Drafts, notes and correspondence

Strength: Good, and chronically underused

What it proves

That the ideas and the work existed before the finished document did.

What it does not

It rarely reconstructs the exact wording, so it supports a process account rather than replacing one.

How to get it

Collect emails to yourself, research notes, interview recordings, photographs of handwritten pages, message threads where you complained about paragraph four. Screenshot them with dates visible.

How long it survives

Indefinitely, if you keep them. Most people delete them before a dispute because they are embarrassed by the mess.

Why it matters

It is the most persuasive material that almost nobody thinks to gather, and it costs nothing but an afternoon.