Source Documentation Template

Most OSINT findings collapse under pressure for one reason: the source log was not structured enough. A finding without a reproducible source record is an opinion. A finding with a complete source record — URL, archive, timestamp, hash, and verification notes — is evidence.

This template is the minimum viable source log. Copy it into a spreadsheet or a structured Markdown document at the start of every investigation. Fill one row per distinct source. Fill it at the moment of capture, not from memory afterwards.

Why a source log matters

A structured source log serves four audiences:

You, three months from now, when you need to re-check a specific claim.
Your editor or supervisor, verifying the evidence before publication.
Counsel, reviewing the work for legal exposure.
Critics of the published work, who will attempt to falsify your claims after the fact.

The same log format serves all four. It does not need to be fancy. It needs to be consistent.

Field definitions

source_id — a short, unique identifier you assign. Use it as the citation key in your notes.
live_url — the URL at which you found the source. Full URL, including query parameters, exactly as you retrieved it.
archive_url — a durable snapshot URL (Wayback Machine, archive.today, court docket PDF URL, etc.).
capture_time_utc — ISO-8601 timestamp, in UTC, of when you captured the source.
local_copy — relative path to the local file in your case directory.
hash_sha256 — SHA-256 hex digest of the local copy.
screenshot_path — relative path to a full-page screenshot, where relevant.
source_type — one of: registry, court, FOIA, social, news, infrastructure, leak, other.
verification_notes — what you did to confirm this source is what it appears to be.
retrieval_method — browser + profile, CLI tool + version, or API + credentials (never the credentials themselves).
handler — the person who captured the source.

Print this page

Use Ctrl+P / Cmd+P and save as PDF for archival. The print stylesheet strips navigation and shrinks the template to a one-page-per-source form.

Source documentation template

source_id: ______________________________________________
live_url: ______________________________________________
archive_url: ______________________________________________
capture_time_utc: ______________________________________________
local_copy: ______________________________________________
hash_sha256: ______________________________________________
screenshot_path: ______________________________________________
source_type: registry / court / FOIA / social / news / infrastructure / leak / other
retrieval_method: ______________________________________________
handler: ______________________________________________
verification_notes: _________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

Verification checks performed

Archived in Wayback Machine or archive.today.
Local copy saved.
SHA-256 hash computed and recorded.
Full-page screenshot captured where applicable.
Metadata extracted where applicable (EXIF, PDF /Info, Office docProps).
Cross-checked against at least one independent source.
Source_type assigned and consistent with retrieval method.

Quick example row

source_id:          ER-0012
live_url:           https://example-registry.gov/filings/12345
archive_url:        https://web.archive.org/web/20260314T142211Z/https://example-registry.gov/filings/12345
capture_time_utc:   2026-03-14T14:22:11Z
local_copy:         sources/ER-0012-filing-12345.pdf
hash_sha256:        3f2c8a... (64 hex chars)
screenshot_path:    sources/ER-0012-screenshot.png
source_type:        registry
retrieval_method:   Firefox 125 research profile, incognito
handler:            AR
verification_notes: Matches entity number on state SoS index; creation date consistent with prior filing ER-0010.

For the broader workflow this template feeds into, see the collection phase guide and the evidence chain-of-custody log.