The Six Checks
1. Define Research Question
What are you looking for? Why? Without a question, excavation is aimless collecting.
2. Choose Protocol
Will you use Boolean search, network analysis, or cultural keywords? Match the method to the target.
3. Confirm Ethical Clearance
Can you publish what you find? Are there obvious PII or copyright blocks? Don't excavate unpublishable artifacts.
4. Prepare Documentation
Is the Field Report template ready? Are screenshot tools installed? Document as you go.
5. Confirm Preservation Capacity
Do you have the storage space? The emulation tools? Don't dig up what you can't keep alive.
6. Plan Anvil Output
What will you build? A Monument, Landmark, or Synthesis? Excavation without an Anvil plan creates archives that become morgues.
Field Notes
The 10-Minute Rule: This checklist takes 10 minutes but saves hours of wasted effort. It is the discipline's safety mechanism.