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Substrate/research/README.md

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# Research Projects
## Purpose
The `research/` directory contains completed research projects with their findings, methodology, and analysis. Research projects typically use external data sources from `Data/sources/` and produce curated datasets that are stored in `Data/`.
## Relationship with Data Directory
Research projects work in conjunction with the `Data/` directory:
**Research → Data Workflow:**
1. **Input**: Use `../Data/sources/` to access external data APIs and endpoints
2. **Analysis**: Perform analysis, synthesis, and investigation
3. **Output**: Produce curated datasets stored in `../Data/` top-level
4. **Documentation**: Document methodology, sources used, and resulting datasets
## Required Research Project Structure
Each research project should follow this structure:
```
research/[project-name-YYYY-MM]/
├── README.md # Overview, research question, primary findings
├── SOURCES.md # Links to ../Data/sources/ used as inputs
├── METHODOLOGY.md # Research design and methods
├── findings/ # Analysis and insights
│ ├── SYNTHESIS.md # Cross-analysis synthesis
│ └── [topic-specific].md # Individual findings
└── [links to ../Data/[dataset]/] # Reference to resulting dataset
```
## README.md Template
```markdown
# [Research Project Title]
**Research Study**
**Date:** YYYY-MM-DD
**Researcher:** [Name]
**Research Design:** [Brief description]
---
## Research Question
[Primary research question or hypothesis]
---
## Methodology
[Brief methodology summary - link to METHODOLOGY.md for details]
---
## Primary Finding
[Key finding or answer to research question]
---
## Data Sources Used
This research used the following external data sources from `../Data/sources/`:
- [DS-00001—WHO_Global_Health_Observatory](../Data/sources/DS-00001—WHO_Global_Health_Observatory/)
- [DS-00002—UN_SDG_Indicators](../Data/sources/DS-00002—UN_SDG_Indicators/)
See [SOURCES.md](./SOURCES.md) for complete source documentation.
---
## Resulting Dataset
This research produced the following curated dataset:
- [Dataset Name](../Data/[Dataset-Name]/)
- `[dataset-file].md` - Primary dataset
- `source.md` - Metadata linking back to this research
---
## Findings
[Links to findings/ directory]
---
## Integration with Substrate
[How this research connects to Problems, Solutions, Claims, etc.]
```
## SOURCES.md Template
```markdown
# Data Sources Used
**Research Project:** [Project Name]
**Date:** YYYY-MM-DD
---
## External Data Sources
This research used the following data sources from `../Data/sources/`:
### DS-00001 — WHO Global Health Observatory
- **Path:** `../Data/sources/DS-00001—WHO_Global_Health_Observatory/`
- **What we used:** [Specific indicators or datasets]
- **Why we used it:** [Reason for using this source]
- **Date accessed:** YYYY-MM-DD
### DS-00002 — UN SDG Indicators
- **Path:** `../Data/sources/DS-00002—UN_SDG_Indicators/`
- **What we used:** [Specific indicators or datasets]
- **Why we used it:** [Reason for using this source]
- **Date accessed:** YYYY-MM-DD
---
## Additional Sources
[Any sources not in Data/sources/ - these should be added to Data/sources/ for future research]
---
## Data Processing
[Brief description of how raw data from sources was processed, cleaned, and analyzed]
```
## Key Principles
1. **Traceability**: Always document which `Data/sources/` were used
2. **Reproducibility**: Methodology should enable others to reproduce findings
3. **Dataset Production**: Curated outputs go in `../Data/` with `source.md` linking back
4. **Bidirectional Links**: Research → Data and Data → Research connections maintained
5. **Source Citation**: Credit all external sources properly
## Benefits of This Structure
- **Provenance**: Clear lineage from source → research → dataset
- **Reproducibility**: Research can be verified and repeated
- **Reusability**: Future research can build on existing work
- **Quality**: Traceability enables validation
- **Discovery**: Easy to find research that used specific sources
## Example: Knowledge Worker Compensation Study
```
research/knowledge-worker-compensation-2025-10/
├── README.md # Study overview
├── SOURCES.md # BLS, BEA, Census sources used
├── METHODOLOGY.md # 40-agent parallel research design
├── findings/
│ ├── SYNTHESIS.md
│ ├── variance-analysis.md
│ └── bayesian-reconciliation.md
└── [links to ../Data/Knowledge-Worker-Global-Salaries/]
../Data/Knowledge-Worker-Global-Salaries/
├── knowledge-worker-compensation-data.md # Curated dataset
└── source.md # Links back to research project
```
---
**Mission**: Conduct rigorous research that produces traceable, reproducible, and reusable datasets to support human understanding and progress.