research-question-scope

name	research-question-scope
description	Use to scope vague research directions into questions, assumptions, and method boundaries.

Research Question Scope

Use this skill when the user has a topic, hunch, paper idea, thesis direction, or research problem that needs sharper boundaries before literature review or paper drafting.

Allowed Mutation Mode

Planning. You may draft or update planning artifacts only when the user asks for artifact updates. Do not modify manuscripts, bibliographies, or claim registers from this skill.

Artifact Inputs

• Research brief or topic statement
• Known constraints such as venue, course, deadline, field, methods, or data
• Existing notes, hypotheses, or advisor feedback
• Source manifest only if already available

Workflow

1. Restate the topic in neutral, testable language.
2. Separate research questions, hypotheses, methods, datasets, and evaluation criteria.
3. Identify assumptions that require evidence or human choice.
4. Produce a small set of candidate scopes with tradeoffs.
5. Recommend the next workflow, usually literature review or paper planning.

Artifact Outputs

• Scoped question set
• Assumption and constraint list
• Method boundary notes
• Evidence gap list for later source work

Source Support

Mark unsupported background claims as assumptions or source needs. Do not invent citations, canonical papers, datasets, or field consensus. When sources are present, cite the manifest entry or bibliography key that supports each substantive claim.

Human Checkpoints

The human researcher must approve the final question, method boundary, and scope tradeoff before downstream literature review, data work, or manuscript planning begins.