📝 Notebook · All Roles · Beginner
Notebook Chronology Guide
A self-check reference for notebook chronology. RECF judges look at date order, gaps, and EDP coverage first — this guide shows what they expect and how to audit your own notebook before submission.
The RECF rubric explicitly requires notebooks to be maintained chronologically. Judges look at dates on the first pass — out-of-order entries, long gaps, or missing EDP steps are the fastest way to drop from Proficient to Developing before they read a single entry.
⚠️
The three most common chronology failures: entries added out of date order, gaps longer than 2 weeks during the build season, and an EDP step (especially "Identify the Problem") that only appears once in the whole notebook.
✅
Expert notebooks have: entries dated in order with no gaps, every EDP step appearing in each design cycle, and "Written By" and "Witnessed By" on every page.
📖 What Judges Check in 30 Seconds
Before reading a single entry, judges skim: Are dates in order? Are there big gaps? Does the notebook show multiple EDP cycles? Does every entry have an author and witness? These take 30 seconds to check and are the fastest filter for Design Award candidates.
EXPERT SIGNALS
- Every entry has date, Written By, Witnessed By
- No gaps longer than 2 weeks during build season
- Multiple complete EDP cycles visible
- Second cycle starts after first event
- Test entries link back to criteria
RED FLAGS
- Out-of-order dates or backfilled entries
- 3+ week gap with no entries
- EDP step 1 appears only at the start
- No Witnessed By on any entry
- Notebook ends before last competition