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In an experimental scientific research process, you could state the hypothesis and the methods you would use to conduct the experiment. The experiment gives you data. Then you use statisitics to check whether the data disproves or is unable to disprove the hypothesis. However, in a theoretical research (could be in mathematics, or philosophy), what is the 'method' when there is no notion of experiment? Say you have a hunch that a mathematical relation could be proven, but you don't know exactly how, then what is the 'method' of the research process? Do mathematicians in this kind of research only publish after they have the results? (Unlike scientists who could talk about the setup of the experiment, the number of test subjects needed before they get any data from the experiment.)