M1 Flashcards
1st Component of Genealogical Proof Standard (GPS)
- Thorough (“reasonably exhaustive”) searchers in sources that might help answer a research question
2nd Component of Genealogical Proof Standard (GPS)
- Informative (“complete accurate”) citations to the sources of every information item contributing to the research question’s answer
3rd Component of Genealogical Proof Standard (GPS)
- Analysis and comparison (“correlation”) of the relevant sources and information to assess their usefulness as evidence of the research question’s answer
4th Component of Genealogical Proof Standard (GPS)
- Resolution of any conflicts between evidence and the proposed answer to a research question
5th Component of Genealogical Proof Standard (GPS)
- A written statement, list, or narrative supporting the answer
Five-stage Research and Reasoning Cycles
- Question
- Gather Evidence
- Test Hypotheses
- Establish Conclusions
- Prove
What is genealogy?
Genealogy is a research field concerned primarily with accurately reconstructing forgotten or unknown identities and familial relationships in the past and present, typically covering more than one generation and including adoptive, biological, extramarital, marital, and other kinds of familial relationships.
Why can’t a genealogical conclusion be partially proved?
Because the GPS’s five parts are interdependent.
What is the first step in genealogical research?
To ask questions about a documented person’s unknown relationships or other information we want to learn about that person.
Genealogical proof focused questions have these 2 characteristics:
- They concern a documented person
- They seek specific information about that person (usually a relationship or some aspect of identity or activity).
Most major genealogical research questions fit one of three categories:
- Relationship
- Identity
- Activity
Source refers to an entire item,
not the information or evidence within it. In other words, sources are containers, not contents.
Land and probate records contain
proportionally fewer errors than censuses.
Facsimiles of sources include
digital images, microfiche, microfilm, reprints, photocopies, and photographs.
2 Broad types of Genealogical Sources and their facsimiles
- Authored works
- Records