|
CAPTURING EVIDENCE (cont.) If we keep track of ideas and unanswered questions which evolve as we enter our documentation by making little "To Do Lists" right under the person the information belongs to, the next phase of our research will be clearly mapped out.
You should be able to explain to a classmate why you were admonished to enter your evidence in chronological order. It helps you see the movement of families, and the different localities they lived in, which will help you find research sources in the future. It also helps reference librarians, or other authorities, see what you have done and what you yet need to do. They would be able to easily see missing sources not searched. This is also why it is important to include sources searched that were not successful. Not only can other authorities understand what you have already done, you won't duplicate that search in the future. If the document is torn, difficult to read, missing parts, or in some way different from others in the same series, that should be noted as well. Many computer programs today allow an area to make a comment about the quality of the source, as well as what the source contained. Where is that area in the genealogy computer program you are using? If you don't have a specific area for comments on your sources, you can always use your general notes area. In order to understand how to cite sources well four terms must be understood. Chapter Four's Terms To Understand, provide a definition for these words:
You will be asked to define them. Don't forget to use the glossary link at the bottom of each page in these online lessons. |
|
You were asked to try entering your TO DO notes at the end of your other notes, as shown in
Illustration 4-4 on page 4-7. Your instructor will be looking at your list periodically as you submit a printout of your family group records or respond to questions in assignments. A possible TO DO item might be, "Ask grandpa for a copy of his birth certificate when I'm home on break."