Mastering Genealogical Documentation

Kindle

Published July 6, 2017 by National Genealogical Society.

ISBN:
9781935815297
4 stars (1 review)

The value of your family history research relies in large part on the thoroughness and clarity of your documentation. Mastering Genealogical Documentation teaches genealogists how to describe and cite their sources—including sources for which no model citation exists—with artistry, clarity, conciseness, completeness, and competence so that their work will meet the genealogy field’s published standards. In this step-by-step guidebook, The author provides a foundation in the principles, logic, and decisions that underpin genealogical documentation. Exercises are provided at the end of each chapter (with answers at the back of the book) to reinforce concepts and provide opportunities for practice.

2 editions

Frustrating but useful

4 stars

I found Mastering Genealogical Documentation to be very very frustrating, but ultimately it was very useful. The author says this book is a textbook, whereas Evidence Explained is a reference work. To some degree that's true.

Despite having read Genealogy Standards a few times, I've clearly missed some important points. That's mostly because Genealogy Standards does not include discussion of the standards. I read a lot of technical standards for a living. BCG's Genealogy Standards leave a lot to be desired for explanation.

That's a preface to the first really good point about Mastering Genealogical Documentation: it's an extensive discussion and breakdown of BCG standard 5, which lays out the 5 facets/elements/components of a citation: who, what, where, when, and wherein. What satisfies as good information for each element? Thomas W. Jones answers that. (Evidence Explained really does not.)

The second really good thing about Mastering Genealogical Documentation is that …

Subjects

  • Genealogy