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mlava/scholar-sidekick-api

Resolve scholarly identifiers (DOI, PMID, PMCID, ISBN, arXiv, ISSN, ADS bibcode, WHO IRIS URL) into formatted citations (10,000+ CSL styles) and bibliography exports (BibTeX, RIS, EndNote, CSV…), and check retraction, open-access, and citation-fabrication status. Calls a documented REST API over plain HTTP — no install, no API key needed for the free tier. Use when the user has a DOI, PMID, PMCID, ISBN, arXiv ID, ISSN, ADS bibcode, or WHO IRIS URL and asks to format a citation, build or export a bibliography, or check whether a paper is retracted, open-access, or a fabricated citation.

70

Quality

88%

Does it follow best practices?

Impact

No eval scenarios have been run

SecuritybySnyk

Passed

No known issues

Overview
Quality
Evals
Security
Files

Quality

Content

77%

Reviews the quality of instructions and guidance provided to agents. Good implementation is clear, handles edge cases, and produces reliable results.

This is a strong, highly actionable skill with excellent executable examples for every endpoint and clear response schemas. Its main weakness is moderate verbosity — the authentication options, MCP server section, and some explanatory text could be trimmed or moved to referenced files. The quick reference table combined with detailed procedure sections creates some redundancy but also serves as good progressive disclosure within the file.

Suggestions

Trim the Authentication & limits section to 2-3 lines (anonymous by default, optional ssk_ key for higher limits) and move RapidAPI details to a referenced file or footnote.

Consider moving the detailed per-endpoint Procedure section into a separate REFERENCE.md, keeping only the quick reference table and one representative example in SKILL.md.

DimensionReasoningScore

Conciseness

The skill is mostly efficient with good use of tables and concrete examples, but includes some unnecessary content: the RapidAPI paragraph, the MCP server section at the bottom, and the authentication section could be tightened. The explanation of verify verdicts is useful but slightly verbose. Some phrasing like 'The site is built for agents' is filler.

2 / 3

Actionability

Every endpoint has a fully executable curl command with realistic example data, clear parameter descriptions, and documented response schemas. The commands are copy-paste ready with real DOIs and identifiers, and the body field differences are explicitly called out.

3 / 3

Workflow Clarity

Each operation is a single API call with clear inputs and outputs, making the workflow straightforward. The Pitfalls section serves as validation guidance (don't fabricate fallbacks, don't mix up body fields), and the Verification section provides explicit health-check and response-validation steps. The 'When to Use' section clearly bounds the skill's scope.

3 / 3

Progressive Disclosure

The skill references external documentation (llms.txt, AGENTS.md, OpenAPI spec, companion MCP skill) which is good, but the SKILL.md itself is fairly long (~150 lines) and could benefit from splitting the detailed endpoint documentation into a separate reference file. The quick reference table is excellent for overview, but then the full procedure section repeats much of the same information with examples inline.

2 / 3

Total

10

/

12

Passed

Description

100%

Based on the skill's description, can an agent find and select it at the right time? Clear, specific descriptions lead to better discovery.

This is an excellent skill description that thoroughly covers specific capabilities, includes comprehensive trigger terms matching natural user language, explicitly states both what the skill does and when to use it, and occupies a clearly distinct niche. The description is detailed without being padded, and uses proper third-person voice throughout.

DimensionReasoningScore

Specificity

Lists multiple specific concrete actions: resolving scholarly identifiers into formatted citations, bibliography exports in named formats (BibTeX, RIS, EndNote, CSV), and checking retraction/open-access/citation-fabrication status. Also specifies the mechanism (REST API over plain HTTP, no install, no API key).

3 / 3

Completeness

Clearly answers both 'what' (resolve identifiers into formatted citations, export bibliographies, check retraction/OA/fabrication status) and 'when' with an explicit 'Use when...' clause listing specific identifier types and user intents (format a citation, build/export a bibliography, check retraction status).

3 / 3

Trigger Term Quality

Excellent coverage of natural terms users would say: DOI, PMID, PMCID, ISBN, arXiv, ISSN, ADS bibcode, WHO IRIS URL, citation, bibliography, BibTeX, RIS, EndNote, retracted, open-access, fabricated citation. These are exactly the terms a researcher or student would use.

3 / 3

Distinctiveness Conflict Risk

Highly distinctive niche focused on scholarly identifier resolution and citation formatting. The specific identifier types (DOI, PMID, arXiv, etc.) and actions (citation formatting, retraction checking) make it very unlikely to conflict with other skills.

3 / 3

Total

12

/

12

Passed

Validation

72%

Checks the skill against the spec for correct structure and formatting. All validation checks must pass before discovery and implementation can be scored.

Validation8 / 11 Passed

Validation for skill structure

CriteriaDescriptionResult

metadata_version

'metadata.version' is missing

Warning

metadata_field

'metadata' should map string keys to string values

Warning

frontmatter_unknown_keys

Unknown frontmatter key(s) found; consider removing or moving to metadata

Warning

Total

8

/

11

Passed

Reviewed

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