The Star: November 29, 2018

DocuMenTaTIon
THE VALUE OF
anD DOCUMENTATION
ITS vaLue In
faMILy IN FAMILY HISToRy HISTORY
ReSeaRcH
RESEARCH
As children, most of us hear stories about our
ancestors. The generations who have gone before and
the facts and happenings behind their adventures. It’s
almost as if our own personal storybook has come to
life with characters we are personally related to.
As the years progress, sometimes we meet these
people, but many times we don’t and that is where
the value of documenting stories with references
makes all the difference to the current and future
generations. Maybe it helps us humans to know
where we come from and our lineage.
Genealogy has become a global hobby. People from
all corners of the planet and every culture are taking
interest in their family history.
Their number one cardinal rule is that “Without
Proof there is No Truth” so as you start your own
search about your ancestors or join your family who
are already searching, don’t forget to take the time to
record your findings.
Most genealogy is never published for the world to
see, but for family eyes only.
Documentation will make your
research easier and faster
Surprising, but true. Taking time to document where
you got your facts (or allegations) will save you time
later on in your research. As a hobby research can be
interrupted for weeks, months or years, depending on
what is happening in your life.
Documentation helps prevent
duplication of research
In the course of our genealogical research, we
can’t help but spend some time researching family
members others have already researched. Eventually,
someone else will be researching some of the very
same relatives we are looking at today. Most of us
don’t have the time to do only an “original research”
on all of our families, because with every person
we find there are two more (his or her parents) for
us to find as well. We depend on quality previous
research to speed us along on our quest. Without
documentation, we don’t know what sources
somebody might have already used. This means
we will likely use some of the same sources earlier
family historian have used. This wastes our time and
resources which could be used to solve questions
others haven’t yet answered.
Documentation gives others
confidence in your research
This is the old standby reason you read in every
genealogy textbook, but that does not make it any
less true. Indeed, nobody seems to argue with the
genealogist’s maxim: Without proof, there is no truth.
The problem is that many people, especially those just
starting out, do not plan on publishing their research
findings, as they are just doing it for their own
interest. Throughout the course of your research you
are constantly using the research of others which may
be a published family history, a brief biographical
sketch, or a computerized lineage from an Ancestral
File or the World Family Tree.
Doesn’t have to be hard
Perhaps the biggest objection to documentation is the
dismay at the necessity of proper formatting when
citing sources. Record enough information so that
another researcher can determine what you have
searched.
It is advised that as a family historian, you create a
research log or calendar of searches. This is the value
of documentation for the following reasons:
• A research log speeds your research by easily
listing just what sources you have already searched,
and what your results were.
• It also limits duplication of your research efforts
by reminding you what you searched, when you
searched, and who you were looking for in that
source.
• Lastly, it is a quick way to provide confidence to
others with whom you share your findings, as you can
easily photocopy or print out a copy of your log.
Consistent formatting is useful, helpful, and even
required on some sites and very helpful in your
search for your family history.
GIVEAWAY
Family history is always more
fun to read about with an
accompanying photo, which
makes the person in the story
come to life. Juliette Capaldi
of Etta Images specialises in
generational photography which
showcases the family unit. Over
the past decade her images
have graced the walls of families
across the country.
“I love taking pictures. Pictures
for any event or any scene to
freeze a memory for all time.”
Juliette smiles. “My favourite
shoots are with families, who
are so diverse. The love they
have for each other which comes
through in their pictures is
inspiring.”
Today is always the time to take
a family photo, either casually
or professionally, especially with
the holidays coming up. Freeze
your family in a photo.
Enter to win a generational
photo with Etta Images. Value
$275.
To enter the draw, email
giveaways@starmedia.kiwi with
ETTA IMAGES in the subject
line. Please include your name,
postal address and a daytime
contact number.
Entries close noon December 13.
3
living LIVING
life LIFE
geneology
GENEOLOGY
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