Scholar Feed MCP Server

Get Field Orientation

get_field_orientation

Read-only

Retrieves foundational papers for a research topic, ranked by citation count and semantic similarity, to bootstrap a literature survey.

Instructions

Returns CANDIDATE FOUNDATIONAL PAPERS for a research topic — cheap retrieval only, no synthesis. Ranks papers by a blend of citation count (0.6 weight, captures importance) and semantic similarity to your topic (0.4 weight). Use this to bootstrap a literature survey or get a fast sense of the landscape. For a synthesized orientation report (key concepts, open problems, reading order), use the /field-guide skill which calls this tool internally. Does not require a Pro API key — no LLM calls are made.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`topic`	Yes	Research area to orient on. Be specific for better results. Examples: 'diffusion models for protein structure prediction', 'efficient attention mechanisms for long-context LLMs', 'graph neural networks for molecular property prediction'.
`limit`	No	Number of candidate papers to return (5–30, default 15).

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description
`papers`	No	Matched / returned papers.
`total`	No	Total results available for the query.
`page`	No
`limit`	No
`mode`	No	Search mode actually applied.
`direction`	No	Citation direction (get_citations: citing \| cited_by).
`topic`	No
`note`	No
`not_found`	No	Requested IDs that had no match.
`next_cursor`	No	Keyset cursor for the next page, or null when exhausted.
`hits`	No	New watch matches (check_watches).
`results`	No

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed1 schema field changedv3.8.0Jun 9, 2026

changedOutput schema / (root)

Previous value: -nullNew value: +{
+  "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#",
+  "additionalProperties": false,
+  "properties": {
+    "direction": {
+      "description": "Citation direction (get_citations: citing | cited_by).",
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "hits": {
+      "description": "New watch matches (check_watches).",
+      "items": {
+        "additionalProperties": {},
+        "description": "A paper record. Verbose calls add extraction fields (method_name, datasets, baselines, ...).",
+        "properties": {
+          "arxiv_id": {
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "arxiv_url": {
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "authors": {
+            "items": {
+              "type": "string"
+            },
+            "type": "array"
+          },
+          "categories": {
+            "items": {
+              "type": "string"
+            },
+            "type": "array"
+          },
+          "citation_count": {
+            "type": "number"
+          },
+          "github_stars": {
+            "anyOf": [
+              {
+                "type": "number"
+              },
+              {
+                "type": "null"
+              }
+            ]
+          },
+          "github_url": {
+            "anyOf": [
+              {
+                "type": "string"
+              },
+              {
+                "type": "null"
+              }
+            ]
+          },
+          "has_code": {
+            "type": "boolean"
+          },
+          "impact_pct": {
+            "anyOf": [
+              {
+                "type": "number"
+              },
+              {
+                "type": "null"
+              }
+            ]
+          },
+          "impact_tier": {
+            "anyOf": [
+              {
+                "type": "string"
+              },
+              {
+                "type": "null"
+              }
+            ]
+          },
+          "institution_tags": {
+            "items": {
+              "type": "string"
+            },
+            "type": "array"
+          },
+          "llm_novelty_score": {
+            "anyOf": [
+              {
+                "type": "number"
+              },
+              {
+                "type": "null"
+              }
+            ]
+          },
+          "llm_significance": {
+            "anyOf": [
+              {
+                "type": "string"
+              },
+              {
+                "type": "null"
+              }
+            ]
+          },
+          "llm_summary": {
+            "anyOf": [
+              {
+                "type": "string"
+              },
+              {
+                "type": "null"
+              }
+            ]
+          },
+          "pdf_url": {
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "primary_category": {
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "published_date": {
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "rank_score": {
+            "type": "number"
+          },
+          "similarity": {
+            "type": "number"
+          },
+          "title": {
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "venue_name": {
+            "anyOf": [
+              {
+                "type": "string"
+              },
+              {
+                "type": "null"
+              }
+            ]
+          },
+          "year": {
+            "type": "number"
+          }
+        },
+        "type": "object"
+      },
+      "type": "array"
+    },
+    "limit": {
+      "type": "number"
+    },
+    "mode": {
+      "description": "Search mode actually applied.",
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "next_cursor": {
+      "anyOf": [
+        {
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        {
+          "type": "null"
+        }
+      ],
+      "description": "Keyset cursor for the next page, or null when exhausted."
+    },
+    "not_found": {
+      "description": "Requested IDs that had no match.",
+      "items": {
+        "type": "string"
+      },
+      "type": "array"
+    },
+    "note": {
+      "anyOf": [
+        {
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        {
+          "type": "null"
+        }
+      ]
+    },
+    "page": {
+      "type": "number"
+    },
+    "papers": {
+      "description": "Matched / returned papers.",
+      "items": {
+        "additionalProperties": {},
+        "description": "A paper record. Verbose calls add extraction fields (method_name, datasets, baselines, ...).",
+        "properties": {
+          "arxiv_id": {
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "arxiv_url": {
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "authors": {
+            "items": {
+              "type": "string"
+            },
+            "type": "array"
+          },
+          "categories": {
+            "items": {
+              "type": "string"
+            },
+            "type": "array"
+          },
+          "citation_count": {
+            "type": "number"
+          },
+          "github_stars": {
+            "anyOf": [
+              {
+                "type": "number"
+              },
+              {
+                "type": "null"
+              }
+            ]
+          },
+          "github_url": {
+            "anyOf": [
+              {
+                "type": "string"
+              },
+              {
+                "type": "null"
+              }
+            ]
+          },
+          "has_code": {
+            "type": "boolean"
+          },
+          "impact_pct": {
+            "anyOf": [
+              {
+                "type": "number"
+              },
+              {
+                "type": "null"
+              }
+            ]
+          },
+          "impact_tier": {
+            "anyOf": [
+              {
+                "type": "string"
+              },
+              {
+                "type": "null"
+              }
+            ]
+          },
+          "institution_tags": {
+            "items": {
+              "type": "string"
+            },
+            "type": "array"
+          },
+          "llm_novelty_score": {
+            "anyOf": [
+              {
+                "type": "number"
+              },
+              {
+                "type": "null"
+              }
+            ]
+          },
+          "llm_significance": {
+            "anyOf": [
+              {
+                "type": "string"
+              },
+              {
+                "type": "null"
+              }
+            ]
+          },
+          "llm_summary": {
+            "anyOf": [
+              {
+                "type": "string"
+              },
+              {
+                "type": "null"
+              }
+            ]
+          },
+          "pdf_url": {
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "primary_category": {
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "published_date": {
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "rank_score": {
+            "type": "number"
+          },
+          "similarity": {
+            "type": "number"
+          },
+          "title": {
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "venue_name": {
+            "anyOf": [
+              {
+                "type": "string"
+              },
+              {
+                "type": "null"
+              }
+            ]
+          },
+          "year": {
+            "type": "number"
+          }
+        },
+        "type": "object"
+      },
+      "type": "array"
+    },
+    "results": {
+      "items": {
+        "additionalProperties": {},
+        "description": "A paper record. Verbose calls add extraction fields (method_name, datasets, baselines, ...).",
+        "properties": {
+          "arxiv_id": {
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "arxiv_url": {
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "authors": {
+            "items": {
+              "type": "string"
+            },
+            "type": "array"
+          },
+          "categories": {
+            "items": {
+              "type": "string"
+            },
+            "type": "array"
+          },
+          "citation_count": {
+            "type": "number"
+          },
+          "github_stars": {
+            "anyOf": [
+              {
+                "type": "number"
+              },
+              {
+                "type": "null"
+              }
+            ]
+          },
+          "github_url": {
+            "anyOf": [
+              {
+                "type": "string"
+              },
+              {
+                "type": "null"
+              }
+            ]
+          },
+          "has_code": {
+            "type": "boolean"
+          },
+          "impact_pct": {
+            "anyOf": [
+              {
+                "type": "number"
+              },
+              {
+                "type": "null"
+              }
+            ]
+          },
+          "impact_tier": {
+            "anyOf": [
+              {
+                "type": "string"
+              },
+              {
+                "type": "null"
+              }
+            ]
+          },
+          "institution_tags": {
+            "items": {
+              "type": "string"
+            },
+            "type": "array"
+          },
+          "llm_novelty_score": {
+            "anyOf": [
+              {
+                "type": "number"
+              },
+              {
+                "type": "null"
+              }
+            ]
+          },
+          "llm_significance": {
+            "anyOf": [
+              {
+                "type": "string"
+              },
+              {
+                "type": "null"
+              }
+            ]
+          },
+          "llm_summary": {
+            "anyOf": [
+              {
+                "type": "string"
+              },
+              {
+                "type": "null"
+              }
+            ]
+          },
+          "pdf_url": {
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "primary_category": {
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "published_date": {
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "rank_score": {
+            "type": "number"
+          },
+          "similarity": {
+            "type": "number"
+          },
+          "title": {
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "venue_name": {
+            "anyOf": [
+              {
+                "type": "string"
+              },
+              {
+                "type": "null"
+              }
+            ]
+          },
+          "year": {
+            "type": "number"
+          }
+        },
+        "type": "object"
+      },
+      "type": "array"
+    },
+    "topic": {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "total": {
+      "description": "Total results available for the query.",
+      "type": "number"
+    }
+  },
+  "type": "object"
+}

Addedv3.7.0Jun 4, 2026

TDQS

A4.7/5.0

Behavior5/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Beyond annotations (readOnlyHint, destructiveHint), it discloses ranking blend (0.6 citation count, 0.4 semantic similarity), that it's cheap retrieval with no synthesis, and no LLM calls made. No contradiction with annotations.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Four sentences, well-structured with main action first, then ranking details, use case, and alternative. No unnecessary words.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Covers purpose, usage, behavior, parameters, and alternatives. Tool has output schema, so return value explanation is not needed. Complete for a tool of this complexity.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100%, so baseline is 3. Description adds little beyond schema: it reinforces topic specificity and limit for candidate count, but does not introduce new parameter meaning beyond what's in schema.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

Description clearly states the tool returns candidate foundational papers for a research topic, using specific verb 'returns' and specifying 'candidate foundational papers'. It distinguishes from siblings by contrasting with the /field-guide skill that provides synthesis.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines5/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

Explicitly tells when to use (bootstrap a literature survey, get fast landscape sense) and when to use alternative (for synthesized report, use /field-guide). Also notes it requires no Pro API key, implying low cost.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.