Search Papers by Topic
Find relevant academic papers on any research topic across millions of scholarly publications.
Find Research Citations
Retrieve the full citation list and reference graph for any academic paper.
Quick answer: Use the Academic Research tool through ToolRouter to find research citations directly from Claude, ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and OpenClaw — connect once, then drive it with plain-language prompts. No code required.
ToolA paper does not exist in isolation. Its references reveal its intellectual foundations, and its citations show its influence on subsequent work. Tracing these connections builds a comprehensive picture of a research area.
The paper_details skill returns detailed metadata for any paper including its full reference list and citation count. You can follow the citation chain forward (who cited this paper) and backward (what this paper cites) to map the intellectual lineage of an idea.
This is essential for literature reviews, where you need to demonstrate awareness of the field. It is also valuable for identifying seminal papers, finding related work you might have missed, and understanding how ideas evolved over time. Citation analysis by hand is tedious -- programmatic access makes it systematic.
How to find research citations with Claude, ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and OpenClaw
Connect ToolRouter
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
Claude follows citation chains through multi-step investigation. Get the references for a seminal paper, identify the most-cited sources, then trace those backward to find the foundational work. The conversation naturally builds a citation map that reveals the intellectual lineage of ideas in any field.
How to find research citations
Once connected (see setup above), use the Academic Research tool — the same steps work with Claude, ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, OpenClaw, and any MCP client:
- Ask Claude: "Get the details and citations for this paper using academic-research" and provide the paper ID or title
- Claude returns the paper metadata and reference list
- Ask: "Which of its references are most cited?"
- Follow the citation chain to related papers
Example prompt
Try this with the Academic Research tool
Get the full citation list for the "Attention Is All You Need" paper. Which of its references are the most influential?
Tips
- Use citation chains to discover seminal papers you might have missed
- Ask Claude to identify the most-cited references to find foundational work
- Build a citation map by following references recursively
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find research citations with an AI assistant?
Retrieve the full citation list and reference graph for any academic paper. 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: "Get the details and citations for this paper using academic-research" and provide the paper ID or title Claude returns the paper metadata and reference list
Which AI assistants can find research citations?
Claude, ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and OpenClaw can all find research citations 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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