Perplexity Web Research Command Guide

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Using Perplexity

The /perplexity command helps you get up-to-the-minute information from across the internet, powered by Perplexity’s AI research capabilities.

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Basic Usage

Simply type your question or research topic after the command:

/perplexity what are the latest developments in quantum computing

/perplexity who won the champions league final yesterday

/perplexity give me the current stock price of Apple and recent news

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Key Features

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Real-Time News Search

Get the latest news and developments on any topic:

/perplexity what are the latest climate policy changes in the EU

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Academic Research

Find and summarize recent scientific papers and discoveries:

/perplexity show me recent peer-reviewed studies on gut microbiome

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Market Analysis

Get current financial data and market trends:

/perplexity analyze recent trends in electric vehicle sales in Europe

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Formatting Options

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Bullet Points

Request specific formatting:

/perplexity summarize SpaceX's recent launches in bullet points

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Categories

Ask for categorized information:

/perplexity break down AI safety initiatives into industry, academic, and government categories

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Timeline Format

Get chronological breakdowns:

/perplexity create a timeline of fusion energy breakthroughs in 2024

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Advanced Features

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Source-Specific Research

Focus on particular sources:

/perplexity find academic papers on machine learning from MIT and Stanford

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Statistical Analysis

Get data-driven insights:

/perplexity what are the key statistics on renewable energy adoption worldwide

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Comparative Analysis

Compare different topics or entities:

/perplexity compare the environmental impact of EVs vs hydrogen vehicles

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Best Practices

1. Be Specific: Instead of “tell me about AI”, try “what are the latest developments in AI language models for medical diagnosis”

2. Request Format: Specify how you want the information presented:

   /perplexity explain quantum computing breakthroughs
   format as bullet points
   focus on practical applications
   

3. Time-Sensitive Queries: For news and current events, you can specify timeframes:

   /perplexity what happened in renewable energy this week
   

4. Multi-Part Questions: Break complex queries into connected parts:

   /perplexity analyze the chip manufacturing industry
   focus on: new facilities, major players, investment trends
   timeline: past 6 months
   

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Tips for Quality Results

• Use clear, specific questions
• Specify your preferred format (bullet points, categories, timeline)
• Indicate if you want academic, news, or business focus
• Mention time periods when relevant
• Request specific types of sources if needed
• Ask for comparisons or trends rather than just facts
• Specify the depth of analysis you want

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Limitations

• Cannot access private or paywalled content
• May have a slight delay in real-time events
• Best for factual research rather than opinion-based topics
• Sources are limited to publicly available information

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Example Use Cases

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Scientific Research

/perplexity what are the breakthrough discoveries in CRISPR gene editing
format results into:
- recent discoveries
- clinical applications
- upcoming trials

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Market Intelligence

/perplexity analyze the AI chip market
include:
- major players
- market share
- new developments

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Current Events Analysis

/perplexity what are the key climate policy changes
format as:
- new regulations
- country commitments
- industry response

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Technical Deep Dives

/perplexity explain advances in quantum error correction
focus on:
- new methods
- experimental results
- practical implications

Remember that the command can handle natural language queries, so feel free to ask questions as you would to a research assistant. The more specific and well-structured your query, the better the results will be.