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Keep a research log you can actually trust
Record every useful fact with its source, date and whether you've verified it, so your research is reliable and easy to cite later.
When to use it
Whenever you're researching for a project, essay or decision
Step by step
Set up the log
Create a Google Sheet with columns: Date found, Claim or fact, Exact quote, Source name, Link, Source type, Verified? (Yes/No/Partly), Notes.
Extract facts from what you read
When you read something useful, paste it into your AI assistant with this prompt and copy the result into your sheet.
Prompt to copyFrom the text below, extract up to [8] specific facts or claims that relate to [my research question]. Output as a table with columns: Claim (one sentence, in your words), Exact quote, Source name, Source type (official, academic, news, blog, company). Only include claims that are actually in the text. Source: [name and link] [paste text]Verify the important ones
For each claim you plan to rely on, find a second independent source or the original data. Mark it Yes, No or Partly in the Verified column.
Ask for gaps
Every so often, paste the sheet back into your AI assistant and ask: 'Which claims rest on only one source, and what is missing to answer my question?'
What you get
Row: 12 Nov | 1 in 4 small firms use AI tools weekly | 'one in four firms...' | Business Survey 2026 | link | Official | Partly - figure is for firms with 10+ staff | Check the micro-business breakdown.
Tips
- Copy the exact quote, not just a summary. It makes checking and citing much quicker later.