Note 04 · Keeping a record current
Revise a note without losing its context
A living note should become clearer as evidence changes. Preserve the reason for a decision without keeping every intermediate draft in the reader's path.
Say what is current
Give the reader one clear place to begin. If a new result replaces an earlier approach, update the main explanation so it describes the present decision. Do not leave contradictory instructions beside each other and expect the reader to infer which one still applies.
A brief reference can preserve the route to an earlier discussion when that history still explains a useful tradeoff.
Keep evidence with a purpose
Some older material remains important for recovery, comparison or accountability. Preserve it in a place that matches that purpose. Other intermediate drafts add little once their conclusions are incorporated. The age of a file is less useful than asking who still needs it and why.
A current note should point to necessary supporting evidence without copying the entire evidence trail into its main text.
Distinguish correction from discovery
A correction fixes a statement that was wrong under its original conditions. A new observation may instead describe conditions that changed. Naming the difference helps a reader understand whether to revise an earlier conclusion or keep two results with different boundaries.