Guide
Use FOIA Logs to Find Questions, Then Find the Records
A FOIA log shows what someone requested. Use this worksheet to follow a request into released records without treating it as proof of an allegation.
What is the reporting value of a FOIA log?
A FOIA request log can show the subjects people have asked a federal agency to search for. It may reveal useful terminology, record systems or requests relevant to your beat. The existence of a request does not establish that the requested records exist or that a requester's premise is true.
For a concrete starting point, the SEC publishes FOIA logs. Fields and publication practices differ by agency. Inspect the actual log and its date rather than assuming a standard format or a complete, current inventory.
Follow the request beyond its description
Treat a log entry as an index card that points toward a possible record. A status such as “closed” may not tell you what was released. Read any available disposition and obtain the response or released material before making a claim about its contents.
Use this request-to-record worksheet:
| Field | What to establish |
|---|---|
| Agency and log period | Which published inventory did you examine? |
| Request identifier | How can you locate the exact request? |
| Description | What was requested, in the agency's recorded wording? |
| Dates and status | What does the log actually say about processing? |
| Response or release | Is the disposition or underlying material available? |
| Verification | What does the released record support? |
| Remaining gap | What would require a further request or interview? |
Do not republish requesters' personal information merely because it appears in a log. Focus on information necessary to explain the public-interest question.
Search public collections before requesting again
Check the agency's reading room, existing releases and public databases. FOIA.gov's process guide recommends checking whether information is already available before submitting a request. It also helps identify the appropriate agency and request process.
In a hypothetical example, a log entry seeks correspondence about a procurement delay. You can say that someone requested those records. You cannot say that officials concealed a delay, that responsive emails exist or that the request produced a release. The next step is locating the response and procurement records, then asking the agency about the documented timeline.
If you submit your own request, describe identifiable records and a sensible date range. Keep track of acknowledgments, tracking numbers and any scope clarification. Do not build a publication promise around a response date you cannot control.
Let the records set the story
A release may answer the question, narrow it or show that the original premise was wrong. Report that result honestly. State material gaps in the record and distinguish redaction or nonproduction from proof of misconduct.
Keep the log, request, response and analysis together in a standing file. The log supplies a lead; the records and subsequent reporting supply the article.
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