CGL Documentation and Record Keeping 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following is the correct order of preference when evaluating conflicting evidence in genealogical records?
- Authored narrative → derivative → original
- Original → derivative → authored narrative (Correct answer)
- Derivative → original → authored narrative
- Authored narrative → original → derivative
Correct answer: Original → derivative → authored narrative
Original records are preferred because they have not been reprocessed; derivatives introduce potential transcription errors, and authored narratives add further layers of interpretation.
Question 2: A genealogist quotes a passage from a 19th-century will verbatim in her report. This practice is called:
- Abstracting
- Transcribing (Correct answer)
- Extracting
- Summarizing
Correct answer: Transcribing
Transcription reproduces the original text word-for-word; abstraction summarizes content, and extraction pulls only specific data points.
Question 3: When a census record shows an ancestor's birthplace as 'Germany' but a church record shows 'Bavaria,' how should documentation handle this discrepancy?
- Use only the church record since it is more specific
- Use only the census record since it is a government document
- Document both sources and explain the discrepancy in a research note or proof argument (Correct answer)
- Average the two pieces of information
Correct answer: Document both sources and explain the discrepancy in a research note or proof argument
Sound genealogical practice requires documenting all relevant evidence and explaining conflicts rather than arbitrarily selecting one source over another.
Question 4: Which element should appear in a genealogical source citation for a photograph held in a private family collection?
- The photograph's retail value
- The current owner's name, description of photo, approximate date, and present location (Correct answer)
- Only the date the photograph was taken
- The name of the photographer's studio alone
Correct answer: The current owner's name, description of photo, approximate date, and present location
Private collection citations must identify the holder, describe the item, and note its current location so future researchers can request access.
Question 5: A 'research report' differs from a 'research log' primarily in that a research report:
- Lists only sources with negative results
- Summarizes findings, analyzes evidence, and presents conclusions for a client or specific question (Correct answer)
- Records only names and dates found
- Is required to be filed with a government office
Correct answer: Summarizes findings, analyzes evidence, and presents conclusions for a client or specific question
A research report synthesizes evidence and presents reasoned conclusions, while a log is a chronological record of searches conducted.
Question 6: When transcribing an old handwritten document, an illegible word should be indicated by:
- Leaving a blank space with no notation
- Writing your best guess without any brackets
- Using [illegible] or [?] within square brackets at the point of uncertainty (Correct answer)
- Skipping the entire sentence
Correct answer: Using [illegible] or [?] within square brackets at the point of uncertainty
Standard transcription practice uses square brackets to signal editorial insertions or uncertainties, alerting readers that the original was unclear.
Question 7: Which action is most appropriate when a genealogist discovers that a previously cited source has been taken offline?
- Delete the citation from all reports
- Update the citation to note the access date, offline status, and any archive copies known (Correct answer)
- Replace the citation with a secondary source without notation
- Ignore the change since the original citation was correct when made
Correct answer: Update the citation to note the access date, offline status, and any archive copies known
Maintaining the original citation with a note about its current unavailability and any archived versions preserves transparency and helps future researchers.
CGL Documentation and Record Keeping 3
Which of the following is the correct order of preference when evaluating conflicting evidence in genealogical records?