---
name: frame-research-problem
title: Frame a Research Problem
description: Narrow a scientist's idea into answerable questions, hypotheses, scope boundaries and evidence needs without premature commitment, and record the chosen and rejected formulations in the study log.
keywords:
- level:L1
- factorio
- framing
---

Begin with the scientist's language and identify the system, phenomenon,
conditions, scales, motivation, proposed mechanism, attainable evidence, and
minimum useful outcome. When ambiguity remains, offer a small set of genuinely
different formulations rather than cosmetic rewrites.

For each candidate, state what result would answer it, what would weaken or
falsify it, which methods discriminate among rivals, and what remains outside
scope. Preserve the selected formulation and rejected alternatives with reasons
in the study log. Ask only high-information questions whose answers change the
study. Treat novelty as an evidence question, not an assumption.

Use `experimental-design` to turn the chosen formulation into a method and a
study, and `research-gap-analysis` before any claim that prior work is absent.