Sources

Question 1

Original Sources

Answer 1

sources in their original oral or recorded form

Question 2

Derivative sources

Answer 2

materials copied from the original sources

Question 3

Primary information

Answer 3

details provided by someone with firsthand knowledge

Question 4

Secondary information

Answer 4

details provided by someone with secondhand knowledge

Question 5

Direct evidence

Answer 5

evidence that answers the research question all by itself

Question 6

Indirect evidence

Answer 6

evidence that doesn’t answer the research question by itself, but needs to be combined with other information to help answer the research question

Question 7

Source materials don’t necessarily have to be written sources

Answer 7

They can also be artifacts such as archeological finds, memorabilia, heirlooms, photographs, film or audio recordings, etc.

Question 8

There’s a very simple test you can apply to any document or other resource you’re using in order to determine if it’s a primary source.

Answer 8

“Does this document/source come from the time period I’m looking at?” If the answer is “yes”, then you likely have a primary source.

Question 9

Period histories (those written during a particular historical period) are often suspect.

Answer 9

local history might have been written in the 19th century, it doesn’t necessarily qualify as a primary source because of the biases it might contain.

Question 10

Journal and newspaper articles are also often secondary sources.

Answer 10

Even if a journal or newspaper article does come from the time period in question, and although it might be reliable in other respects, it still might contain second-hand information about the person you’re looking at

Question 11

In most cases, official resources such as government documents, legal documents like wills and deeds, cemetery headstones, war service records, obituaries, and so on can be considered the more valuable, primary sources.

Answer 11

These sources are usually unbiased, specific records of each individual. For that reason, use these wherever possible.

Question 12

Should commercial and free genealogical websites, even those from genealogical societies be used?

Answer 12

that allow you to search on your family name are not necessarily providing you with primary source material. They may be able to provide pedigrees and family trees for a given family, but, again, these are based on the research and opinion of others.

Question 13

historical biography?

Answer 13

Doesn’t that qualify as solid research by a qualified historian? Not necessarily. Although it may contain accurate historical information, you still need to be able to verify that the facts portrayed are in evidence and not simply made up or put together in ways that they shouldn’t have been by the author (to tell a particular version of the story, or in order to sell more books). Always do your own research and don’t rely too much on the research of others.

Question 14

Why use reference numbers?

Answer 14

When you’re making photocopies or prints, write the reference information on the back of the document. You can then photocopy the document for your client, or transfer the information to the front of your original copy to give to the client, either writing it by hand or adding a sticky note or label to the front with the information printed on it.

Question 15

What to record for info found on internet?

Answer 15

keep a log of the file name and note the website address next to it for future reference, as well as the date you looked at or downloaded it.