formulate-hypotheses

formulate-hypotheses

Purpose

Generate and refine testable hypotheses from a gap, theory, induction, anomaly, or competing explanations.

When to use / not applicable

Use when a research gap or insight can be stated. Select deductive, inductive, abductive, or competing-hypotheses; operationalization may follow any generation mode.

Input contract

mode_contracts:
  deductive: &hypothesis_input
    required: [research_gap_or_observation]
    optional: [theory, anomaly, candidate_explanations, variables, prior_evidence]
    constraints: [at_least_one_observable_consequence]
  inductive: *hypothesis_input
  abductive: *hypothesis_input
  competing-hypotheses: *hypothesis_input

Execution protocol

Do not perform called SOP operations inline; each loaded SOP owns its contract and thresholds.

1. State the gap or observation and select the declared mode.
2. Generate candidate hypotheses without premature filtering using the mode-specific operations below.
3. You MUST load skill identify-variables to operationalize the variables. You MUST load skill specify-relationship to state their relationships, scope, and boundary conditions.
4. You MUST load skill score-object to score each hypothesis against the declared evidence and rubric. If the resulting hypotheses need a focused falsifiability review, consider falsifiability-audit. If the strongest claim is ready for a decisive truth-seeking program, falsification-first-audit may be the better next tactic.

Mode branches

• deductive: derive predictions from an existing theoretical framework. You MUST load skill identify-theory to identify the governing theory. You MUST load skill extract-causal-structure to derive its causal structure.
• inductive: generalize a pattern where theory is weak or absent. You MUST load skill extract-empirical-regularity to extract the recurring empirical pattern.
• abductive: explain a precisely described anomaly and retain competing explanations. You MUST load skill characterize-anomaly to characterize the anomaly. You MUST load skill generate-competing-hypotheses to retain distinct explanations.
• competing-hypotheses: require mutually discriminating predictions. You MUST load skill generate-competing-hypotheses to generate mechanism-distinct alternatives. You MUST load skill design-discriminating-prediction to derive discriminating predictions. You MUST load skill compare-hypotheses to construct the comparison matrix.