Research Logs

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Research log definition. A research log is a comprehensive list of sources you already searched, or plan to search including the purpose of each search (what you want to find), a summary of significant findings and where your copies are, notations showing sources searched where you found nothing, and plenty of comments about your search strategies, suggestions, questions, analysis, and discrepancies. Download a PDF copy of a research log or, download a blank Word document which can be used as an electronic research log.

Value of Research Logs

Good research logs help you:

  1. Cite your sources. This shows quality research.
  2. Sort out what has and has not been found.
  3. Organize and correlate copies of documents.
  5. Show your search strategies and questions.
  6. Reduce unwanted duplication of effort.




  • Researcher's name: your name.
  • Scope of Your Search: What exactly did you search, what did you record, what parameters limited what you recorded as results?
  • Results: a summary of the persons and events found.

Figure 1. Example top part of a blank research log available at Family History Centers. Log15.png

What to Fill-in BEFORE a Search


  1. Date
  2. Place of research
  4. Call Number (if any)




What to Complete AFTER a Search



  • If the search results are negative, put nil or Ø in the document number field, but record what you did and what you mean by "nil." For example, does nil mean no Fraziers at all in the record, none named William, or no Williams between 35 and 45? 

William FRAZIER (1826-1881)

2. Results of the search (positive or negative).

  • If search results are negative, record the search scope and use “nil” or Ø in the document column (as opposed to blank).

3. Scope of the search. The purpose of recording scope is to help you later decide whether you need to look at a source again with a broader scope. What you record on the research log should answer these questions:

  • Did you search the full record or stop when you found something? If you stopped, what pages did you search?
  • If a computer search is involved, what search term(s) did you try? Did you specify other fields, such as age, birthplace, etc., and if so, what age or birthplace did you specify?
  • If a database or website search gave a list of results, did you look at just the first screen of results, all of the results, or what?
  • Decide what to record in your results, and document what you didn't record as results. For example, if looking at the census of Birmingham for John Adams who should have been about 27 years old, did you record every Adams in Birmingham, every John Adams in Birmingham, or only every John Adams in Birmingham between the ages of 25 and 30?
  • If the source was a book or manuscript, did you read every page of the book, only use the index to the book, just check the most relevant chapter, or what?


Failure to document as you go by completing a research log (and family group record) will result in confusion. The confusion may cause you to overlook important sources and come to wrong conclusions. For an example of a completed electronic research log, see log example.


General Suggestions


Design your own modified research log with features you will use.

If you use a computer to log research, either make a backup or print a paper copy of your log at the end of each day.

Spill over the allotted space as needed.



     a. Keep a copy of all letters and emails

     b. Assign a document number to both the inquiry letter or email and the reply.

     c. Enter telephone calls, queries, forum postings, and instant message conversations relating to family research on your research log and keep notes of what was said. Give your notes a document number and refer to them from the research log.

Make paper printouts or backups of all electronic sources, including written notes of telephone interviews.

Special Situations


  • Events starting with marriage go on the couple’s research log (and research file).

Documents with two or more families:

  1. Pick the most predominant family on the document.
  2. Put the document copy in that family’s file.
  3. Compose your document number based on that family.



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