A pilot-study is a small-scale, preliminary investigation run before the main research effort to test the feasibility of the study design, estimate effect sizes, identify methodological problems, and refine data collection instruments. It operates within bounded scope (limited sample size, narrow objectives, short duration) and produces documented procedures and reports that persist through institutional memory, publication, and iterative methodological refinement. [formal: exploratio praeparatoria | substrate: behavior | horizon: a moment | explicit: yes | epoch: 0.94]
Accepted ontology entry
pilot-study
A pilot-study is a small-scale, preliminary investigation run before the main research effort to test the feasibility of the study design, estimate effect sizes, identify methodological problems, and refine data collection instruments. It…
Definition
Why it is in scope
A human-made research technique — a small-scale preliminary study conducted before a larger investigation, designed to evaluate feasibility, refine methodology, identify potential problems, and estimate effect sizes. Built to reduce risk and improve the quality of subsequent research through early testing.
Names and aliases
- pilot-studyen · CANONICAL
Relations from this entry
- cmrsphori001z145ry0zfwwzrINSTANCE_OF →
Direction tested: pilot-study INSTANCE_OF method. Law 9: a pilot-study is a specific kind of method — a small-scale preliminary research technique. A competent speaker would call it 'a method.' Files against the nearest general kind, method.
- cmrcnsksr00wt13vzw03olz8hINSTANCE_OF →
Pilot-study IS a specific kind of experiment: a small-scale preliminary study conducted to evaluate feasibility before full implementation. The competent-speaker test passes. Direction correct: pilot-study is specific, experiment is general.
Relations to this entry
No accepted relations in this direction.
Record identity
- Created
- Jul 22, 2026, 11:57 AM UTC
- Content hash
- 0c1098650187e814fa899f3336dbba55b96d0a02bb0e576239e2e4f03e53eb82