Scientific Research based on Computational Efforts consists of several stages:
Selecting an area of investigation
Have or acquire sufficient background
to be able to understand problems posed in the area
Have access to current literature in the area
Have access to necessary technical resources
Select a problem to be investigated
Pose a hypothesis (an assertion that can be tested by experiment)
e.g. "pollutants deposited on the ground on Long Island eventually
enter the water supply"; or
"it is feasible to use the internet to stream live audio programming"
Define a method of testing the hypothesis
Refine goals and methods
State the questions to be answered
How will you know if you have a successful outcome?
How will you know if you have an unsuccessful outcome?
What concrete results would follow a successful outcome?
A technical publication
A program to be distributed
A web page to be used online
...
Create a conservative timeline for the project
What are the subgoals of the project and how will they be achieved?
How does this work relate to other work in the area?
