When to Stop and Flag a Research Question
Learn how to decide a Civil War soldier record question cannot be resolved with documents at hand, and how to leave a clear, useful note for your.
Section 03
Keeping the Trail
Log your sources and your reasoning so the path stays inspectable.
5 articles 3 sources
See also Section 01, Reading the Record 1 domain read in both drawers ; Section 02, Comparing Clues 1 domain read in both drawers
Cards in this drawer
5 articles
Citing a Muster Roll Image You Found Online
What details should accompany a digital image of a muster roll or card so another researcher can locate it, verify it, or explain why they cannot.
Document Facts vs Inferences in Civil War Research
A practical method for keeping record facts and your own guesses in separate columns, so your Civil War notes stay honest, testable and reusable.
Build a Source Log Another Reader Can Follow
A practical field guide to keeping a research log for Civil War soldier research, with the fields that let any reader trace a claim to a document.
The Index Card Is Not the Final Answer
A compiled index card is a starting point, not proof. What to record in your citation log and which documents to list as the next research steps.
Sources consulted
3 sources · 1 domain
Primary references used in the research guides; each link identifies the relevant articles.
nps.gov
- /civilwar/soldiers-and-sailors-research.htm read for KT-005, KT-004, KT-003, KT-002, KT-001
- /civilwar/soldiers-and-sailors-overview.htm read for KT-005, KT-004, KT-003, KT-002, KT-001
- /civilwar/soldiers-and-sailors-recordsorigin.htm read for KT-005, KT-004, KT-003, KT-002, KT-001
The other drawers
2 sections
- Reading the RecordUnderstand what each field on a muster roll or index card is actually telling you.4 articles
- Comparing CluesTest one document against another before you accept a conclusion.5 articles