18 Days with Sherlock - Day 6 – Focus on the Details

This method goes along with yesterday's Gather All Clues. The difference is, when you focus on the details you are actually evaluating the clues that you have captured in your large butterfly net. Sherlock was very detail oriented. He wanted to know who, what, when, where and why for every clue that he gathered. When you are looking at an official document, you will understand it better if you answer these questions:
"Who created this document?"
"Why was the document created?"
"When was the document created?" [In context of what was going on in the region at the time]
"Who are all of these other people mentioned?"
"Are there other documents that could shed light on this one?"

"It has long been an axiom of mine that the little things are infinitely the most important.” [Holmes to client Miss Mary Sutherland, "A Case of Identity"]

“It is, of course, a trifle, but there is nothing so important as trifles." [Holmes to client Mrs. St. Clair, "The Man with the Twisted Lip"]

Copyright © 2012 Michele Simmons Lewis