Sources Research Guide

Why is it important to document our research into our family history?

A genealogical source is the location of proof for data provided. Its purpose is to

support the legitimacy of the facts/info provided;
help researchers locate the origins of the data provided;
help researchers gauge the strength of a proposed theory or history of a person or family.

NATURE of Evidence

DIRECT — addresses a specific fact: a birth certificate provides evidence of a birth date and place, and the names of the parents; a census record provides evidence of where a family was living when, and who was living in the same household; a land deed provides direct evidence of who sold what property to whom, when and for how much.
INDIRECT or CIRCUMSTANTIAL — provides information from which a conclusion can be inferred or deduced. For example, if someone was age 88 at death in 1888, we can deduce that they were born in 1800.

PRIMARY Contemporary to the event being documented; personal knowledge or experience of the event. Examples:	SECONDARY One or more steps removed from the original event. Examples:
a birth certificate made at the time of birth of the person the death date on a death certificate	a family registry created from birth, marriage and death records, but compiled at a later time. a birth date listed on a death certificate a published genealogy; a GEDCOM downloaded from Ancestry.com