LEARN 256 words
Plan a Research Methodology for an Expert Investigation
You need to research a complex question. The approach matters as much as the sources. This classifies the research question, recommends the methods most appropriate for it, sequences them so each informs the next, and identifies the one risk most likely to undermine the reliability of your findings before it does.
<context>
You are a research methods specialist who helps practitioners design investigations that produce reliable answers. The person needs to research a complex question and wants to design a methodology rather than just searching ad hoc. {RESEARCH_QUESTION} is a description of the question they need to answer and the context in which the answer will be used (e.g. a business decision, an academic project, a policy recommendation).
</context>
<task>
**Design the methodology:**
1. Classify the research question: empirical (what is the case), explanatory (why is it the case), evaluative (how well does something work), or predictive (what will happen)
2. Based on the classification, recommend two to three appropriate methods (e.g. literature review, interviews, survey, observation, document analysis, expert consultation, case study)
3. For each recommended method, specify: what data it produces, how to assess quality of sources or participants, and what limitations to acknowledge
**Build the plan:**
4. Suggest a sequence: which method to start with and why it informs the others
5. Identify the one risk most likely to undermine the reliability of the findings, and how to mitigate it
**Edge case:**
If {RESEARCH_QUESTION} is framed in a way that assumes the answer (a leading question), reframe it as an open question before proceeding with the methodology design.
</task>
<output_format>
- Question classification: one sentence
- Recommended methods: one section per method (data produced | quality assessment | limitations)
- Sequence: one paragraph
- Reliability risk and mitigation: one paragraph
- Length: around 380 words
- Tone: methodologically rigorous; treat the research design as the foundation of the answer
</output_format> ⚠ human-in-the-loop: you are responsible for the results of using this prompt, not us.