Set up an investigation

Instructions

1. Create a folder in {REPO_ROOT}/scratch/ with the format {YYYY-MM-DD}-{descriptive-name}:

   mkdir scratch/$(uv run python -c "import datetime; print(datetime.date.today().isoformat())")-{descriptive-name}
   

2. Create a README.md in this folder with: task description, background context, task checklist. Update with findings as you progress.
3. Create scripts and data files as needed for empirical work.
4. For complex investigations, split into sub-documents as patterns emerge.

Investigation Patterns

These are common patterns, not rigid categories. Most investigations blend multiple patterns.