01
Record enough context to compare the entries
Give each entry a date and a brief viewpoint note, such as “from the pavement opposite the centre of the window.” Describe the visible objects before interpreting them: two upright books, one open book and a small caption card. If taking photographs, follow the permissions and conditions relevant to the setting and intended use. The written note should remain useful even without an image. Record an obstruction or a changed viewpoint when it limits comparison, rather than presenting two different views as though they show an identical field of view.
02
Separate visible differences from possible explanations
In the second fictional entry, the open book has been replaced by a closed one. That is the recorded difference. “The display was changed to promote a new edition” is a possible explanation that the view alone does not establish. Put it in a questions column if it matters to the project. The journal should let a reader distinguish what was visible from what the writer wondered about. If a later source explains the change, add that source and date rather than rewriting the earlier observation as though the explanation was known at the time.
03
Preserve gaps and summarise only what the record supports
If the third visit did not happen, mark the missing entry. Do not interpolate a display arrangement between two observations. A short summary could say that the recorded open book was absent on the second visit, while the timing and reason for the replacement remain unknown. Keep that summary beside the original entries so its basis can be checked. The completed journal connects dates, viewing conditions, observed details and unanswered questions. It makes a small sequence readable while keeping its limits as visible as its recorded changes.