Building Falsifiable Research Notes

Separating hypothesis, evidence, and conclusion to leave clear trail markers for your future self.

Write Down the Hypothesis First

A research log should open with a distinct inquiry. Document explicitly what you anticipate observing, and what specific counter-evidence would invalidate that expectation.

Preserving Alternative Explanations

A single phenomenon often admits multiple plausible causes. Disentangling hard facts from deductive leaps and unknowns prevents mistaking a compelling narrative for an empirical conclusion.

Periodic Retrospectives

Record the information available at the time alongside the decision date. In future post-mortems, the focus is not whether the outcome happened to be fortunate, but whether the reasoning process can be refined. (Research methodology note; not financial advice).