Methodology

The methodology involves in-depth research about the origin of American barbecue as related to the Native Americans of the Caribbean/Florida/Georgia areas. 

In particular, the methodology seeks to identify authoritative information (primary and secondary sources, such as Columbus' logs) to resolve various claims about the origin of barbecue. 

The ABC is a conjecture:- a guess.  As such, it is not intended to be authoritative but to stand as a framework of plausible assertions which can be tested against primary historical sources, such as Columbus' own journals. That is, the very purpose of the conjecture is to hold up factual evidence that either supports or fails to support the conjecture, so that the conjecture can be further refined and changed.  

Eventually, there will have developed a sufficient body of primary evidence to resolve the various parts of the ABC, including the origin of the word and the origin of the technique.  

Of course, a conjecture is not a theory, nor even an "educated guess".  Instead, the conjecture is simply a "plausible guess", which is subject to change and refinement.

Methodology

This will summarize the methodology with will be used to study the ABC.

Traditional methodology

Traditionally, an investigation like this requires extensive review and analysis of many sources, and applicable data is recorded in research notes for later review and further analysis.

Source pages

In order to make the analysis of the ABC more consistent with the Internet, the methodology will include basic research notes on the website.

Each important source (primary, secondary or other) will be given its own separate page (or sometimes, pages), which will contain data and citations from the source and which will be referred to as a "source page".

For example, the Tirado webpage contains an analysis of Prof. Thomas C. Tirado's essay, "Christopher Columbus".  This page contains excerpts and summaries of the data and citations that relate specifically to the ABC.

Topic pages

The data and citations from the source pages will be analyzed, collated and presented on various "topic pages".  

Each important topic which is part of the ABC will be given its own separate page (or sometimes, pages), which will contain data and citations from the applicable source pages and which will be referred to as a "topic page".

For example, the Carib webpage will contain information and citations from the Tirado webpage about the Carib Native Americans described in Prof. Thomas C. Tirado's essay, "Christopher Columbus".

ABC pages

The data and citations from the topic pages, which came from the applicable source pages, will be analyzed, collated and presented on various "ABC pages".  The ABC pages describe the elements of the conjecture and include the data and citations which relate to them.  

Each important element which is part of the ABC will be given its own separate page (or sometimes, pages), which will contain data and citations from the applicable topic pages and which will be referred to as a "ABC page".

For example, the barbecue method webpage will contain information and citations, including those from the Carib webpage, concerning the element of the ABC that concerns evidence concerning whether Native Americans employed the barbecue cooking method in the pre-Columbian Caribbean.

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