I’m spending the day learning how to use Evidentia and to create group sheets for my family and my parents’ family – which for some reason, I’ve never done.
My goal is to be 100% sourced for every piece of information in the group sheet. Every time I’ve EVER worked on sources for a group sheet, I’ve always had the same questions. And I think the perfectionist in me keeps me from sharing any of my information because I don’t want to be told that I’m doing something wrong.
These questions are not about formatting of citations, although I have plenty of questions on that! But because I don’t plan to ever put my information in any formal publication, I feel like if I select the wrong citation format (for example “Local Vital Records: Certificate” vs. “State Vital Records: Certificate” vs. “State-Level Records: Vital-Records Certificate”), any interested person could still find the document I’m referring to. (But I will admit to spending WAAAAYYYYY too much time trying to decide which format to use – and it drives me crazy because I’d SO much rather be searching for new records!)
So I will now list my questions here to see if anyone wants to chime in and tell me the “correct” way to cite my sources. I feel like these questions are going to be “duh” questions for a lot of you, but I also figure that if I have these questions, I’m probably not alone.
- When I look at a record – say, my birth certificate – it contains information for several pieces of information in my group sheet. Father, Mother, birthplace for each of them, my date of birth, my birth location, my middle name. So my question is, should I add seven identical endnotes for each of those facts? 1 “long form” full citation followed by 6 “short form” subsequent citations?
- Again, for birth records….I have 3 versions of my own birth certificate. All three of them give the same information that I listed in question 1. So do I cite all three of these documents for each piece of information?
- If I’m not to cite every record that I have, how do I decide which is best? The commemorative certificate that the hospital gave my parents has a lot more information than the “legal” certificates I have. Typically, I’d think that a legal certificate holds more authority, but the commemorative certificate was created while the hospital was collecting the information from my parents…information that was then passed on to the board of health for the legal certificate. The information is more specific and includes information not included on the legal certificate.
- Do I give a citation for middle names based on my birth certificate? My own, my father, and my mother? Middle names are often included on census records of my ancestors. Do I site those sources as well?
- Do I give citations for the name itself to indicate how I know that a person is a legitimate child of the parents on the group sheet?
- For ancestors from long ago, do I cite every source that gives a birth location? Birth record, marriage record, death record, every census record, land records, etc?
- Do I cite every source that gives the name of a spouse? Marriage record, census records, land records, death records, etc?
- If I want to include an analysis for why a specific piece of information was chosen to be included in the group sheet, is that indicated in some way on the group sheet? I am learning how to create these analysis reports in Evidentia and it seems they would be most helpful to include with a group sheet.
The bottom line is this: I want to be thorough, but I don’t want a group sheet that has such a long line of superscripts after each piece of information that it looks like a joke. The examples in my questions are probably extreme examples, but I just don’t know where to draw the line. I think that in my heart, I feel there should probably just be 1 citation for each piece of information with some type of notation that other sources were taken into consideration. If that’s the case – what is the format for that? Does every citation end with “see the attached analysis for additional considerations”?
There is an endless supply of web sites and books that will tell you how to create source citations. Is there a web site that might show examples of a well cited group sheet? I really only want to do this “do-over” once. For that to be the case, I want to do it right and I’m clearly frustrated!
The Shy Genealogist 
I don’t enter everything on the group sheet. I use an individual worksheet (I started with a couple that were PDF downloads from several sites, but ended up designing my own as the downloaded ones proved inadequate). On the group sheet I cite only birth, death, marriage, burial, divorce, and census records for the rest I cite the information is on each individual worksheet. It is easy to attach the individual worksheets to the group sheet in order if necessary. There is no absolute right or wrong way that I know of. Most of these various information sheets are more for your reference than anything. If you are using a desktop program (Legacy, RootsMagic, etc.) you should cite everything you have for each individual you enter, then when you print (or print to PDF) group sheets, the citations go with every person on the group sheet. You can print several other reports and charts as well. Some programs allow you to choose what goes on each report/chart. Most of my family want to see the group sheets but are completely disinterested in any kind of proof, so I print theirs with only the basic information and no citations – it helps to know who you’re printing for. On my blog, I don’t cite sources, I thought long and hard about it and decided that if anyone wants them they can comment or email me for those. I don’t know if this is any help, but if it is, I’m glad. All the best.
I’m on the same quest about citations with the same questions. I wanted to be thorough but not excessive. What I’ve learned is every entry about an ancestor needs a complete citation so that years from now as either myself or others read through my tree they will know how I obtained a solution to the question.
I started fresh, new tree, entered my father and his birth. My first record was his baby book hand written by his mother during his first year. This book contains a wealth of data, names, addresses, family members and multiple happenings. I created one master source for the book then cited this source with details for the first entry. Each additional entry I used the book as a master source and changed the details adding page number, a short transcription of the facts or an image. I will do the same for say a census page.
How many citations do you enter, some say everyone you have. I was taught at least two if they are the same, some people say three. If you 2 pieces of information like an address, marriage or mother’s name that are different then you cite as many as it takes to prove your fact, at times this can be many. Your proof should always be the record made closest to the event by the person who had first hand knowledge. Should you have 2 records use both. Create a master source to cite the source with multiple pieces of information.
Group sheets do not need to list any of your cites but can if you choose. Group sheets are usually just the facts. My analysis and thoughts about my family are separate and my cites are on a separate sheet.
Long answer but lots to say, I think it comes down to you being sure you have the right person in your tree. In the past I made that mistake it can be painful so I find myself in a do-over.