured brief with verified sources instead of scattered tabs and half-remembered facts.

For anyone who has to know something by thursday · 7 steps · 7 min

How it works today.

You start with a fuzzy question like 'what's happening with AI regulation' or 'how are competitors pricing this.' You open Google, then Wikipedia, then three news sites, then someone's blog. Half the tabs crash or you close them by accident.

Two hours later you have a rough sense of the topic but no clear structure. You write from memory, add the two links you can find again, and hope nobody asks for your sources. The brief feels thin but you're out of time.

Before you start.

All of it has to be true, or step one fails in a way that is annoying to debug.

Access to a web research agent like Perplexity Pro or Claude with web browsing
A document editor where you can paste and format the output
Your organization's style guide or brief template if one exists
Clear deadline and scope from whoever requested this research

The steps.

01
Define your research scope in three constraints
Write down the specific question, the decision this research supports, and your target length. A vague question like 'AI trends' becomes 'What are the top 3 AI regulation changes affecting SaaS companies in 2024, for our compliance planning, in 2 pages.' This prevents endless rabbit holes.
Paste this
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Help me refine this research question: [your initial question]. I need this for [specific decision or use case] and have [time constraint]. What are the 2-3 most important sub-questions I should focus on?
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02
Generate your research outline before searching
Ask your agent to create a structured outline based on your refined question. This gives you a framework to fill in rather than hoping good structure emerges from random reading. The outline should have 3-5 main sections with specific questions under each.
Paste this
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Create a research outline for: [your refined question]. Break it into 3-5 main sections, each with 2-3 specific sub-questions that need sourcing. Format this as a brief template I can fill in.
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03
Run targeted searches for each outline section
Work through your outline section by section. For each main point, ask your agent to search for current, credible sources and summarize key findings with direct quotes and citations. Don't try to research everything at once.
Paste this
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Research this specific question: [one section from your outline]. Find 3-5 recent, credible sources. For each source, give me: 1) The key finding that answers my question 2) A direct quote I can use 3) Full citation details 4) Why this source is credible.
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Cross-check contradictory information
When you find conflicting data or claims, ask your agent to specifically research the contradiction. This often reveals important nuances or helps you identify which sources are more reliable. Flag these conflicts in your brief rather than picking one arbitrarily.
05
Request source verification and recency check
Have your agent verify that key sources are still accessible and check publication dates. Research moves fast and links break. Ask for alternative sources for any claims that rely on a single reference.
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Review these sources I'm planning to cite: [list your key sources]. Check: 1) Are the links still working? 2) Are there more recent sources that update or contradict these findings? 3) Do I have multiple sources for my main claims?
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06
Generate the structured brief with embedded citations
Ask your agent to write the brief following your outline, incorporating the research findings with proper citations. Specify your organization's citation style if you have one. The agent should flag any gaps where more research is needed.
Paste this
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Write a research brief using this outline: [your outline] and these findings: [paste your research summaries]. Use [citation style] format. Include an executive summary, flag any gaps where I need more research, and add a 'key takeaways' section at the end.
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Create a source appendix with access dates
Compile all sources into a clean appendix with full URLs, access dates, and brief descriptions of what each source contributed. This makes your brief defensible and helps others follow your research trail.

What you keep.

Automating the typing does not move the accountability. These stay with a person.

Deciding which research questions actually matter for the decision at hand
Judging whether sources are credible enough for your organization's standards
Choosing which findings to emphasize based on your audience's needs
Final review to ensure the brief answers the original question and supports the intended decision