# search-works

`station__openalex-org__search-works` · external (needs EXECUTION_BACKEND_URL configured) · domain `openalex-org` · pv-relevance `pv-adjacent`

Search the OpenAlex works graph by free-text query. Returns each work with cited_by_count (raw citations), fwci (field-weighted citation impact; 1.0 = field average), publication_year, open_access.is_oa, and authorships. Primary use: rank literature hits by influence before triaging for evidence review.

> **Note:** This tool routes through an external execution backend. If `EXECUTION_BACKEND_URL` is unset on the server, calls return JSON-RPC error `-32603 "Tool execution backend not configured"`. Tools with `backend: native` execute in-process and are always callable.

## Agent metadata

- `idempotent`: unknown
- `read_only`: unknown
- `expected_latency_ms`: unknown (not yet contract-tested)
- `cost_tokens_estimate`: unknown

## Input schema

- `search` *string* (required) — Free-text query. Matches title, abstract, fulltext when available. Example: 'metformin lactic acidosis'.
- `per_page` *integer* — Results per page (1-200, default 25).
- `filter` *string* — Optional OpenAlex filter string. Examples: 'publication_year:2020-2025', 'type:article', 'is_oa:true', 'cited_by_count:>50'. Comma-separated for AND.

## Example call

```json
POST /api/mcp
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "id": 1,
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "name": "station__openalex-org__search-works",
    "arguments": {
      "search": ""
    }
  }
}
```

## Related

- [/tools](/tools) — all 3062 tools
- [/tools/openalex-org__search-works](/tools/openalex-org__search-works) — HTML page
- [/tools/openalex-org__search-works/json](/tools/openalex-org__search-works/json) — JSON form (agent-friendly)
- [/api/mcp](/api/mcp) — endpoint
- [/AGENTS.md](/AGENTS.md) — agent guide