Applicants should keep a retrievable source copy of each important document and connect it to a research-log entry. For material found online, the log should include the source URL and visit date—details FAU Libraries recommends recording. AI may assist with organisation, but it should not replace the underlying source or the applicant’s final verification.
Build a linked source set
A practical filing system can contain four linked elements:
| Element | Suggested content | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Source copy | A copy of the document file or page as accessed | Keeps the underlying material available for review |
| Research-log entry | A label matching the stored item, the source type and its location | Connects the source copy with related notes |
| Web-source information | The URL and visit date | Records where online material was accessed |
| Human-review marker | Confirmation that the applicant checked the source | Separates verified evidence from unverified working notes |
FAU Libraries recommends keeping track of sources in a research log or on note cards. The log serves as the connecting layer: without a matching label or reference, a stored source copy may be difficult to identify later.
Organise files for retrieval
Applicants do not need a complex system to make source copies useful. A straightforward approach is to:
- Place retained copies in one controlled collection.
- Give each item a clear, consistent label and use the same label in the research log.
- Keep summaries, translations and AI-generated notes separate from the source copies while linking each note to its underlying item.
- Distinguish different versions rather than silently replacing an earlier copy.
- Record the URL and visit date whenever the source is a website.
- Reopen the source before relying on it and check the relevant names, dates and wording against the retained material.
These are organisational practices, not a universal filing standard. If a source cannot be retrieved or verified, it is safer to mark the related note as unverified than to reconstruct the missing detail from memory or an AI-generated response.
Keep AI assistance in the working layer
AI can help propose labels, group documents or draft research-log summaries from material the applicant has already retained. The source copy remains the evidence; the AI-produced text remains a working aid.
Before using an AI-generated note in a decision, the applicant should compare it with the underlying source and correct any discrepancy. A response without a retrievable source should not be treated as verified evidence.
Confirm document-specific requirements separately
The cited FAU Libraries guidance supports source logging, but no universal requirement has been verified here for the number of copies, folder-naming formula, file format, retention period, translation, certification or expiry rules.
Applicants supporting a specific application should therefore confirm the receiving organisation’s current document-specific instructions before relying on the filing method. The final check is simple: the source must be retrievable, the research-log entry must match it, and any separate submission requirement must have been confirmed directly.