73,385
edits
United States Census Analyzing Census Data (view source)
Revision as of 14:48, 18 July 2008
, 18 July 2008change headers
(headings) |
(change headers) |
||
| Line 3: | Line 3: | ||
The more of these ideas you use, the better your analysis will be. | The more of these ideas you use, the better your analysis will be. | ||
= '''Be thorough'''<sup>1</sup> = | |||
Confidence that a reasonably thorough search has been made is a cornerstone of good analysis. Use all the censuses and use them well. And don't forget the value of comparing censuses to other sources. | Confidence that a reasonably thorough search has been made is a cornerstone of good analysis. Use all the censuses and use them well. And don't forget the value of comparing censuses to other sources. | ||
| Line 17: | Line 17: | ||
'''''Compare with non-census sources.''''' Find as many non-census sources as you can for each family member. Begin a preliminary evaluation by briefly comparing censuses with other documents, especially land records, to identify neighbors and relatives. Study all sources to identify family associates and discover their relationship. | '''''Compare with non-census sources.''''' Find as many non-census sources as you can for each family member. Begin a preliminary evaluation by briefly comparing censuses with other documents, especially land records, to identify neighbors and relatives. Study all sources to identify family associates and discover their relationship. | ||
= '''Cite your sources''' = | |||
Good record keeping contributes to good analysis. Start with a well documented family group record even before you look at a census. Keep organized and document as you go. Good source footnotes are another cornerstone of good analysis. | Good record keeping contributes to good analysis. Start with a well documented family group record even before you look at a census. Keep organized and document as you go. Good source footnotes are another cornerstone of good analysis. | ||
| Line 40: | Line 40: | ||
'''''Use the comment field of each footnote''''' for a preliminary evaluation of the source. A few words of comment about the source's reliability, or how the new data compares with data in other sources will improve the more formal analysis later. | '''''Use the comment field of each footnote''''' for a preliminary evaluation of the source. A few words of comment about the source's reliability, or how the new data compares with data in other sources will improve the more formal analysis later. | ||
= '''Correlate, corroborate, analyze and interpret''' = | |||
After you have conducted a thorough search of the sources, and source footnoted them, you are ready to correlate, analyze, and interpret the evidence. Thoughtful correlation and comparison of many sources is what analysis is all about. | After you have conducted a thorough search of the sources, and source footnoted them, you are ready to correlate, analyze, and interpret the evidence. Thoughtful correlation and comparison of many sources is what analysis is all about. | ||
| Line 58: | Line 58: | ||
'''''Milk censuses for what they imply.''''' Think about the implications of what is on the census and what is not on the census. For example what does it mean when someone appears, disappears, or lives nearby on the census. Could a 14 year old girl with a different surname appearing in a household be a niece as well as a maid? Could the disappearance of a lady in her 60s mean she died, or went to live with one of her children? If an ancestor with the surname CRAIG lives next to someone with the surname GREG could they be related with different versions of the same name? | '''''Milk censuses for what they imply.''''' Think about the implications of what is on the census and what is not on the census. For example what does it mean when someone appears, disappears, or lives nearby on the census. Could a 14 year old girl with a different surname appearing in a household be a niece as well as a maid? Could the disappearance of a lady in her 60s mean she died, or went to live with one of her children? If an ancestor with the surname CRAIG lives next to someone with the surname GREG could they be related with different versions of the same name? | ||
= '''Explain contradictory evidence''' = | |||
Do not ignore contradictions. Embrace contradictory evidence in censuses or other sources and try to explain it. This honesty will strengthen the case you are trying to make. | Do not ignore contradictions. Embrace contradictory evidence in censuses or other sources and try to explain it. This honesty will strengthen the case you are trying to make. | ||
= '''Check for reasonable conclusions''' = | |||
Be wary of far-fetched conclusions. Are your analysis and interpretation well-reasoned and are they reasonable? | Be wary of far-fetched conclusions. Are your analysis and interpretation well-reasoned and are they reasonable? | ||
| Line 81: | Line 81: | ||
1. This and most of the other headings in this article are based on elements of the Genealogical Proof Standard. | 1. This and most of the other headings in this article are based on elements of the Genealogical Proof Standard. | ||