When it comes to pictures, stories, online information, and handed-down knowledge, there is always the possibility that it could be false. That is why it is important to fact-check your resources for genealogy. Genealogists are passionate about keeping information accurate, and you can keep your knowledge accurate too by completing the following steps. Evaluating your knowledge can lead to great joy and satisfaction in the long run when you learn what is the ultimate truth about something. Continue reading to learn more about how you can fact-check your genealogical resources.
Be Skeptical
If there is a story that has been circulated through your family that seems a bit on the wild side or somewhat outlandish, it is possible that the story is not completely factual. While it is okay to have fun and enjoy time with your family, it is important to double-check information when a story is sensational. This also goes for sources that you find online. If an article seems to be extremely shocking, uses overly emotional language, or words in all capitals, make sure to be skeptical and investigate the information.
Check If The Source Is Credible
Obviously, if you are conducting oral interviews with family members, you will have to either cross-reference multiple family members’ stories or take their word for it. But with online sources, it is much easier to be more stringent about credibility. In order to check in a source is credible, check out the author of the article you are reading and when the article was written. If the author has written multiple articles on the topic you are reading or works in the genealogy field, that is a good sign they know what they are talking about. It is also better to choose articles that are more recent when finding resources for genealogy.
Analyze The Biases
There are always two sides to every story. This is especially true with resources for genealogy. There are many ways to relay information as well as interpret it. That is why when you are collecting knowledge about genealogy it is important to look for cold hard facts and then sift through other information to find out the perspectives on why things happened the way that they did. Take sensational stories with a grain of salt and understand that every narrative has some bias.
Scrutinize The Relevancy
It is also important to scrutinize the relevancy of your resources for genealogy. You may be searching for information on a specific ancestor and looking for information about them in the wrong time period. While there may be interesting information about other ancestors during that time, that information is not relevant to your specific search.
When you are conducting an oral interview and the conversation does not seem to be particularly relevant or useful, make sure to be polite and listen, but gently steer the conversation to the questions you need to be answered. With sources outside of interviews, you can quickly decipher if a source is relevant by glancing over the text and looking for mentions of names and time periods that are relevant to your research.
Do You Need More Resources For Genealogy?
Now that you know how to check your resources, you are ready to start researching your genealogy. However, it can be difficult to know where to start researching or where to find the resources you need. Luckily, we at Heritage Consulting offer excellent genealogical resources that will help you get on the right path. Our genealogists are all experienced professionals who will be able to help you find all the information that you need to learn about your history. Reach out to us today for more information.