Deep Research is designed for multi-step research, not every quick lookup. Availability and usage limits vary by account.
1. Decide whether this needs Deep Research
Use normal search for a quick fact. Use Deep Research when the question needs multiple sources, comparison, synthesis or a documented report.
2. Open Deep Research and write a scoped brief
Start Deep Research from the tools menu when available, or use the current @Deepresearch entry point. Include the outcome, audience, timeframe, geography, source constraints and the decision the report should support.
3. Specify source preferences
Ask for primary sources, official documentation, academic papers or recent reporting as appropriate. Exclude weak source types when they would distort the result.
4. Review or refine the research plan
If a plan is shown, inspect whether it covers the right sub-questions before the run. Add missing angles rather than waiting for a complete report to discover the gap.
5. Audit the citations, not just the prose
Open the strongest citations, check dates and source context, and distinguish facts from the model’s synthesis or inference.
Research this question for a decision I need to make: [question]. Audience: [who]. Timeframe: [dates]. Geography: [region]. Prefer primary/official sources and clearly dated reporting. Separate verified facts, source disagreements, and your synthesis. End with a source audit table.
Using Deep Research for trivial questions; leaving timeframe and geography undefined; treating a large citation count as proof of quality; citing secondary summaries when primary sources exist.
Finish check
A strong report should tell you what is known, what is disputed, what is missing, and exactly which sources support the important claims.