<p>If you were in the competitive world of publish or perish, the very thought of doing this would be considered crazy because someone might steal your idea and publish ahead of you.  Sometimes in the environment of academic pressure ethics goes out the window.  I remember when I was a graduate student many people would be highly secretive about their research.</p>

<p>Even without rigor your work could be publishable as you may have examples that you can compare it with other techniques where your method proves to be better.  Great ideas often have started that way.  A recent good example is boosting.  Often a supporting theory is developed later.  The bootstrap is a really great example of that.</p>

<p>It is not difficult to research the outside literature with all the technical advantages the internet now provides.  But asking on this site could give you a quick answer but may not necessarily.  Your idea is not protected doing it this way.</p>

<p>Of course I get the impression that you just want to know if it is original or if anyone else has done something like it.  In that case go ahead.</p>
