07 August 2012

Ancestry.com defines a Source and Indicates "original" means "irrefutable"

This is the brief snippet of how Ancestry.com defines a "source" when a user of their tree is on the "create source" page.

I'm not certain I agree with all of it.


I realize that an index can be a source, but I think I would have left index off the list in this quick blurb. In my opinion, indexes should only be used as sources when the records which were used to create them cannot be located. Indexes are finding aids to guide one to sources. Have I used an index as a source? Probably, but rarely.

I'm not certain that legible images qualify as original sources either. The actual document itself is the original. It's been my perspective that reproductions are derivative in nature, regardless of the means by which the reproduction was made. I think there's the unspoken assumption that derivative sources are "bad," which is not true. Derivative or original merely discusses the form of the source.

Original sources do NOT provide "irrefutable proof." Whoa. That's such a loaded statement. Are there any genealogists who take their research relatively seriously who think that an original source is irrefutable "proof." And one source is not proof either, but that's a post for another day.

Just because a source is "original" does NOT mean it is irrefutable. I don't think any source is irrefutable, even Grandma.

4 comments:

Elizabeth Shown Mills said...

Shall we ask Ancestry what its source is for the assertion that original records are irrefutable?

Anonymous said...

One should be aware that "Original" records (or maybe I should say official records) can have mistakes. My birth certificate records my mother's birthplace incorrectly. Does that mean we have "irrefutable proof" of her birthplace?

Anne Gillespie Mitchell said...

Michael, Where did you find this on Ancestry.com? I would agree that this is not an accurate description and would like to try and get it changed.

Bubba said...

The screen came up in the "create new source" screen. I've posted a link below but since it's from one of my trees, everyone may not be able to view it

http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/37115664/source/create?pid=19193646733&css=1&aid=115941590828&tab=1&pg=32768%2c5%2c32857&pgpl=pid%2cpid%7ctab%2ccss%7caid

My contact at Ancestry.com indicates to me that this is on the list to be changed. Thanks!