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Archiver > TMG > 2000-04 > 0954857273


From: "Ruxton, Alison" <>
Subject: RE: TMG-L: Re: Sources - are we losing our way?
Date: Tue, 4 Apr 2000 15:07:53 +0100


Brian Davey said:

>I am concerned that some people seem to be getting so bogged down
with
>sources that the main purpose of the exercise seems to be getting
lost. Does
>it really matter that I got a date of death for somebody from
Auntie Elsie,
>which may or may not be accurate? Do I really have to write down
Auntie Elsie
>as the source and wonder whether I should also involve Uncle Fred
who might
>have given the information to Auntie Elsie?

>As far as I am concerned I now have a clue from Auntie Elsie as to
the
>possible date of death. Now I know what I must do - I must go to
the
>relevant primary source, the death certificate, the will, the
burial
>register, whatever is available to me. If I cannot find that
primary source I
>must record what I DO know (from Aunt Elsie), but the date of death
will

<rest of message snipped>

I agree that once you've tracked down the relevant primary source then that
should be cited as THE source (with a high surety) but until you do track
down the primary source Aunt Elsie should be listed as the current source
(although at a low surety) of the death date.

I have lots of information in my database (3000 people) that has been
accummulated over many years, so much of it doesn't have any sources as I
didn't see them as important at the time. Now when I revisit my data I have
no idea of where the information came from so I don't know which avenues to
pursue and also I don't know how 'sure' I am of the information, did it come
from Aunt Elsie (in which case I need to research further) or did it come
from a death certificate (in which case I probably won't be able to be any
more sure of the death date than I already am).


Alison


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