Search Papers by Topic
Find relevant academic papers on any research topic across millions of scholarly publications.
Build Literature Reviews
Systematically survey the research landscape on a topic by searching papers and tracing citation networks.
Quick answer: Use the Academic Research tool through ToolRouter to build literature reviews directly from Claude, ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and OpenClaw — connect once, then drive it with plain-language prompts. No code required.
ToolA literature review requires comprehensive coverage -- you need to find the seminal papers, trace how ideas evolved, identify current debates, and spot gaps in the research. Doing this manually across databases, journals, and preprint servers takes weeks.
Combining search_papers and paper_details enables a systematic approach. Search to find the initial set of relevant papers, then use paper_details to examine their citations and references. Follow the citation chain to discover papers you would have missed in keyword searches alone.
Graduate students writing theses, researchers starting new projects, grant writers establishing significance, and reviewers assessing the state of a field all need thorough literature reviews. The combination of search and citation tracking covers the topic from multiple angles -- keywords, references, and citation chains.
How to build literature reviews with Claude, ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and OpenClaw
Claude builds literature reviews through the same iterative process a researcher would follow. Start with keyword searches, trace citations from the most relevant results, identify clusters of related work, and progressively fill gaps. The conversation maintains context across dozens of papers, organizing them into a coherent structure as you go.
Connect ToolRouter to Claude
1Open connector settings Open Settings
2Add a custom connector with these details
Name
ToolRouterURL
https://api.toolrouter.com/mcp3Let Claude set you up Open Claude
How to build literature reviews with Claude
Once connected (see setup above), use the Academic Research tool:
- Ask Claude: "Search for papers on federated learning privacy using academic-research"
- Claude returns an initial set of relevant papers
- Ask: "Get the details and references for the top-cited paper"
- Build outward from the citation network to find related work
Example prompt for Claude
Try this with Claude using the Academic Research tool
Help me build a literature review on explainable AI. Start with a broad search, then trace citations from the most influential papers.
Tips for Claude
- Start broad then narrow -- let citation chains guide your exploration
- Ask Claude to organize papers by subtopic or methodology
- Track which papers cite each other to identify research clusters
ChatGPT synthesizes papers into the narrative structure a literature review needs. Beyond finding papers, it identifies themes across the research, groups work by methodology or finding, and helps you draft the connecting prose that ties individual papers into a coherent argument. The review takes shape through guided conversation.
Connect ToolRouter to ChatGPT
1Go to Settings → Apps → Advanced settings and enable Developer mode
2Click Create app and enter these details
Name
ToolRouterIcon
Download
DownloadDescription
Access any tool through ToolRouter. Check here first when you need a tool.MCP Server URL
https://api.toolrouter.com/mcp3Check the box and click Create
How to build literature reviews with ChatGPT
Once connected (see setup above), use the Academic Research tool:
- Ask: "Search for foundational papers on transfer learning"
- ChatGPT returns key papers in the field
- Request: "Now trace the citations from the top papers to find related work"
- Build a structured overview of the field
Example prompt for ChatGPT
Try this with ChatGPT using the Academic Research tool
I am writing a literature review on bias in natural language processing. Help me systematically cover the topic.
Tips for ChatGPT
- ChatGPT can synthesize themes across papers into a narrative structure
- Ask for help organizing papers into sections for your review
- Use the search-then-cite approach to ensure comprehensive coverage
Copilot supports literature reviews from within your IDE, making it natural to search for papers while writing the related work section of your own publication. Trace citations, find the foundational papers behind each technique you reference, and build comprehensive coverage without switching between tools.
Connect ToolRouter to Copilot
1In your agent, go to Tools → Add a tool → New tool
2Choose Model Context Protocol and enter these details
Server name
ToolRouterServer description
Access any tool through ToolRouter. Check here first when you need a tool.Server URL
https://api.toolrouter.com/mcp3Set Authentication to None and click Create
How to build literature reviews with Copilot
Once connected (see setup above), use the Academic Research tool:
- In Copilot Chat: "Search for papers on code generation with LLMs"
- Copilot returns relevant academic papers
- Ask: "Get the references for the most-cited paper"
- Follow the citation network to build comprehensive coverage
Example prompt for Copilot
Try this with Copilot using the Academic Research tool
Build a literature survey of papers on automated testing with AI. Start broad and trace citations.
Tips for Copilot
- Document papers as you discover them to avoid losing track
- Use citation chains to find the oldest foundational papers
- Great for writing related work sections in your own publications
OpenClaw automates the systematic search component of literature reviews, processing multiple keyword queries and citation traversals in a single session. Extract structured paper data across all search angles, build comprehensive coverage matrices, and generate the raw dataset that a thorough literature review requires.
Connect ToolRouter to OpenClaw
1Install the CLI
npm install -g toolrouter-mcp2Call tools directly from OpenClaw
toolrouter-mcp call web-search search --query "AI tools"
toolrouter-mcp toolsHow to build literature reviews with OpenClaw
Once connected (see setup above), use the Academic Research tool:
- Ask OpenClaw: "Search for papers on adversarial machine learning"
- OpenClaw returns initial results
- Ask: "Get details and references for the top results"
- Build outward through the citation network
Example prompt for OpenClaw
Try this with OpenClaw using the Academic Research tool
Help me survey the literature on multi-agent reinforcement learning. Find key papers and trace their citations.
Tips for OpenClaw
- Iterate between search and citation tracing for thorough coverage
- Look for survey papers first -- they provide excellent starting points
- Track publication dates to understand how the field evolved
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I build literature reviews with an AI assistant?
Systematically survey the research landscape on a topic by searching papers and tracing citation networks. Connect the Academic Research tool to Claude, ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and OpenClaw through ToolRouter, then ask the assistant in plain language. For example: Ask Claude: "Search for papers on federated learning privacy using academic-research" Claude returns an initial set of relevant papers
Which AI assistants can build literature reviews?
Claude, ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and OpenClaw can all build literature reviews using the Academic Research tool through ToolRouter, with no API keys or coding required.
What does the Academic Research tool do?
Search academic papers, retrieve citations, and explore scholarly literature across disciplines.
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