So you’re interested in genalogy and went onto Ancestry.com and began to look at the hints.
There are so many options and there the information differs. How do I know which is correct?
- Reliable source—does the tree have reliable sources attached. This includes items such as census records, city directories and military records as a beginning. The more sources you have the better. Search for at least two to three sources to verify information.
- Does the information provided match up with the sources—are the people and agres in the census records the same?
- Do the dates match up?—all too often I have seen a person born in 1924 with children listed as being alive from 1674-1754. Clearly this is incorrect. Don’t keep copying this erroneous information.
- Look at comments—are there comments on the tree or is the person willing to reply and provide their resources?
- Remember this is just for a reference—researching your own family tree is much more rewarding and fun than just taking someone else’s research. However, use other trees as a reference and not as 100% accurate. Be willing to check after them and verify the information.
These are just a few cautions to be aware of. However, don’t stick to just one recourse or website. Check both online and offline {libraries, obituaries, museums, etc}.
What ways should you be cautions of genealogy hints?
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