Why would you want to spend time writing documentation for your source citations when you could be on the trail of another branch of your family tree? You are just starting your family tree research and have meticulously recorded dozens of ancestors from your past. You've made a record of their names and birthdates, death dates and where they were buried. But do you know where you found Great-Aunt Betty's birthday? Was it in Grandmother's Family Bible or was it in a scrapbook in Uncle John's attic? Finding all of this important information is great, but if you can't show evidence of the source of these records or who gave them to you, you won't be able to prove it later. Your family record is important and you want to make sure that it is reliable and properly guides future generations. Recording a citation or evidence of the source of each piece of information is critical.
There aren't definitive citation guides that you can use. However, there are a number of common records or evidence that should be cited as the source for every piece of information that you collect in your family tree. Generally, guides suggest that good citations record basics for each source like:
- author - who wrote the book or article;
- title - if a book or article;
- publication details - publisher, place, date, volume; and
- where you found it - library, cemetery name and location, website address if from the internet.
You also want to document specific details for each citation:
- page number;
- date entered; and
- date you found it.
Each type of information will have different elements that you can record. Be specific to ensure that your information guides another family historian, using your citation records, down the same trail you followed - either to verify your evidence or resolve conflicting data that is uncovered later. Whether you are new to family tree research or a seasoned veteran practice good documentation and make sure that every new piece of information that you collect is cited properly and completely. Check out the tools on this website to find other citation resources that will help you improve your research and documentation.
So, whether you have been researching for decades or are just starting out, make sure that you complete citations for each piece of family tree information that you uncover. The time you take to record each citation will be well worth it. These guides will be particularly useful if you do happen to find conflicting information at a later date. If you can go back to the exact source you cited you will have a better chance of determining the correct records and it will save you hours of wasted time re-researching the same records you collected last year. Your family will appreciate the effort you make and will be able to rely on your evidence for future generations.
