This is pretty much identical to how I handle it in my saga. Additionally, for b), the researcher could produce new spells using his/her new virtue that would also function as sources, in addition to whatever he produced in the experimentation cycle.
Like many, I've never been able to quite grasp what the whole "learning Virtue by teaching/reading" section on p.29-30 of True Lineages have been trying to convey, so I've never used them. Thematically, I find the idea of "well, I've figured out how to do it, but until I figure out how it fits with everything else, here, have my research papers if you want to do it, too" is far more fitting than "hey, I did a major breakthrough, here's the tractatus for the folio explaining it".
As I tend to whenever discussion of the 5th ed Original Research rules come up, I'd point people at Matt Ryan's post on the matter, which I think has some valuable house rules from the person partially responsible for the RAW: Original Research Rules in 5th Edition? - #10 by Matt_Ryan