RECAP Framework v1.0: A Multi-Layer Inheritance Architecture for Evidence Synthesis

Abstract: Evidence synthesis has advanced through improved reporting standards, bias assessment tools, and analytic methods, but current workflows remain limited by a single-layer structure in which conceptual, methodological, and procedural decisions are made on the same level. This forces each project to rebuild its methodological foundations from scratch, leading to inconsistencies, conceptual drift, and unstable reasoning across projects. RECAP Framework v1.0 introduces a three-layer meta-architecture consisting of methodological laws (Grandparent), domain-level abstractions (Parent), and project-level implementations (Child). The framework defines an inheritance system with strict rules for tiering, routing, and contamination control to preserve construct clarity, enforce inferential discipline, and support reproducibility across multi-project evidence ecosystems. RECAP provides a formal governance layer for evidence synthesis and establishes the foundation for a methodological lineage designed to stabilize reasoning across research programs.