Reading UFO records
MYKSS · 2026-11-08
A UFO record can contain a witness account, second-hand information and an investigator's interpretation on the same page. Begin by identifying who is speaking. This workflow helps readers of our document, film and audio index make notes another person can verify.
Record provenance before interpretation
Open the original source and record its institution, title, identifier and page number. Index summaries help discovery; check the original before citing a conclusion. If the original is unavailable, say that it has not been checked. Multiple copies of the same report are not independent corroboration.
Separate three dates
The event date, the date a report was written and the date it became public describe different things. A recently released old report is not a new sighting. When dates differ, check whether one belongs to an attachment or filing action. Do not invent precision where the record is uncertain.
Keep three evidence columns
Record observations in the first column, the document author's interpretation in the second, and missing information in the third. A reported bright point is an observation; a proposed balloon explanation is an interpretation. Missing distance, exposure or weather data belong in the third column. Keep your own deductions separate from all three.
Ask about scale before estimating motion
A bright point moving across a frame does not by itself establish its physical speed. Camera motion, viewing angle and target distance affect the image. Note edits, original duration and reference objects before making measurements. Without adequate information, describe motion in the image rather than assigning a flight speed or technological capability.
Unidentified does not establish origin
The National Archives' Blue Book material distinguishes unidentified reports from evidence of extraterrestrial origin. Keep unresolved observations visible and specify what information is missing. Failure to prove one explanation does not prove a different explanation.
A reusable research note
Identifier: ___; source URL: ___; page or timecode: ___; event date: ___; report date: ___; release date: ___; recorded observation: ___; author's interpretation: ___; my inference: ___; missing information: ___.
Include this note with a contribution. Evidence-based disagreement and translation corrections are welcome. Do not submit other people's private contact details.
