> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://atlas.rebuildingus.org/docs/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Tutorial: Research a city > Walk through a complete civic research session using Claude and Atlas MCP. This tutorial walks through a complete research session using Claude and Atlas MCP. By the end, you'll have a structured picture of civic work in a city, including who's active, what sources back them, and where the gaps are. **Prerequisites:** * Atlas account with Pro, Team, or Research Pass * Claude Desktop or Claude Code connected to Atlas ([setup guide](/docs/mcp/overview)) ## Step 1: Start with a broad question Open Claude and ask about the city you're researching: > **You:** Who's working on housing and labor issues in Kansas City? Claude can ask Atlas for matching actors and return a summary. You might see something like: > **Claude:** I found 31 entities related to housing and labor in Kansas City. Here are the most prominent: > > 1. **KC Tenants** (organization) — Tenant organizing collective fighting for housing justice. Sources: Kansas City Star, KCUR > 2. **Stand Up KC** (campaign) — Fight for \$15 minimum wage campaign. Sources: The Pitch KC, KSHB > 3. **Habitat for Humanity KC** (organization) — Affordable housing construction. Sources: Kansas City Business Journal > ... ## Step 2: Drill into specifics Pick an entity that interests you and ask for details: > **You:** Tell me more about KC Tenants. What are all the sources? Claude will use `get_entity` and `get_entity_sources` to retrieve the full record: > **Claude:** **KC Tenants** is a citywide tenant organizing collective in Kansas City, MO focused on housing justice and tenant rights. > > **Sources (4):** > > 1. "KC Tenants escalates fight against corporate landlords" — *Kansas City Star*, March 2026 > 2. "Inside Kansas City's tenant organizing movement" — *KCUR*, January 2026 > 3. "Housing advocates push for rent stabilization" — *The Pitch KC*, December 2025 > 4. "Tenant union wins first eviction moratorium" — *Flatland KC*, November 2025 Notice that every claim is backed by specific, dated, verifiable sources. ## Step 3: Check coverage gaps Ask what Atlas *doesn't* know about: > **You:** What issue areas have low coverage in Kansas City? Claude will use `get_place_coverage` to analyze gaps: > **Claude:** Kansas City coverage analysis: > > **Strong coverage:** Housing affordability (18 entities), labor and worker power (9 entities), local government (7 entities) > > **Limited coverage:** Environmental justice (2 entities), broadband access (1 entity), restorative justice (0 entities), addiction and harm reduction (1 entity) > > The gaps may indicate areas where Atlas needs more discovery, or where fewer organizations are publicly active. ## Step 4: Explore the broader context Ask about the city's profile and issue landscape: > **You:** What's the socioeconomic profile of Kansas City? What are the main civic issues? Claude will use `get_place_profile` and `get_place_issue_signals` to provide context. ## Step 5: Follow threads Use what you've learned to go deeper: > **You:** Find organizations working on environmental justice in the broader Kansas City metro area > **You:** Are there any worker cooperatives in Kansas City? > **You:** What other entities are connected to Stand Up KC? Each question gives Claude a new angle to query Atlas, building up a layered picture of civic work in the city. ## What you've accomplished In a single conversation, you've: * Identified 30+ people and organizations working on your issues * Verified entries against specific, dated sources * Discovered coverage gaps that might inform further research * Built a contextual understanding of the city's civic landscape All without opening a browser tab, scrolling through search results, or maintaining a spreadsheet. ## Next steps How to use Atlas for investigative source discovery. How to use Atlas for scoping a new city. What your assistant can ask Atlas to do, with operation details for compatible clients. Automate research programmatically.