Search modes, model choices and quotas change over time. The durable skill is framing the question and checking the cited sources.
1. Convert the topic into a research question
Replace “AI chips” with a bounded question such as “Which export-control changes since July 2026 materially affect X?”
2. Choose the appropriate search mode
Use Pro Search or another deeper mode when the question needs multiple searches, comparison or synthesis; use basic search for straightforward lookups.
3. Add constraints before searching
Specify date range, geography, source type, audience and what should be excluded.
4. Inspect the cited sources
Open the citations behind the central claims. Check that they actually say what the answer attributes to them and that the dates fit your question.
5. Use follow-ups to close evidence gaps
Ask specifically for missing primary sources, contradictory evidence or a narrower comparison instead of simply requesting “more detail.”
Research this question: [question]. Scope: [date/geography]. Prefer primary and directly responsible sources. Exclude SEO summaries where an original source exists. Give me a short answer first, then a claim-to-source table, then unresolved questions.
Using a broad noun phrase instead of a question; judging quality by answer length; never opening the citations; allowing an old source to answer a current question; treating one source as consensus.
Finish check
You should be able to explain why each important source was used and what evidence is still missing.