You must read this blog including all the comments. That's the blog in the link, not this one.
Citations are the bane of the average person's genealogy research - needlessly. You can't skip citations but you don't have to be a slave to them. Elizabeth S. Mills told me years ago the deal is [my paraphrasing] you need to include enough information in your cite so someone can find it in the future. Simple as that. [Ok, maybe not but close.] Despite her fearsome reputation she is not the evil monster of citations, worrying about every comma.
Kerry Scott is so right on, saying what many have said privately for years but didn't dare to say in public out of fear of the cult.
Really, you must read THE BLOG and the comments. If the links don't work here it is again:
http://www.cluewagon.com/2011/02/source-citations-in-genealogy-church-or-cult/#comments
6 comments:
Did you really to say read the blog and ALL the comments? Holy Moly!! :-D Well, I did. Took me quite a chunk of time. I figured out that I'm not a slave. Not all that perfect, but not a slave. And I'm a whole lot like everybody else too so I guess I'm in good company!
If you don't read them all you might miss something good! There were a lot of really good comments!
How do you cite what your elderly aunt told you? Take note on a scrap of paper? My elderly told me a lot of information that proved to be true.
Since it "proved" to be true there must be something other than what your aunt told you, something that "proved" what she said that you can cite. I'd cite your aunt too, give her name. I have seen it cited as "conversation with X."
Thank you for the mention!
Claudia, _Evidence Explained_ even has advice for citing interviews, personal correspondence, family traditions, etc. If you read the first couple of chapters and get the "gist" of citing, you'll be able to figure out what to do. Plus, as Cheryl says, once you go out and research all of the stuff she said to see if it's true, you'll have LOTS more documents to cite.
Thanks for the heads up. By the way...
I just selected your blog for the Ancestor Approved Award. You can go to my site http://haugenhistory.blogspot.com/2011/02/ancestor-approved-award-winners.html to get the picture and post it on your wall. Good job with your blog.
Astrid
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