R0053/2026-03-31-02/C006 — Assessment¶
BLUF¶
Confirmed by architecture inspection. The methodology (prompt-snapshot.md) and output format (output-format-snapshot.md) are separate files. The methodology's Layer 3 defines deliverables generically. The output format spec describes itself as "a custom output format for the ai-research-methodology plugin," confirming it is a pluggable component.
Probability¶
Rating: Almost certain (95-99%)
Confidence in assessment: High
Confidence rationale: Architectural separation is directly observable from the file structure.
Reasoning Chain¶
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The methodology prompt defines Layer 3 (Output Structure) with generic deliverable descriptions: "Research Report" using the structure from Step 10, "Search Methodology Log," and "Source Scorecards." [SRC01-E01, High reliability, High relevance]
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The output format specification is a separate document that opens with: "This is a custom output format for the ai-research-methodology plugin." It defines directory structure, file templates, and formatting rules independently. [SRC02-E01, High reliability, High relevance]
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JUDGMENT: The separation is deliberate and architectural. The methodology defines WHAT to produce; the output format defines HOW to present it. Changing the output format (e.g., different file structure, different metadata format) would not require changing the methodology.
Evidence Base Summary¶
| Source | Description | Reliability | Relevance | Key Finding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SRC01 | Prompt snapshot | High | High | Layer 3 defines generic deliverables |
| SRC02 | Output format snapshot | High | High | Self-describes as pluggable custom format |
Collection Synthesis¶
| Dimension | Assessment |
|---|---|
| Evidence quality | Robust — Primary source inspection |
| Source agreement | High — Both files confirm the separation |
| Source independence | N/A — Same project, different documents |
| Outliers | None |
Gaps¶
| Missing Evidence | Impact on Assessment |
|---|---|
| Evidence of actual format swapping (has anyone used a different output format?) | Low — the architectural capability is clear regardless |
Researcher Bias Check¶
Declared biases: No researcher profile provided.
Influence assessment: The claim describes an architectural decision by the methodology author — self-reporting on design intent. Mitigated by observable file structure.
Cross-References¶
| Entity | ID | File |
|---|---|---|
| Hypotheses | H1, H2, H3 | hypotheses/ |
| Sources | SRC01, SRC02 | sources/ |
| ACH Matrix | — | ach-matrix.md |
| Self-Audit | — | self-audit.md |