Making allowance for doubtful accounts in a journal entry is an important part of any researcher's job. An old adage says that if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is not true. When reading a journal, one must consider the circumstances under which it was written. Young people often omit certain events in their lives for fear that a parent or sibling might discover and read a
. journal. Others might simply find particular events too embarrassing to discuss. Still others might keep a journal with the aim of publishing memoirs at a future date. A politician, for example, who plans on handing over his or her memoirs to a ghost writer upon retirement, is unlikely to include in his or her journals information on extramarital affairs or bribes. For information on historical research methods, including tips on reading and evaluating diaries and journals, click here: http://www.ischool.utexas.edu/~palmquis/courses/historical.htm
