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Methods

From question to inspectable result.

Cumulant does not force questions through one fixed pipeline. The question determines the method.

Across projects, a small set of disciplines recurs: trace the evidence, test alternatives, reproduce the result, and require human review before release.

Research methodA question moves through design, investigation, review, and preservation.

Stages

  1. 01

    Find the puzzle

    Identify the tension, anomaly, or decision that merits investigation.

  2. 02

    Study the field

    Review prior work, competing explanations, and unresolved gaps.

  3. 03

    State the question

    Define a specific question and the boundary of the claim.

  4. 04

    Choose the method

    Select a design that fits the question instead of forcing a standard recipe.

  5. 05

    Build the evidence

    Acquire, validate, and preserve data and sources with provenance.

  6. 06

    Analyze

    Run deterministic code and save machine-readable outputs.

  7. 07

    Challenge

    Use critical review to search for leakage, weak identification, alternative explanations, and unsupported claims.

  8. 08

    Stress-test

    Test alternate samples, variables, models, windows, costs, assumptions, and out-of-sample behavior.

  9. 09

    Verify

    Trace numerical claims and citations to saved evidence.

  10. 10

    Reproduce

    Rebuild results from preserved inputs, code, seeds, and configurations.

  11. 11

    Human review

    Require human evaluation of the design, interpretation, limitations, and release decision.

  12. 12

    Release

    Publish a versioned output with methods, code, data status, limitations, and correction history.

Phases

Ask
  • Find the puzzle
  • Study the field
Design
  • State the question
  • Choose the method
  • Build the evidence
Investigate
  • Analyze
  • Challenge
  • Stress-test
Preserve
  • Verify
  • Reproduce
  • Human review
  • Release