Deciding to create a family genealogy
requires knowing where to search and how to find accurate information. One
of the problems that will occur when recording family history is finding
leads that do not hold true about your history. Because of this, it is
important to know when you have a true lead in your family research and
when it is simply more information that you can set aside. There are
several ways to help you in determining whether your family research is
fact or fiction.
The first thing that will help you recognize whether your family research
is true is by noticing the type of evidence that is being used in your
information. Direct evidence is recorded information that does not need
any interpretation or further research. This is the best way to know that
you have a family lead. If you have direct evidence, it will clearly fit
into other evidence that you have found. It will also not need any
interpretation with the date that it was recorded and with the people or
events that were occurring. Indirect evidence, however, is usually
information found from circumstances. This is second hand information and
does not lead directly to your family history and will require more effort
and search.
Finding the basic facts for your genealogy not only includes finding
primary sources and knowing which ones are valid, but also documenting
accurate facts. When comparing information, always look into records that
you know will be applicable to your search. Marriage records, baptisms,
burials, minutes, military pensions, etc. are all types of accurate
information that can be used as primary sources. These will help you to
build a foundation when documenting your genealogical history. From here,
you will be able to link other sources from magazines and newspapers to
your genealogy.
Another thing to look at when deciphering between true or
false information with your family is the sources that you are using.
Every source, whether it is on a website or from a newspaper, should have
certain sightings attached to it in order to ensure that it is the right
quality. The first type of sources that you should use are recorded when
the event of your ancestor has taken place. These are the best ways to
find leads with your family research. You will recognize certain dates and
people in these types of sources that can help lead to the right
conclusions. Secondary sources, on the other hand, are records that were
put down after a significant amount of time passed with the history. While
these can help fill in some holes or gaps with your research, they will
also require more time and effort to find more substantial facts.
The information that is received from the sources should always have
information attached to the sources that proves that the evidence is not
being generated falsely. This means that you should be able to document
all of the information that you find from the genealogy source that you
are using. Names, dates, websites, etc. should all have complete
documentation. If they don't, then they are probably not direct links to
your lineage.
After you have discovered a certain amount of evidence and decided on
whether the information is accurate or not, then you can begin
interpreting the data. With everything that you have found, there are gaps
and holes that can be filled in. This will lead to more accurate and
consistent information about your family history. It will also allow you
to find contradictory information that you may have thought was direct or
secondary evidence before. When you find leads, it is important to decide
what the gaps are that need to be filled in, which allows you to validate
the information about your ancestry.
By doing thorough investigations of genealogy information, you will be
more likely to find the accurate information needed. Documenting sources,
comparing information, filling in gaps of information, and finding primary
sources will all help to ensure that you are finding factual information
about your genealogy. By not investigating and looking into the details of
your family history, you may run into false information or sources that
will move you in the wrong direction when discovering your genealogy.
About the Authors
Paul Duxbury and Kevin Cook own www.amateur-genealogist.com and
www.our-family-trees.co.uk two of the leading Genealogy Websites. In
addition Paul owns a wide range of exciting websites which can be viewed
at www.paulduxbury.com
