Case 05 · Keep the trail

Keep a Research Notebook

I can record my question, source, result, confidence, and next step so another person can follow my work.

◷ 45–65 minutes⌁ 5–15 active minutes⌂ Work stays offline
Begin the case

Your assignment

Trade scattered clues for a research trail you can pause, revisit, and explain.

Warm up the detective brain

  • What happens when you forget where a fact came from?
  • What should you write down when a search finds nothing?

No answer box by design. Say it, jot it in the workbook, or keep it in your head. This site does not collect the answer.

Granny records the empty search

A fictional researcher looks for Nora Moore in a 1930 city directory and finds no matching entry.

  1. Question: Where did Nora live in 1930?
  2. Source searched: 1930 Ogden city directory, including spelling variants.
  3. Result: no matching entry found.
  4. Next step: check the 1930 census and the 1929 directory.

Case note: A careful “not found” saves time and shapes the next search. It is evidence about what you tried—not proof that the person was absent.

Practice on fictional evidence

Choose the best-supported answer. Feedback explains the evidence; nothing is scored or sent anywhere.

1. Which research-log entry is most useful?
2. A family story says Erik came from Norway; a later record says Sweden. What is the best first response?
3. What makes a source card findable later?

Take the case off-screen

Complete all workbook activities over time, or choose one doorway for today. The authentic evidence belongs in your family-controlled archive.

Log repair

Write two complete entries with question, search, result, and next step.

Source keeper

Create two source cards another person could use.

Question journal

Collect one open question from each participating family member.

Workbook activity trail

  • Research Log
  • Source Cards
  • Source Showdown (optional)
  • Family Research Journal

Is the case ready to file?

Use this as a learner self-check or a short family conversation. Support, dictation, drawing, and the fictional path all count when they preserve the same skill.

  • I made two dated research-log entries.
  • I completed two findable source cards.
  • I recorded conflicting evidence without forcing certainty.
  • I left clear questions and next steps.

Reflection: Which note will save your future self the most time?

Open portfolio sheet

File this skill, not the curiosity.

For more background, read File Before You Forget. The mission is optional context; your workbook remains the activity guide.