Research Notebook and Logs

My friend, Tanya, asked about my historical research notebook. I have a 3” notebook crammed full of everything I’ve found on the Christison family. All of the pages are in page protectors. It is divided by generations and numbered.

This fall I realized I need to keep research logs so I have a record of what books and records I’ve examined and what I still need to look at. I started a file of research logs on my computer. I’ve used the name “book” for files for the book. So the research logs are a file named “book.research logs.” Then I set up folders for each town or city where I would be doing research -- “book.research logs.Denver.” The research logs are titled by town and place of research -- Denver, State Archives. The logs have the information I’m looking for with a box to check them off when I’ve completed it.

As I write and research, I’m constantly going to the logs and adding something I need to check. Then I print off the logs I need for the place I’m going and hopefully, be able to do some productive research!