Working towards the Genealogical Proof Standard
[Topic for 12 July 2014]
The Board for Certification of Genealogists says:
Proof is a fundamental concept in genealogy. In order to merit confidence, each conclusion about an ancestor must have sufficient credibility to be accepted as "proved." Acceptable conclusions, therefore, meet the Genealogical Proof Standard (GPS). The GPS consists of five elements:
- a reasonably exhaustive search;
- complete and accurate source citations;
- analysis and correlation of the collected information;
- resolution of any conflicting evidence; and
- a soundly reasoned, coherently written conclusion.
In your day-to-day research into genealogy and family history do you apply this strictly, work towards it when possible, or perhaps do it already without realising that way of working had a name?
