From f4700ef9952ad274baea99b065ccd3ea52d3012b Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Mark Lavercombe Date: Tue, 16 Jun 2026 01:45:07 +1000 Subject: [PATCH] Add Scholar Sidekick tutorial page + anonymous-default auth (v0.8.0) (#9477) --- .../docs/mcp/scholar-sidekick-mcp.md | 121 ++++++++++++++++++ documentation/static/servers.json | 11 +- 2 files changed, 129 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-) create mode 100644 documentation/docs/mcp/scholar-sidekick-mcp.md diff --git a/documentation/docs/mcp/scholar-sidekick-mcp.md b/documentation/docs/mcp/scholar-sidekick-mcp.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..197dcc8a31 --- /dev/null +++ b/documentation/docs/mcp/scholar-sidekick-mcp.md @@ -0,0 +1,121 @@ +--- +title: Scholar Sidekick Extension +description: Add Scholar Sidekick MCP Server as a goose Extension +--- + +import Tabs from '@theme/Tabs'; +import TabItem from '@theme/TabItem'; +import GooseDesktopInstaller from '@site/src/components/GooseDesktopInstaller'; +import CLIExtensionInstructions from '@site/src/components/CLIExtensionInstructions'; + +This tutorial covers how to add the [Scholar Sidekick MCP Server](https://github.com/mlava/scholar-sidekick-mcp) as a goose extension to resolve, format, export, and verify academic citations from any scholarly identifier — DOI, PMID, PMCID, ISBN, ISSN, arXiv ID, ADS bibcode, or WHO IRIS URL — plus retraction (Crossref + Retraction Watch) and open-access (Unpaywall) checks. + +:::tip Quick Install + + + [Launch the installer](goose://extension?cmd=npx&arg=-y&arg=scholar-sidekick-mcp%40latest&id=scholar-sidekick&name=Scholar%20Sidekick&description=Resolve%2C%20format%2C%20export%2C%20and%20verify%20academic%20citations%20plus%20retraction%20and%20open-access%20checks&timeout=300) + + + **Command** + ```sh + npx -y scholar-sidekick-mcp@latest + ``` + + + **No API key required** — the server works anonymously on a free, rate-limited tier. Optionally set `SCHOLAR_API_KEY` (a free `ssk_` key from [scholar-sidekick.com/account](https://scholar-sidekick.com/account)) for higher limits, or `RAPIDAPI_KEY` for paid tiers. See [Optional: higher rate limits](#optional-higher-rate-limits). +::: + +## Configuration + +:::info +You'll need [Node.js](https://nodejs.org/) installed (the command uses `npx`). **No API key is required** — Scholar Sidekick works anonymously on a free, rate-limited tier. For higher limits, add a free first-party key (`SCHOLAR_API_KEY`, an `ssk_` key from [scholar-sidekick.com/account](https://scholar-sidekick.com/account)); for paid/managed tiers, add a [RapidAPI key](https://rapidapi.com/scholar-sidekick-scholar-sidekick-api/api/scholar-sidekick) (`RAPIDAPI_KEY`). See [Optional: higher rate limits](#optional-higher-rate-limits) below. +::: + + + + + + + + + + +## Optional: higher rate limits + +Scholar Sidekick runs **without any key** on a free, rate-limited tier — fine for normal interactive use. To raise your limits, add one environment variable to the extension (goose Desktop: extension settings → Environment Variables; CLI: `goose configure` → the extension's env): + +- **`SCHOLAR_API_KEY`** — a **free** first-party key (prefixed `ssk_`). Create one at [scholar-sidekick.com/account](https://scholar-sidekick.com/account). Sent as `Authorization: Bearer`; raises your rate limit and unlocks the verifier's optional LLM screen. +- **`RAPIDAPI_KEY`** — for paid/managed tiers via the [RapidAPI gateway](https://rapidapi.com/scholar-sidekick-scholar-sidekick-api/api/scholar-sidekick). When set, calls route through RapidAPI instead of the anonymous/first-party endpoint. + +Neither is required, and you never need both — if both are set, RapidAPI takes precedence. + +## What You Can Do + +Scholar Sidekick exposes six tools that turn any scholarly identifier into clean citations, exports, and integrity checks. Five built-in citation styles (Vancouver, AMA, APA, IEEE, CSE) plus the full CSL catalogue of 10,000+ styles. + +### Format a citation from any identifier + +Paste a DOI, PMID, PMCID, ISBN, ISSN, arXiv ID, ADS bibcode, or WHO IRIS URL and get a formatted reference in your chosen style. Detection is automatic — pass identifiers verbatim (no need to strip `PMID:`, `arXiv:`, or `https://doi.org/` prefixes). + +**Prompt:** + +``` +Format 10.1056/NEJMoa2033700 as a Vancouver-style citation. +``` + +### Export a bibliography for your reference manager + +Pass one or more identifiers and get a ready-to-import file in BibTeX, RIS, EndNote XML, RefWorks, NBIB, Zotero RDF, CSV, or CSL-JSON. Drop straight into Zotero, Mendeley, EndNote, JabRef, or Citavi. + +**Prompt:** + +``` +Take these three DOIs and export them as BibTeX: +10.1056/NEJMoa2033700 +10.1038/s41586-020-2649-2 +10.1016/S0140-6736(20)32661-1 +``` + +### Check whether a paper has been retracted + +Cross-references Crossref and Retraction Watch for retractions, corrections, and expressions of concern. Returns status, reason, and date. + +**Prompt:** + +``` +Has 10.1016/S0140-6736(97)11096-0 been retracted? +``` + +### Find an open-access copy + +Looks up Unpaywall to surface the best legal free version of a paper — repository copy, publisher OA, or preprint — with the licence and version (accepted vs published). + +**Prompt:** + +``` +Is there a free open-access copy of 10.1371/journal.pone.0173664? +``` + +### Verify whether a citation is real + +Cross-checks a *claimed* citation (title, optional authors/year) against the metadata actually resolved from its identifier. Catches the dominant LLM-fabrication pattern — a real, resolvable DOI paired with an invented title and authors — documented by Topaz et al. (Lancet, 2026). Use this when an AI-generated bibliography "looks plausible but…". + +**Prompt:** + +``` +Is this citation real? "A Unified Theory of Everything", Smith J, Nature, 2010, 10.1038/nphys1170 +``` diff --git a/documentation/static/servers.json b/documentation/static/servers.json index 8c4de0011d..87279550e7 100644 --- a/documentation/static/servers.json +++ b/documentation/static/servers.json @@ -852,14 +852,19 @@ "description": "Resolve, format, export, and verify academic citations (DOI, PMID, ISBN, arXiv) plus retraction and open-access checks", "command": "npx -y scholar-sidekick-mcp@latest", "link": "https://github.com/mlava/scholar-sidekick-mcp", - "installation_notes": "Requires a free RapidAPI key. Get one at https://rapidapi.com/scholar-sidekick-scholar-sidekick-api/api/scholar-sidekick and set RAPIDAPI_KEY.", + "installation_notes": "No API key required — works anonymously on a free, rate-limited tier. Optionally set SCHOLAR_API_KEY (a free first-party ssk_ key from https://scholar-sidekick.com/account) for higher limits, or RAPIDAPI_KEY for paid tiers via RapidAPI.", "is_builtin": false, "endorsed": false, "environmentVariables": [ + { + "name": "SCHOLAR_API_KEY", + "description": "Optional first-party API key (ssk_) from https://scholar-sidekick.com/account; raises rate limits. Sent as Authorization: Bearer.", + "required": false + }, { "name": "RAPIDAPI_KEY", - "description": "RapidAPI key for the Scholar Sidekick API (free tier available)", - "required": true + "description": "Optional RapidAPI key for paid/managed tiers; routes calls through the RapidAPI gateway.", + "required": false } ] }