A log book is a record of events, presented in a systematic manner. The term logbook is used in various contexts, and here are some examples:
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Nautical: A logbook is a record of important events in the management, operation, and navigation of a ship. It is essential to traditional navigation, and must be filled in at least daily. The term originally referred to a book for recording readings from the chip log that was used to estimate a ships speed through the water. Todays ships log has grown to contain many other types of information, and is a record of operational data relating to a ship or submarine, such as weather conditions, times of routine events and significant incidents, crew complement or what ports were docked at and when).
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Driving: A log book is used to record business-related trips for employee reimbursement or tax deduction purposes. Depending on your local tax authorities and your situation, your log book will need to contain specific information. It is important that you follow the set requirements, as your log book is considered an official record and is often submitted to your tax authority.
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Machinery: A logbook is a record used to record states, events, or conditions applicable to complex machines or the personnel who operate them. Logbooks are commonly associated with the operation of aircraft, nuclear plants, particle accelerators, and ships (among other applications). The term logbook originated with the ships log, a maritime record of important events in the management, operation, and navigation of a ship.
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Classroom: A log book is a way to record and keep track of events in a classroom. Log books are important classroom management tools that can be used in a variety of ways such as recording tardy students entering the classroom, communication with students’ parents, and student-teacher conferences. Some log books may be used by the students, whereas others are for use by the teacher only.
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Vehicle: A logbook, also known as a V5C, is a document required by the DVLA to track the registration and taxation history of a specific vehicle. It serves to link a person to a specific vehicle, by demonstrating who keeps the car. The logbook proves your ownership of a vehicle and provides a summary of the vehicle’s key statistics such as make, model, engine, etc. The chassis number is also recorded. The logbook is critical when a vehicle is sold, as it offers assurances that the seller is authorized to sell the car and that what they say they are selling you is exactly the vehicle you’ll receive.
In summary, a log book is a record of events, presented in a systematic manner, used in various contexts such as nautical, driving, machinery, classroom, and vehicle.