Find the record series first
NARA’s research guides explain how deck logs are organized and where a researcher may find the relevant catalog item. A ship name alone is rarely enough. Add the date range, command or record group when the catalog allows it.
Transcribe what is actually there
Preserve the original date precision, abbreviations and page reference. If a line is difficult to read, mark it as uncertain rather than silently normalizing it into a clean sentence.
Turn an observation into a claim
A deck-log entry may support a place, weather note, watch change or movement. It does not automatically support a wider statement about the entire deployment. Cite the exact page and keep the conclusion proportionate.
Source note. This page separates documented history, archival observation and editorial explanation. Where a source does not establish a detail, the detail is left open.