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Genealogists search records to find what evidence is present. Sometimes the absence of evidence is, in itself, evidence. Absent evidence, or negative evidence as it is often called, is a special type of indirect evidence. The proficient genealogist utilizes absent evidence to determine an approximate time of a death, a move, a marriage, or the like. Take some examples from the life of Alonzo Raymond. The 1820 census entry for Alonzo’s father shows that he didn’t have any children. The 1830 census shows no children aged 10 or over. While birth dates in the census are suspect, the total absence of a young child implies that Alonzo was born in 1821 or later. Both the 1814 and 1819 birth dates from the previous example are incorrect. Alonzo is named in the U.S. census from 1850 until 1900 when he was nearly 80. His age and his absence from the 1910 census imply he died between 1900 and 1910. A search of death records from 1900 to 1910 confirmed that he died during that time. Establishing the absence of a person or information from a record collection is complicated by the chance that the missing person or information is present, but has yet to be located. | Genealogists search records to find what evidence is present. Sometimes the absence of evidence is, in itself, evidence. Absent evidence, or negative evidence as it is often called, is a special type of indirect evidence. The proficient genealogist utilizes absent evidence to determine an approximate time of a death, a move, a marriage, or the like. Take some examples from the life of Alonzo Raymond. The 1820 census entry for Alonzo’s father shows that he didn’t have any children. The 1830 census shows no children aged 10 or over. While birth dates in the census are suspect, the total absence of a young child implies that Alonzo was born in 1821 or later. Both the 1814 and 1819 birth dates from the previous example are incorrect. Alonzo is named in the U.S. census from 1850 until 1900 when he was nearly 80. His age and his absence from the 1910 census imply he died between 1900 and 1910. A search of death records from 1900 to 1910 confirmed that he died during that time. Establishing the absence of a person or information from a record collection is complicated by the chance that the missing person or information is present, but has yet to be located. | ||
= Summary = | = Summary = | ||
The proficient genealogist utilizes many types of evidence, direct and indirect, consistent and inconsistent, and present and absent. Direct evidence directly answers the research question. Indirect evidence requires multliple pieces of evidence together to provide an answer. Multiple pieces of evidence are consistent if they say the same thing and are inconsistent if they differ. The absence of information can be absent or negative evidence.<br> Using the table at the start of this handout, and using what you learned in class today, set a small, baby step improvement goal. See [[Genealogical Maturity]] for more information.<br><br> = Continuing Education = Advancing from level to level requires continuing education. Avail yourself of these resources: {{Template:Baby_Steps_Continuing_Education}} = Notes = <references /> | The proficient genealogist utilizes many types of evidence, direct and indirect, consistent and inconsistent, and present and absent. Direct evidence directly answers the research question. Indirect evidence requires multliple pieces of evidence together to provide an answer. Multiple pieces of evidence are consistent if they say the same thing and are inconsistent if they differ. The absence of information can be absent or negative evidence.<br> Using the table at the start of this handout, and using what you learned in class today, set a small, baby step improvement goal. See [[Genealogical Maturity]] for more information.<br><br> = Continuing Education = | ||
Advancing from level to level requires continuing education. Avail yourself of these resources: {{Template:Baby_Steps_Continuing_Education}} = Notes = <references /> | |||
[[Category:Baby_Steps]] [[Category:Genealogy_Education]] [[Category:Research_Analysis]] | [[Category:Baby_Steps]] [[Category:Genealogy_Education]] [[Category:Research_Analysis]] | ||