Reason to keep a record, I see (5)
I believe the answer is:
logic
'reason' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'a record i see' is the wordplay.
'a record' becomes 'log' (log is a kind of record).
'see' becomes 'c' (the word for the letter, according to Chambers).
'log'+'i'+'c'='LOGIC'
'to keep' is the link.
This may not be right. Some or all of it may be part of another bit of the clue.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for logic that I've seen before include "Dialectics" , "System of reasoning" , "using premises" , "Aristotelian theories" , "subject with 14 [ARGUMENTS]" .)