Evidence vs proof: how to cite a record so someone else can check it

The vocabulary that settles most arguments Genealogists separate three things: - Source: the document. An original source is the first recording; a derivative is a copy, abstract, index or transcription. - Information: what the document says. Primary information comes from someone with first-hand knowledge (a parent at a birth); secondary is hearsay (the same birth date on a death certificate, supplied by a grandchild). - Evidence: what the information means for your question. Direct evidence answers it outright; indirect evidence answers it only when combined with other facts; negative evidence is a meaningful absence (a man missing from a tax roll where he should appear). The Genealogical Proof Standard The Board for Certification of Genealogists sets five elements: a reasonably exhaustive search; complete and accurate citations; analysis and correlation of the evidence; resolution of conflicting evidence; and a soundly reasoned, written conclusion. A conclusion that skips the fourth step is the usual weak point. A citation someone can follow Who created it, what it is, where it is now, and the exact item. For example: "1950 U.S. census, Dallas County, Texas, enumeration district 57-___, sheet ___, line ___, household of ____; digital image, National Archives (https://1950census.archives.gov : accessed 19 October 2026)." The standard reference for citation forms is Evidence Explained by Elizabeth Shown Mills. How to post here Give the citation, say whether the information is primary or secondary, and say what it does and does not prove. A record that "proves" a relationship it does not mention gets corrected, and corrections are the most useful replies on this board.