ARIMA_SAX_Hybrid_Forecaster/RESEARCH_RULES.md

# RESEARCH RULES

| field | value |
|---|---|
| Document | RESEARCH_RULES.md |
| Version | 1.0 (2026-08-28) |
| Status | **CONTROLLED** |
| Project | ARIMA_SAX_Hybrid_Forecaster |
| Authoritative workspace | `D:\TradingTerminal\MetaTrader 5\MQL5\Shared Projects\ARIMA_SAX_Hybrid_Forecaster` |

These rules govern every session and every gate in this repository. They are
read together with `RESEARCH_CHARTER.md` (the permanent purpose) and
`RESEARCH_STATE.md` (the compact machine-readable checkpoint). Rules are
mandatory. A change to these rules is a controlled change, documented and
versioned as described in §"Rule-change governance".

---

## Mandatory rules

1. Read `RESEARCH_CHARTER.md` and `RESEARCH_STATE.md` before any session.
2. Use repository documents as the source of truth, not conversation history.
3. One session = one gate.
4. Do not repeat completed gates.
5. Do not broaden scientific scope without explicit authorization.
6. Frozen protocols are immutable.
7. Any scientific-scope change requires protocol amendment.
8. SHA proves identity, not scientific correctness.
9. Any quantity that can change the scientific conclusion requires
   independent verification.
10. A test written by the same implementation is not sufficient by itself
    for scientific validation.
11. Never select models, parameters, horizons, features, or costs because
    they produce a preferred result.
12. Engineering failure is not a scientific result.
13. Scientific failure is not automatically an engineering defect.
14. Never claim success from an execution that fails an integrity gate.
15. Never infer execution authorization from context or previous approval.
16. Current gate must always be completed before NEXT_GATE begins.
17. If a gate fails, STOP and preserve evidence.
18. Do not overwrite historical evidence.
19. Do not silently repair discrepancies.
20. Results may update project STATE but may not redefine the research
    question without authorization.

---

## Interpretation notes

- **Rules 6 and 18** protect frozen/immutable evidence: R1-R evidence, R2-H
  evidence, frozen MALE5-ML protocols and manifests, and reference MALE5
  v3.2.0 are preserved byte-for-byte.
- **Rules 11, 5, 7** together prohibit every form of "model shopping," of
  outcome-driven selection, and of silent scope broadening.
- **Rule 8** reminds that a correct SHA-256 (identity) does not by itself
  establish scientific correctness.
- **Rules 9 and 10** guard the independence of verification: conclusions that
  can flip must be confirmed independently of the code that produced them.
- **Rules 12 and 13** keep engineering defects and scientific results
  distinct so that one is not mislabeled as the other.
- **Rules 15 and 20** bind the gate discipline: authorization for execution is
  obtained per gate, and results update the state checkpoint only.

---

## Controlled classifications

- **IMMUTABLE:** R1-R evidence, R2-H evidence, frozen MALE5-ML protocols,
  frozen manifests, reference MALE5 v3.2.0.
- **MUTABLE:** `RESEARCH_STATE.md`.
- **CONTROLLED:** `RESEARCH_CHARTER.md`, `RESEARCH_RULES.md`.

---

## Rules-change governance

A change to this document must:

1. Be proposed, documented, and explicitly authorized;
2. Increment its version and add a dated entry to the table below; and
3. Preserve prior wording in the change record rather than silently rewriting.

### Change table

| Version | Date | Scope | Authorized by |
|---------|------|-------|---------------|
| 1.0 | 2026-08-28 | Initial permanent research rules (20 mandatory rules) | RESEARCH GOVERNANCE SETUP gate |

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_End of RESEARCH_RULES.md — version 1.0._