gap-validation

name	gap-validation
description	Validate gap authenticity via cross-database verification, temporal sensitivity testing, and false-gap filtering. Ensures gaps are genuine absences, not search artifacts.
dependencies	{"tactics":["cross-validation"],"sops":["cross-database-verification","false-gap-filtering","temporal-sensitivity-testing"]}

Gap Validation

Verify that identified gaps are genuine research absences, not artifacts of search failure.

When to Use

Classified gaps need validation before prioritization — confirm they represent real absences across multiple sources and time windows.

Budget

Base SOP	Target	±10% Range
web-search	40	36–44
web-research	15	13–17
paper-overview	40	36–44
paper-search	25	22–28
paper-research	15	13–17

State Ledger

Print before every iteration:

<HARD-GATE>
| SOP | Done | Target | % |
|-----|------|--------|---|
| web-search | ? | 40 | ? |
| web-research | ? | 15 | ? |
| paper-overview | ? | 40 | ? |
| paper-search | ? | 25 | ? |
| paper-research | ? | 15 | ? |
Budget Gate: OPEN/CLOSED (>=80% required to exit)
</HARD-GATE>

Available Tactics

• cross-validation

Available SOPs

Import: web-search, web-research, paper-overview, paper-search, paper-research Subagent: cross-database-verification, false-gap-filtering, temporal-sensitivity-testing

Execution Guidance

For each classified gap: verify across multiple databases (Semantic Scholar, Google Scholar, arXiv, domain-specific), test temporal stability (does gap persist across 2/5/10 year windows?), filter false gaps (search failure vs genuine absence vs already solved).

Output Format

Validated Gap List — each gap with: validation status (confirmed/partial/refuted), cross-database results, temporal trend, false-gap assessment.

Available Tactics

Optional, no fixed order; the final leaf is always a sop.

Tactic	When to use
cross-validation	Multi-source cross-validation of gap authenticity — cross-database search, temporal sensitivity testing, false-gap filtering, stakeholder confirmation.

Available SOPs

Optional, no fixed order; the final leaf is always a sop.

SOP	When to use
cross-database-verification	Verify gap existence across multiple databases (Semantic Scholar, Google Scholar, arXiv, domain-specific). Distinguishes database-specific gaps from universal gaps.
false-gap-filtering	Detect false gaps — search failures, already-solved gaps, and inherently unanswerable questions masquerading as research gaps.
temporal-sensitivity-testing	Test whether a gap persists across different time windows (2/5/10 years). Determines if gap is narrowing, widening, or stable over time.