CGL CGL Research Methodology 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: How should a CGL lecturer explain the difference between 'primary' and 'secondary' information to students?
- Primary information is provided by someone with firsthand knowledge; secondary information comes from someone without direct knowledge (Correct answer)
- Primary information is from government records; secondary is from private sources
- Primary information is digital; secondary information is on paper
- Primary sources are older; secondary sources are more recent
Correct answer: Primary information is provided by someone with firsthand knowledge; secondary information comes from someone without direct knowledge
The distinction rests on the informant's knowledge — whether they personally knew the facts recorded at the time of the event.
Question 2: Which genealogical research strategy involves working from known facts to unknown ancestors?
- The reasonably exhaustive search strategy, working from present to past (Correct answer)
- The cluster research method, expanding to collateral relatives
- The GPS correlation method, resolving all conflicts first
- The surname mapping strategy, tracing geographic distributions
Correct answer: The reasonably exhaustive search strategy, working from present to past
Working from the known to the unknown is a foundational genealogical principle that prevents skipping generations and building on unverified assumptions.
Question 3: What is 'cluster research' and why is it taught in CGL lecture contexts?
- Researching an individual's associates, neighbors, and relatives to find clues about the target ancestor (Correct answer)
- Grouping similar DNA matches into family clusters for analysis
- Clustering census records by county to find migration patterns
- Organizing research notes into thematic clusters for clarity
Correct answer: Researching an individual's associates, neighbors, and relatives to find clues about the target ancestor
Cluster research leverages the social networks of ancestors to break through brick walls when direct records are missing.
Question 4: When evaluating conflicting evidence in genealogical research, what should a researcher do first?
- Determine the reliability of each source by examining the informant's knowledge and the source type (Correct answer)
- Accept the most recent record as correct since it may reflect updates
- Prioritize government records over all other source types automatically
- Discard the conflicting source and proceed with the remaining evidence
Correct answer: Determine the reliability of each source by examining the informant's knowledge and the source type
Evaluating each source's origin, informant knowledge, and information type is essential before deciding which evidence to weight more heavily.
Question 5: What does a 'proof argument' in genealogy require that a 'proof summary' does not?
- A written discussion explaining how conflicting or indirect evidence was resolved to reach a conclusion (Correct answer)
- A list of all sources consulted during the research
- A narrative biography of the ancestor in question
- A pedigree chart attached to the written conclusion
Correct answer: A written discussion explaining how conflicting or indirect evidence was resolved to reach a conclusion
A proof argument is needed when the conclusion requires reconciling conflicting evidence or inferring from indirect evidence, going beyond a simple summary.
Question 6: Which US record type is most commonly used to identify a woman's maiden name when no birth or baptismal record exists?
- Marriage records, which typically name the bride's surname before marriage
- Death certificates, which sometimes list the maiden name under parents
- Land deeds, which may reference a married woman's former name in inheritance transfers
- All of the above are commonly used in combination (Correct answer)
Correct answer: All of the above are commonly used in combination
No single record type is definitive, so genealogists typically correlate marriage records, death certificates, and land deeds to identify a maiden name.
CGL CGL Research Methodology 2
How should a CGL lecturer explain the difference between 'primary' and 'secondary' information to students?