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MH

Research methods

How I approach research problems.

A research workflow that connects real-world problems, evidence, experimentation, modeling, evaluation, interpretation, validation, and reproducibility.

  1. Real-world problem

    Understand the problem before choosing a model

    Problem Formulation

    Translate a real-world problem into a precise research problem, objective, and measurable outcome.

  2. Data & evidence

    Understand what the available evidence can support
  3. Experiment design

    Design the investigation before optimizing the model
  4. Model development

    Develop an appropriate model for the research problem
  5. Efficiency

    Balance predictive performance with computational constraints
  6. Evaluation

    Determine whether the model actually works

    Evaluation trade-offs

    Diagnostic trade-off

    Increasing sensitivity can reduce false negatives, while increasing specificity can reduce false positives. The appropriate operating point depends on the consequences of each error.

  7. Interpretation

    Understand why the model succeeds or fails
  8. Real-world validation

    Determine whether the research survives outside the benchmark

    Real-world case study

    1. Problem
    2. Data
    3. Model
    4. Constraint
    5. Validation
    6. Outcome

    A useful research result should survive realistic constraints rather than only perform well on a benchmark. The case study connects model behavior to the actual environment in which the method is intended to operate.

  9. Deployment & prototyping

    Translate research into a usable system
  10. Reproducibility

    Make the research transparent and repeatable

Research principle

The goal is not to use the most complex model.

It is to build the most appropriate, measurable, interpretable, efficient, and reproducible solution for the question.