Store the claim, the source and the interpretation as separate parts of the same record.
Capture the question first
Write a narrow question before collecting evidence. “Which fees apply to this account type?” can be answered from a specific document. “Is this broker safe?” bundles many different questions into a conclusion that a single source cannot support. Use smaller questions to make the research reproducible.
Keep the record’s own context
Save a source title, its exact URL, the publisher, the time accessed and any document or record identifier. ASIC notes that its professional registers show an update timestamp. Preserve that source timestamp separately from your own access time; they describe different events.
Preserve limits alongside the finding
A note should include the record reference, the activity researched and the boundaries of the finding. Record whether the text is an official observation, a provider’s statement or your interpretation. If a source does not address execution quality, withdrawal experience or solvency, do not quietly extend it to those topics.
Create a record that can change
Give the note a stable internal identifier and link later amendments to it. If a page disappears, record that event without guessing what changed. Retain copies only where your usage rights and privacy obligations permit; otherwise keep the citation, the observed fact and the reason a copy was not retained.
Proposed research record: question · account type · source URL · publisher · source date · access date · observation · interpretation · unresolved items.
Research checklist
- State one research question per finding.
- Save the exact source and publisher.
- Separate source date from access date.
- Label observation, claim and interpretation.
- Link amendments without overwriting the history.
A research aid. Completing this list does not certify a provider or remove financial risk.
Sources & further reading
Refer to the official sources below and confirm their current contents before relying on a rule or record. The explanations and research workflows in this guide are original to FactFX.
Transparent by design. This guide provides general research education and does not determine legal rights or personal investment suitability.