January 7th Saturday Workshop Highlights

The January 7th Saturday Workshop featured CVGS member Randy Seaver presenting "Finding Your Elusive Ancestor: The Genealogical Proof Standard and Doing a Reasonably Exhaustive Search."

There were 27 members and guests in attendance for this two part presentation.  

In the first part, Randy described and discussed the five elements of the Genealogical Proof Standard (GPS):

1) Conduct A Reasonably Exhaustive Search for all Pertinent Information.

2.) Make a Complete and Accurate Citation of the Source of each Item Used

3) Analyze all of the Collected Information’s Quality as Evidence

4) Resolve any Conflicting or Contradictory Evidence

5) Arrive at a Soundly Reasoned, Coherently Written Conclusion.

The GPS deals with information, sources, evidence, analysis and proof, and was developed by the Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG).  It is the "standard" methodology for professionals answering research questions and for drawing conclusions using assertions of genealogical events.  

Using examples from his own research, Randy described the quality measures for Sources, Information and Evidence, and defined terms such as facts, assertions, conclusions, proof, and more.  

The first element of the GPS is "to do a reasonably exhaustive search."  In the second part of the presentation, Randy took a whirlwind tour through traditional and online resources that should be included in a search, discussed his favorite search strategies and techniques, and described several Case Studies of his still elusive ancestors that illustrate the concepts of the GPS.

Suggested reading included:

*  Thomas W. Jones, Mastering Genealogical Proof (Arlington, VA : National Genealogical Society, 2013)

*  Elizabeth Shown Mills, Evidence Explained: Citing History Sources from Artifacts to Cyberspace, Third Edition (Baltimore Md. : Genealogical Publishing Company, 2015).

*  Genealogy Standards, 50th Anniversary Edition (Washington, DC : Board for Certification of Genealogists, 2014).

*  Christine Rose, Genealogical Proof Standard: Building a Solid Case, 4th Edition Revised (2014)

The six page handout for this presentation is available for CVGS Members in the "Members" section of the CVGS website - www.CVGenealogy.org.  Members should login to the website, click on the "Members" tab and then on the "Handouts" link and then on the "Workshop Handouts" link.