An international applicant can keep an application source log by recording one traceable entry for every source used in the application. FAU Libraries recommends recording the source's title, author, and year published. For a website, its research checklist also identifies the date of website visit and the URL as details to include.
Which details belong in each entry?
A consistent template can separate publication details from website access details:
| Source type | Details to record |
|---|---|
| General source material | Source title, author, and year published |
| Website source | Date of website visit and URL |
When a website also provides publication information, the entry can include both groups of details. The applicant should copy the information shown by the source rather than infer a missing author or publication year. If a detail is not displayed, marking it as unavailable helps distinguish a checked source from an assumed detail.
How can the log be checked?
A repeatable checking routine helps keep the log useful:
- Open the source and record its title, author, and publication year where available.
- For a website, record the full URL and the date it was visited.
- Reopen the URL before relying on the entry.
- If the source is checked again later, add a new dated record rather than silently replacing the earlier one.
The URL and visit date document what was consulted and when. They do not, by themselves, guarantee that a webpage will remain unchanged or that its information will apply to a particular application.
What must be confirmed separately?
The cited material presents these fields as research-log details, not as a universal application requirement. The applicant must still check the current instructions for the relevant school or program and confirm that each source supports the specific information for which it is being used.
A source log records provenance; it does not replace the original source or current application instructions. The applicant should therefore verify the metadata directly and leave any unconfirmed information clearly marked.