literature-synthesis

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LIBRARY-FIRST PROTOCOL (MANDATORY)

Before writing ANY code, you MUST check:

Step 1: Library Catalog

• Location: .claude/library/catalog.json
• If match >70%: REUSE or ADAPT

Step 2: Patterns Guide

• Location: .claude/docs/inventories/LIBRARY-PATTERNS-GUIDE.md
• If pattern exists: FOLLOW documented approach

Step 3: Existing Projects

• Location: D:\Projects\*
• If found: EXTRACT and adapt

Decision Matrix

Match	Action
Library >90%	REUSE directly
Library 70-90%	ADAPT minimally
Pattern exists	FOLLOW pattern
In project	EXTRACT
No match	BUILD (add to library after)

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STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE

Purpose

• Combine findings across papers/articles into concise, evidence-backed syntheses.
• Expose constraints and assumptions clearly to avoid overgeneralization.
• Maintain structure-first artifacts for reuse and traceability.

Trigger Conditions

• Positive: literature reviews, state-of-the-art summaries, related work sections.
• Negative: single-source summaries (use academic-reading-workflow), or prompt-only edits (prompt-architect).

Guardrails

• Constraint buckets: HARD (scope, dates, domains), SOFT (style, depth), INFERRED (coverage, exclusions) with sources.
• Two-pass refinement: synthesis structure → epistemic audit with evidence and ceilings.
• Cite sources inline with links/pages; avoid claim aggregation without evidence.

Inputs

• Research question and intended audience.
• Source list with metadata and access.
• Formatting needs (bullets, narrative, tables) and timebox.

Workflow

1. Scope & Constraints: Define inclusion/exclusion criteria and outputs; confirm INFERRED assumptions.
2. Source Mapping: Group sources by theme and strength; note gaps or conflicts.
3. Draft Synthesis: Build outline, then fill with claims tied to sources and confidence ceilings.
4. Epistemic Pass: Check for overclaims, contradictions, and missing evidence; rebalance coverage.
5. Deliver & Store: Provide synthesized narrative plus evidence table; update references/examples.

Validation & Quality Gates

• Every claim tied to at least one source with confidence ceiling.
• Coverage matches constraints and inclusion criteria.
• Conflicts highlighted with proposed resolutions or follow-ups.

Response Template

**Scope & Constraints**
- HARD / SOFT / INFERRED.

**Key Themes**
- Theme → evidence → confidence ceiling.

**Conflicts / Gaps**
- ...

**Next Steps**
- ...

Confidence: 0.81 (ceiling: research 0.85) - based on cross-source synthesis and evidence tracking.

Confidence: 0.81 (ceiling: research 0.85) - reflects completed synthesis with evidence-linked claims.