Building a Family Tree you can Trust - Part I?

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I began writing this article in an attempt to summarise a few ways in which you can ensure that the conclusions of your family history research are accurate and be content in the knowledge that you are building a family tree that is, as far as is possible to know, correct. However, when I put pen to paper and began drafting my ideas, I realised that one post will just not do this subject justice, there are many sub-topics and off-shoots that could be discussed. What about the FamilySearch "World Tree"?, how can Family Search be used to your best benefit?, what about royal ancestry?, how far can a family tree accurately be traced?, were just a few of the questions I am often asked and wanted to include in this article, but it would become a gargantuan and unweildly treatise, in which most of the information would probably be lost due to reading fatigue. Although I have tried to keep this article a more consise introduction to and explanation of the Genealogical Proof Standard, it still has a fair amount of useful information.

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If you have ever tried researching your family history online, on a website like Ancestry or FindMyPast, you’ve probably noticed the sea of errors contained in most user-created trees. It can be incredibly frustrating for those rightfully concerned with accuracy—family trees filled with mistakes, copied over and over, spreading across more online tree-builders, and snowballing into ever more errors.

So, where does the problem start? Many people new to genealogy begin by relying on other people’s research without verifying the sources from which those people have built their tree (if there even is a source!). As these mistakes spread, they create a false sense of credibility—other researchers are more likely to add them to their own trees simply because so many people have already done the same, assuming the information must be correct, and from there that process seems to be repeated ad infinitum.

For example, below is a user-made tree on Ancestry with incorrect familial relationships, whose only sources are other user-made trees. This user's tree in turn has been copied over by other users making their trees, perpetuating the errors on and on.

For example, an Ancestry family tree with only other trees as sources

Part of this issue comes from the way sites like Ancestry advertise—they make it seem like genealogy is just about collecting names. Add a few names and dates, and those enticing little green 'Suggested Ancestor' hints will pop up, doing the rest of the work for you. It is easy to see why one could (understandably) think that it is Ancestry themselves who are making these suggestions of ancestors, and thus must be correct, but these suggestions, like Hints (a full discussion for another article), are based, again, on what other users have added to their trees. Genealogy done right isn’t as simple as clicking on a few buttons and sticking to the one database.

The good news is that you don’t have to fall into this trap of spreading mistakes in your family tree. It’s possible to avoid the endless loop of errors and reach accurate conclusions on your own by following a time-tested method that professional genealogists rely on: the Genealogical Proof Standard (GPS). While it may seem overwhelming at first, you will find using the GPS will help you build a solid, accurate family history, and make the results of your hard work even more rewarding! Here’s how it works ...

The Genealogical Proof Standard

The Genealogical Proof Standard (GPS) is a set of guidelines that was devised to ensure the accuracy and reliability of genealogical research. Developed by the Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG) in the 1990's, the GPS was created to address the growing need for consistency and professionalism in genealogy. Like a literal GPS, our Genealogical Proof Standard provides a reliable route such that we can arrive at our destination of a correct, proven conclusion. It requires researchers to follow five key steps:

  1. to conduct a reasonably exhaustive search, 
  2. analyze and correlate the evidence, 
  3. resolve any conflicting information, 
  4. cite their sources accurately, and 
  5. create a soundly reasoned conclusion. 

The GPS is essential in genealogy because it helps prevent errors, ensures that research is thorough, and supports conclusions with well-documented, credible sources. By adhering to these standards, genealogists can confidently present their findings, minimizing the risk of perpetuating inaccurate family histories. It might seem as if this is a burdensome rubric to adhere to, but bear with me, the Genealogical Proof Standard is your ally, not your foe! Let's break down the steps slightly.

1) A reasonably exhaustive search - It follows from common sense that with limited information, we can draw only limited conclusions of limited accuracy; therefore, in our research process, we want to search out and examine a wide array of original sources. This means that when we eventually do reach our conclusion, we can be as confident as possible that no new information we find will overturn our present conclusion, because we already have a large body of supporting evidence.

2) Analysis and correlation of evidence - this step refers to the building of our body of evidence from our reasonably exhaustive search. We cannot draw conclusions based on the information from just one source; all the evidence we gather must "communicate" and we draw our conclusions from that collection of evidence. These sources and evidence must also be soundly interpreted (analysed and evaluated) within their individual historical contexts. This skill of sound interpretation of a range of sources is not something that can be acquired overnight, and takes some practice. This is another place where hiring a professional researcher can be invaluable. 

3) Resolution of conflicting information - as much as we would like to wish the opposite, there will always come times when we come across information that clashes in our search, contradictions. We need to be objective with our analysis, and can't go off what feels right, and in the process ignore conflicting evidence—we must engage with all the information that we find, and objectively decide what is more likely to be correct (again, based on the balance of probabilities taking into account the other evidence we have gathered!)

4) Accurate citation of sources - admittedly far less entertaining than the process of searching for records itself (the bane of all researchers, and university students!), citing your sources accurately is a sine qua non of genealogy. If you have no provenance for a piece of evidence, then it is impossible to evaluate it, and for others to follow your work or determine its veracity. Even for information that does not seem useful at the time, it is well worth writing down a quick summary the information and where it was found. How often have we closed a tab with seemingly useless information, only later to discover that that information was essential to the recipe of proof for our theory? The extra effort of searching again to find that bit of evidence can be eliminated entirely if we keep a record of all the information that we find. 

5) Creating a soundly reasoned conclusion - even if we are not involved in professional genealogy at all, actually writing a conclusion that has been arrived at through these steps and critical thinking can be very useful for the family researcher. Writing a conclusion, and then seeing it written in front of us can challenge us to see if we ourselves would be convinced by what we have gathered and put together, or if there are still holes in our reasoning, gaps in our knowledge. Play devil's advocate with your own writing, challenge yourself. You may overturn your conclusion, or even strengthen it by seeing new paths you could take your research down!

If you follow all these steps in your research, then you can be confident in your research, and be sure that your conclusions are as accurate as possible, you can call them proven.

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As we have seen, genealogy doesn’t have to be frustrating or full of errors. By following the Genealogical Proof Standard, you can be confident that your research is accurate and reliable. But if all this still feels a bit overwhelming, don’t worry—I’m here to help! With my experience and passion for genealogy, I can guide you through the process, help resolve any brick walls you've got, and ensure your family history is built on solid foundations. Whether you need a second opinion or a full research service, contact me today to begin uncovering and do justice to your family’s story!

Luke Gibson is a professional genealogist in Scotland, and a member of the Association for Professional Genealogists, and the Scottish Genealogy Network

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