- This article is about a type of log entry. You may be looking for the VOY short story, "Personal Log".
A personal log is a type of log which is used to record a person's personal thoughts about a current mission or life in general, which can be recorded in a personal log by name or as unofficial documentation. It performs a similar function as a diary or journal and is not meant to be read by others. (DS9 episode: "Whispers"; DS9 novel: Saturn's Children)
Captain James T. Kirk often used a personal log to note certain occurrences on the Enterprise that was not required to be documented officially, but would be of concern to him as a commanding officer. In 2268 this included the disappearance of items from a lab, an unusually large number of transfer requests from people serving under Lieutenant Bergdahl , complaints about foodstuffs and other commodities from the ship's stores, personality conflicts, and recreation room gossip. Unlike his official log Kirk did not make entries every day. (TOS novel: Ghost-Walker)
Personal logs often were used in the course of an investigation of a person. In 2268, Commander Spock reviewed Captain Kirk's personal log after it appeared that Captain Kirk was behaving strangely. Spock realized that after the mission to Midgwins that Kirk had stopped making entries to his personal log, and that the warm tone of voice found in Kirk's personal log was missing from the official Captain's log. (TOS novel: Ghost-Walker)
After Lieutenant Daniel Kwan committed suicide by jumping into the plasma stream in one of the nacelles on the USS Enterprise, Captain Jean-Luc Picard asked Worf and Deanna Troi to investigate the matter further. Troi told Picard that if Kwan had any personal logs it could possibly give insights as to why Kwan killed himself. Picard authorized them to access Kwan's logs. Upon reviewing the logs and seeing a cheerful young officer who was looking forward to the future, Troi remarked it didn't sound like someone planning to kill himself. (TNG episode: "Eye of the Beholder")
In 2372, Commander William T. Riker suggested that Lieutenant Commander Data leave the details of his emotional reactions of the Pantera Nebula in his personal log. (TNG - Slings and Arrows eBook: A Sea of Troubles)
While attempting to retrieve T'Mar and the Helios device, Kirk and Spock found several personal logs which offered insight into the mental and emotional states of his crew, Commodore Daniels, T' Mar, Surok, and Abaran. (TOS video game: Star Trek)
Personal logs[]
- captain's personal log
- captain's personal log, Enterprise (NX-01)
- captain's personal log, USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)
- captain's personal log, USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-A)
- captain's personal log, USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)
- captain's personal log, USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-E)
- individual personal logs
External links[]
- Personal log article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.
See also[]
- captain's log
- engineer's log
- medical log