Methods
How to Build a Source Citation Notebook
This field note is part of the FOBA learning stream. It is meant to orient readers and point toward better source work.
Key points
- A good notebook has separate fields for source location, exact clue, interpretation, and next check.
- The exact clue should stay close to the source language, while the interpretation should be clearly labeled as yours.
- The next check keeps the work moving toward a record, map, archive, or Fact Check instead of drifting into certainty too early.
Next steps
- Use the same citation shape for every source: repository, collection, item, date, page or image, URL, and access date.
- Mark private or living-person material as not for public posting.
- Turn every unsupported sentence into an open question before publishing.
Source trail
- FOBA Editorial Standards – Internal labels for evidence and claim status.