Perplexity AI for Research

Module 5: Pro Search Features

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Module Overview

Perplexity Pro unlocks advanced capabilities that significantly enhance research. This module covers Pro Search, file analysis, model selection, and other premium features.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

• Understand what Pro Search offers beyond basic search
• Use file upload and analysis effectively
• Choose the right AI model for different tasks
• Maximize value from Pro subscription features
• Decide whether Pro is worth it for your needs

Estimated Time: 60-75 minutes

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5.1 What is Pro Search?

Beyond Basic Search

Pro Search is an enhanced search mode that provides:

Deeper Investigation

• More thorough web searching
• Extended reasoning and analysis
• Clarifying questions before answering
• Multi-step research processes

Higher Quality Answers

• More comprehensive responses
• Better source diversity
• Improved synthesis and analysis
• More nuanced conclusions

Interactive Refinement

• Perplexity may ask clarifying questions
• Iterative narrowing of focus
• Better understanding of intent
• More precise final answers

When to Use Pro Search

Use Pro Search for:

• Complex, multi-faceted questions
• Topics requiring deep analysis
• Research where comprehensiveness matters
• Questions with potential ambiguity
• Professional or academic research

Basic Search is fine for:

• Simple factual lookups
• Quick reference questions
• Casual curiosity
• Topics you'll explore iteratively anyway

The Pro Search Process

When you enable Pro Search, Perplexity may:

1. Analyze your query for complexity and ambiguity
2. Ask clarifying questions to understand your intent better
3. Conduct extended searches across more sources
4. Synthesize more thoroughly with deeper analysis
5. Deliver comprehensive answers with rich citations

Example:

Query: "Should I learn Python or JavaScript?"

Basic Search: General comparison based on quick search

Pro Search: Asks "What's your goal? Web development, data science, automation?" Then provides tailored analysis based on your answer.

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5.2 File Upload and Analysis

Supported File Types

Perplexity Pro can analyze:

Documents

• PDF files
• Word documents (.doc, .docx)
• Text files (.txt)
• Markdown files (.md)

Images

• Photos and screenshots
• Diagrams and charts
• Infographics
• Handwritten notes (with limitations)

Data Files

• CSV files
• Excel spreadsheets
• JSON data

Document Analysis Use Cases

Research Paper Review Upload a PDF and ask:

• "Summarize the key findings of this paper"
• "What methodology did the authors use?"
• "What are the limitations acknowledged in this study?"
• "How does this compare to [another topic you're researching]?"

Contract Analysis Upload a contract and ask:

• "What are the key terms and conditions?"
• "Are there any unusual clauses I should be aware of?"
• "Summarize my obligations under this agreement"

Report Understanding Upload a business or technical report:

• "What are the main conclusions?"
• "Summarize the data presented in this report"
• "What recommendations does the report make?"

Image Analysis Use Cases

Chart and Graph Interpretation

• Upload graphs and ask for explanation
• Have Perplexity extract data points
• Get insights about trends shown

Screenshot Analysis

• Upload error messages for troubleshooting
• Analyze UI/UX designs
• Extract text from images

Diagram Understanding

• Technical diagrams explained
• Architecture charts interpreted
• Process flows clarified

Best Practices for File Upload

Optimize for Quality:

• Use clear, high-resolution files
• Ensure PDFs are text-based, not scanned images (when possible)
• Break large documents into focused sections

Craft Good Questions:

• Be specific about what you want from the file
• Reference specific sections if relevant
• Ask one focused question at a time

Combine with Search:

• Upload a document, then ask questions that require external research
• "Based on this paper, what are other researchers saying about [topic]?"

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5.3 Model Selection

Available Models

Perplexity Pro offers choice between AI models:

GPT-4o (OpenAI)

• Strong general reasoning
• Good at complex analysis
• Excellent writing quality
• Reliable and consistent

Claude (Anthropic)

• Strong analytical capabilities
• Excellent for nuanced topics
• Good at following complex instructions
• Thoughtful, thorough responses

Perplexity Default

• Optimized for search and synthesis
• Fast response times
• Good balance of quality and speed
• Reliable for most queries

Sonar (Perplexity's Latest)

• Designed specifically for search tasks
• Optimized source integration
• Fast and efficient
• Best for research-focused queries

Choosing the Right Model

For General Research:

• Perplexity Default or Sonar works well
• Optimized for the search and synthesis workflow

For Complex Analysis:

• GPT-4o or Claude for deeper reasoning
• Better for questions requiring careful interpretation

For Writing and Synthesis:

• Claude excels at writing quality
• GPT-4o also produces excellent prose

For Technical Topics:

• Model choice matters less
• All models handle technical content well

For Speed:

• Perplexity Default is fastest
• Claude and GPT-4o may take longer

When Model Choice Matters

Model differences are most notable for:

• Very complex, nuanced questions
• Tasks requiring specific writing styles
• Edge cases and unusual topics
• Long-form synthesis and analysis

For standard research queries, differences are often minimal.

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5.4 Spaces and Advanced Organization

What Are Spaces?

Spaces are customized research environments in Perplexity Pro:

Custom Instructions

• Set default prompts and guidelines
• Specify preferred source types
• Define output formats

AI Model Selection

• Assign specific models to spaces
• Optimize for your use case
• Consistent experience

File Integration

• Upload reference files to a space
• Have them available for all queries
• Build persistent knowledge bases

Creating Effective Spaces

For Academic Research:

• Enable Academic focus by default
• Prefer peer-reviewed sources
• Upload key reference papers
• Set scholarly writing style

For Market Research:

• Focus on recent sources
• Prefer business and financial publications
• Define industry-specific terminology
• Include key reference documents

For Technical Projects:

• Focus on documentation and technical sources
• Upload architecture documents
• Reference coding standards
• Technical writing preferences

Space Workflow Example

Creating a Thesis Research Space:

1. Create a new space titled "Masters Thesis Research"
2. Set custom instructions:
   • "Focus on peer-reviewed sources from 2020-present"
   • "Always provide DOIs when available"
   • "Flag conflicting research findings"
3. Upload key papers you've already found
4. Set Academic focus as default
5. All future queries in this space follow these guidelines

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5.5 API Access

The Perplexity API

Pro subscribers get API access for:

• Programmatic queries
• Integration with other tools
• Automated research workflows
• Custom application building

API Use Cases

Research Automation

• Batch queries for literature reviews
• Scheduled monitoring of topics
• Systematic data collection

Integration with Workflows

• Connect to note-taking apps
• Integrate with document systems
• Build custom research tools

Application Development

• Build research assistants
• Create fact-checking tools
• Develop knowledge management systems

API Basics

The API provides:

• Query endpoint for questions
• Model selection options
• Source and citation data
• Streaming responses

Simple API Example (Conceptual):

const response = await perplexity.query({
  question: "What are the latest developments in quantum computing?",
  model: "sonar",
  focus: "academic"
});

console.log(response.answer);
console.log(response.sources);

We'll explore API integration more in Module 9.

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5.6 Pro Search Strategies

Strategy 1: Start Broad, Then Focus

1. Begin with a Pro Search on your general topic
2. Let Perplexity ask clarifying questions
3. Use follow-ups to narrow focus
4. Build deep understanding iteratively

Strategy 2: Document-Augmented Research

1. Upload relevant documents to your query
2. Ask Perplexity to synthesize with web sources
3. Get answers that combine your documents with current web data
4. Especially powerful for analyzing papers against the current literature

Strategy 3: Model Comparison

For important research:

1. Run the same query with different models
2. Compare answers and emphasis
3. Synthesize the most complete picture
4. Note where models agree and differ

Strategy 4: Space-Based Projects

For ongoing research:

1. Create a dedicated space for the project
2. Configure optimal settings
3. Upload all relevant reference materials
4. Conduct all related research within the space

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5.7 Is Pro Worth It?

Pro Subscription Benefits Summary

Feature	Free	Pro
Basic searches	Unlimited	Unlimited
Pro searches	Limited/day	Unlimited
File uploads	Limited	Unlimited
Model selection	Default only	Multiple options
Spaces	Basic	Full features
API access	No	Yes
Image analysis	Limited	Full

Who Should Get Pro?

Pro is ideal for:

• Researchers conducting frequent, deep inquiries
• Professionals who need reliable research daily
• Students working on major projects
• Anyone who values the advanced features

Free may be sufficient for:

• Casual, occasional users
• Simple fact-checking needs
• Trying out Perplexity before committing
• Limited research requirements

Calculating Value

Consider:

• How many hours of research time does Pro save?
• What's the value of better-quality answers?
• Do you need the file analysis features?
• Would API access enable valuable integrations?

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5.8 Practice Exercises

Exercise 1: Pro Search Comparison

Run the same query with basic and Pro search:

• Query: "What are the best strategies for improving employee retention?"
• Compare depth, sources, and answer quality
• Note any clarifying questions Pro asks

Exercise 2: File Analysis

Upload a PDF document (research paper, report, or article):

• Ask for a summary
• Ask about specific sections
• Ask questions that require external context

Exercise 3: Model Comparison

Run this query with different models:

• "Analyze the ethical implications of facial recognition technology"
• Note differences in approach, emphasis, and conclusions

Exercise 4: Space Setup

Create a space for an ongoing interest:

1. Define custom instructions
2. Upload relevant reference materials
3. Test queries to see how settings affect results

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Module 5 Summary

Key Takeaways:

1. Pro Search goes deeper: More thorough searching, clarifying questions, and extended analysis.

2. File upload enables document analysis: PDFs, images, and data files can be analyzed in context.

3. Model selection offers flexibility: Different models excel at different tasks.

4. Spaces organize research: Create customized environments for ongoing projects.

5. API access enables automation: Programmatic access for advanced workflows.

6. Value depends on usage: Evaluate Pro based on your specific research needs.

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Preparing for Module 6

Next, we'll apply everything you've learned to academic research workflows. You'll learn:

• Systematic approaches to literature reviews
• Building bibliographies with Perplexity
• Academic writing integration
• Research documentation best practices

Before Module 6:

• Identify an academic or professional research project you're working on
• Note your current research workflow challenges
• Consider how Perplexity could integrate into your process

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"Advanced tools require advanced techniques. Now you have both."

Ready to continue? Proceed to Module 6: Academic Research Workflows.