Indirect Evidence to Establish Genealogical Proof Program Recap

Thank you to Melissa Johnson, Certified Genealogist, for her presentation on answering genealogical queries through the use of indirect evidence. In some cases, there is no direct evidence as it relates to a specific genealogical question; perhaps the records do not exist or were destroyed, there are errors in the original records, or there is not enough direct evidence to be 100% certain. However, choosing the right sources that convey the right information can make up for missing or incorrect information from the most authoritarian and direct sources.

Research Questions

We should all get into the habit of framing our genealogical pursuits into research questions. This will help us focus on specific topics and guide us in finding the most relevant and accurate information. Without a question, we cannot apply any evidence we have gathered to prove our conclusions. Generally, our questions should focus on a specific person or specific information and address one of the following categories:

Identity – information about an individual
Relationship – information linking two or more people together
Circumstance – information about a specific event or circumstance in the subject’s life

Try to be as specific as possible when formulating your question, which oftentimes requires obtaining solid background information. Having unknown details associated with the topic of your query can throw off any potential conclusions you attempt to make.

Sources and Information

In the world of genealogy, sources are tangible items that aid you in answering your questions. These can be documents like vital records, deeds, tombstones, or DNA match lists. Sources are generally found at repositories, such as archives, cemeteries, databases, etc.; remember, repositories are NOT sources! There are 3 types of sources:

Original – initial recording of an action or event (birth certificate, marriage license)
Derivative – created at a later date, including a transcription of the original (database entry, newspaper article)
Authored Work – compilation of information based on many sources (family history, record collection summaries)

Sources contain information which we can later use and analyze to answer our questions and support our conclusions. There are two types of information:

Primary Information – provided by the individual or someone who was witness to a specific event; also considered first-hand knowledge. While not always 100% accurate, primary information has a higher probability of being accurate.
Secondary Information – considered hearsay, or information that was heard/recorded by someone else. While secondary information inherently has a lower probability of being accurate, it can sometimes prove more accurate than primary information.

Evidence

Once we have conducted our research and obtained our sources and information, the next step is to analyze and interpret that information. Evidence is the product of our interpretations and analysis that responds to our specific research question. While we may write down our evidence, actual evidence is not tangible as it exists within our mind. There are three types of evidence:

Direct Evidence – a single piece of evidence that directly answers the research question. For example, a date a birth that is taken from a birth certificate.
Indirect Evidence – when information does not directly answer the question, but that information is determined to be relevant and combined with other clues to answer our research question. For example, a date of birth that is taken from an obituary or a death certificate if no birth record exists.
Negative Evidence – a lack of information suggests an answer to a research question. A negative search DOES NOT mean negative evidence. For example, trying to find out an ancestor’s military service, but no sources exist after an exhaustive search that indicate any military service.

Genealogical Proof Standard

In order to establish evidentiary proof in the genealogy field, the Genealogical Proof Standard (GPS) is used to certify that conclusions are proven. In some instances, heritage societies require applicants to follow the GPS as part of the admittance process. The GPS is made up of the following five elements:

Reasonable Exhaustive Research – Demonstrate a thorough analysis of the research question by developing a plan that includes sources that competent genealogists would use. Additionally, that plan should be refined after analyzing findings until a logical conclusion can be made.
Complete and Accurate Source Citations – This element is based on telling your audience where you got your information. Be sure to document what types of records were used, where the sources and information came from, and whether the sources consulted were the most appropriate for the research question.
Careful Analysis and Correlation – When creating our evidence, we made sure that analyzed the information in the context of our research question. We should demonstrate logical interpretations of the evidence, which is extremely important when using indirect evidence.
Resolution of Conflicting Evidence – If there may be conflicting evidence, be sure to demonstrate the invalidity of the conflicting evidence to ensure that your conclusions cannot be overturned and there is no other possible answer or explanation.
A Sound, Written Conclusion – This portion of the GPS conveys the indirect evidence to readers and helps identify any holes in the logic. The format of the conclusion is dictated by the evidence and can take the form of a Proof Statement, Proof Summary, or Proof Argument.