Which of the following is NOT a required attribute of source records?

• A. Encrypted
• B. Attributable
• C. Legible
• D. Contemporaneous

Answer: (A)

In GCP practice, source records must be attributable to the person who generated the data, legible, and contemporaneous (recorded at the time of the activity). These attributes ensure traceability, readability, and timely documentation, which supports data integrity and auditing. Encryption, on the other hand, is a security measure used to protect data confidentiality. It is not an inherent attribute of the source record itself, so it is not a required attribute. Therefore, encryption is not required as a characteristic of source records, even though data protection practices may still be applied.