1,147
edits
(Part way done with tables) |
(Fill in the tables) |
||
Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
Genealogical Maturity is a system of self evaluation and self improvement first proposed by the Ancestry Insider in 2009. The Genealogical Maturity model measures one's understanding and use of the [[Genealogical Proof Standard|Genealogical Proof Standard]]. and the associated Evidence Analysis Research Process Map. The model measures improvement in five | Genealogical Maturity is a system of self evaluation and self improvement first proposed by the Ancestry Insider in 2009. The Genealogical Maturity model measures one's understanding and use of the [[Genealogical Proof Standard|Genealogical Proof Standard]]. and the associated Evidence Analysis Research Process Map. The model measures improvement in five categories: sources, citations, information, evidence, and conclusions.<br> | ||
== Definitions == | == Definitions == | ||
Line 5: | Line 5: | ||
The Genealogical Maturity model uses dictionary definitions as much as possible, with clarifications from leading genealogists. | The Genealogical Maturity model uses dictionary definitions as much as possible, with clarifications from leading genealogists. | ||
'''source '''– 1. the origin that supplies information.<ref>''Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary'', online edition (www.m-w.com : accessed 23 November 2009), “source.”</ref> 2. “an artifact, book, document, film, person, recording, website, etc., from which information is obtained.”<ref>Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG, CGL, FNGS, FASG, FUGA, ''Evidence Explained: Citing History Sources from Artifacts to Cyberspace'', 2nd ed. [hereinafter, EE2] (Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Company, 2009), 828.</ref> | '''source '''– 1. the origin that supplies information.<ref>''Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary'', online edition (www.m-w.com : accessed 23 November 2009), “source.”</ref> 2. “an artifact, book, document, film, person, recording, website, etc., from which information is obtained.”<ref>Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG, CGL, FNGS, FASG, FUGA, ''Evidence Explained: Citing History Sources from Artifacts to Cyberspace'', 2nd ed. [hereinafter, ''EE2''] (Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Company, 2009), 828.</ref> | ||
'''citation '''– 1. “citations are statements in which we identify our source or sources for…particular [information].”<ref>Mills, EE2, 42.</ref> 2. “a citation states where you found [the cited] piece of information.”<ref>Patricia Law Hatcher, CG, FASG, quoted in The Source, ed. Loretto Dennis Szucs, FUGA, and Sandra Hargreaves Luebking, FUGA, 3rd ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2006) p. 24; citing “How Do You Know?” in Producing a Quality Family History (Salt Lake City: Ancestry, 1996), 117.</ref> | '''citation '''– 1. “citations are statements in which we identify our source or sources for…particular [information].”<ref>Mills, ''EE2'', 42.</ref> 2. “a citation states where you found [the cited] piece of information.”<ref>Patricia Law Hatcher, CG, FASG, quoted in ''The Source'', ed. Loretto Dennis Szucs, FUGA, and Sandra Hargreaves Luebking, FUGA, 3rd ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2006) p. 24; citing “How Do You Know?” in ''Producing a Quality Family History'' (Salt Lake City: Ancestry, 1996), 117.</ref> | ||
'''information '''- 1. “knowledge obtained from investigation.”<ref>Merriam-Webster, “information.”</ref> 2. “the content of a source—that is, its factual statements or its raw data.”<ref>Mills, EE2, 24.</ref> | '''information '''- 1. “knowledge obtained from investigation.”<ref>''Merriam-Webster'', “information.”</ref> 2. “the content of a source—that is, its factual statements or its raw data.”<ref>Mills, ''EE2'', 24.</ref> | ||
'''evidence '''– 1. “something that furnishes proof.”<ref>Merriam-Webster, “evidence.”</ref> 2. “information that is relevant to the problem.”<ref>Mills, ''EE2'', 822.</ref> 3. analyzed and correlated information assessed to be of sufficient quality.<ref>Christine Rose,CG, CGL, FASG,, ''Genealogical Proof Standard: Building a Solid Case'' (San Jose, California: CR Publications, 2005), 2.</ref> 4. “the information that we conclude—after careful evaluation—supports or contradicts the statement we would like to make, or are about to make, about an ancestor.”<ref>The Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG), The BCG Genealogical Standards Manual, ed. Helen F. M. Leary, CG, CGL, FASG, (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2000), 8.</ref> | '''evidence '''– 1. “something that furnishes proof.”<ref>''Merriam-Webster'', “evidence.”</ref> 2. “information that is relevant to the problem.”<ref>Mills, ''EE2'', 822.</ref> 3. analyzed and correlated information assessed to be of sufficient quality.<ref>Christine Rose,CG, CGL, FASG,, ''Genealogical Proof Standard: Building a Solid Case'' (San Jose, California: CR Publications, 2005), 2.</ref> 4. “the information that we conclude—after careful evaluation—supports or contradicts the statement we would like to make, or are about to make, about an ancestor.”<ref>The Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG), ''The BCG Genealogical Standards Manual'', ed. Helen F. M. Leary, CG, CGL, FASG, (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2000), 8.</ref> | ||
'''conclusion '''– 1. “a reasoned judgment.”<ref>''Merriam-Webster'', “conclusion.”</ref> 2. “a decision [that should be] based on well-reasoned and thoroughly documented evidence gleaned from sound research.”<ref>Mills, EE2, 820.</ref> | '''conclusion '''– 1. “a reasoned judgment.”<ref>''Merriam-Webster'', “conclusion.”</ref> 2. “a decision [that should be] based on well-reasoned and thoroughly documented evidence gleaned from sound research.”<ref>Mills, ''EE2'', 820.</ref> | ||
== Self Evaluation | == Self Evaluation == | ||
The model asks that a person place a check mark next to each of the following statements that describes him or her. <br> | The model asks that a person place a check mark next to each of the following statements that describes him or her. <br> | ||
Line 34: | Line 34: | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 2. | | 2. | ||
| Emerging | |||
| Mostly relies on compiled genealogies and online sources. | |||
| | | | ||
|- | |||
| 3. | |||
| Practicing | |||
| Uses a limited number of record types and repositories. Mostly relies on online and microfilmed sources. | |||
| | |||
|- | |||
| 4. | |||
| Proficient | |||
| Uses a wide variety of record types. Often contacts record custodians to obtain copies of high-quality sources. | |||
| | | | ||
|- | |||
| 5. | |||
| Stellar | |||
| Insightfully pursues research at multiple, targeted repositories, making use of a plethora of records and record types. "Burned counties" are not roadblocks. | |||
| | | | ||
|} | |} | ||
=== Citations === | === Citations === | ||
Line 70: | Line 63: | ||
! scope="col" | Check | ! scope="col" | Check | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 1. | |||
| Entry | |||
| Captures URLs for online sources and citations for published sources. | |||
| | | | ||
|- | |||
| 2. | |||
| Emerging | |||
| Increasingly captures necessary information for manuscript sources. | |||
| | | | ||
|- | |||
| 3. | |||
| Practicing | |||
| Typically produces complete source citations. | |||
| | | | ||
|- | |||
| 4. | |||
| Proficient | |||
| Gives complete and accurate source citations including provenance and quality assessment. | |||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | 5. | ||
| | | Stellar | ||
| | | Overcomes limitations of genealogical software to create well organized, industry standard reference notes and source lists. | ||
| | | | ||
|} | |} | ||
=== Information === | === Information === | ||
Line 110: | Line 98: | ||
! scope="col" | Check | ! scope="col" | Check | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 1. | |||
| Entry | |||
| Typically does not realize the need to judge information quality and has no basis for doing so. | |||
| | | | ||
|- | |||
| 2. | |||
| Emerging | |||
| Emerging realization that information quality differs. Muddles evaluation by thinking of primary/secondary sources instead of primary/secondary information, leading to muddled evaluation when sources contain both. | |||
| | | | ||
|- | |||
| 3. | |||
| Practicing | |||
| Judges information by source type, informant knowledge, and record timing. Applies "primary/secondary" to information instead of sources. | |||
| | | | ||
|- | |||
| 4. | |||
| Proficient | |||
| Additionally, learns history necessary to recognize and evaluate all explicit information in a source. | |||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | 5. | ||
| | | Stellar | ||
| | | Additionally, utilizes implicit information in a source. Finds information in cases like illegitimacy that stump most researchers. | ||
| | | | ||
|} | |} | ||
=== Evidence === | === Evidence === | ||
Line 150: | Line 133: | ||
! scope="col" | Check | ! scope="col" | Check | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 1. | |||
| Entry | |||
| Limited understanding of evidence and the role it plays. Typically ignores conflicting evidence. | |||
| | | | ||
|- | |||
| 2. | |||
| Emerging | |||
| Captures direct, supporting evidence and increasingly depends upon it. | |||
| | | | ||
|- | |||
| 3. | |||
| Practicing | |||
| Additionally, captures directly conflicting evidence. | |||
| | | | ||
|- | |||
| 4. | |||
| Proficient | |||
| Additionally, recognizes and captures indirect, supporting evidence. | |||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | 5. | ||
| | | Stellar | ||
| | | Additionally, recognizes and captures indirect, conflicting evidence. | ||
| | | | ||
|} | |} | ||
=== Conclusions === | === Conclusions === | ||
Line 190: | Line 168: | ||
! scope="col" | Check | ! scope="col" | Check | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 1. | |||
| Entry | |||
| In the absence of analysis, reaches conclusions by instinct. | |||
| | | | ||
|- | |||
| 2. | |||
| Emerging | |||
| Learning to evaluate the quality of sources, information, and evidence. Emerging ability to resolve minor discrepancies. | |||
| | | | ||
|- | |||
| 3. | |||
| Practicing | |||
| Additionally, resolves conflicting evidence or uses it to disprove prevalent opinion. Usually applies correct identity to persons mentioned in sources. | |||
| | | | ||
|- | |||
| 4. | |||
| Proficient | |||
| Additionally, when necessary creates soundly reasoned, coherently documented conclusions utilizing direct and indirect evidence. | |||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | 5. | ||
| | | Stellar | ||
| | | Additionally: Publishes clear and convincing conclusions. Teaches and inspires others. | ||
| | | | ||
|} | |} | ||
== Self Improvement == | == Self Improvement == |
edits