The Genealogical Proof Standard
Applications for certification are judged on whether they
meet the standards delineated in
Genealogy Standards. All of its
eighty-three standards contribute to the level of credibility
in genealogy called the Genealogical Proof Standard (GPS).
As a result, genealogists who are certified have demonstrated
their ability to do work that meets the GPS.
Proof is a fundamental concept in genealogy. In order to
merit confidence, each conclusion about an ancestor must
have sufficient credibility to be accepted as "proved."
Acceptable conclusions, therefore, meet the Genealogical
Proof Standard (GPS). The GPS consists of five elements:
- a reasonably exhaustive search;
- complete and accurate source citations;
- analysis and correlation of the collected information;
- resolution of any conflicting evidence; and
- a soundly reasoned, coherently written conclusion.
Each element contributes to a conclusion's credibility
in a different way, described in the table below, but all
the elements are necessary to establish proof.
|
Element
of the GPS
|
Contribution
to Credibility
|
| Reasonably exhaustive search |
- Assumes examination of a wide range of high quality
sources
- Minimizes the probability that undiscovered evidence
will overturn a too-hasty conclusion
|
| Complete and accurate citation of sources |
- Demonstrates the extent of the search and the
quality of the sources
- Allows others to replicate the steps taken to
reach the conclusion. (Inability to replicate the
research casts doubt on the conclusion.)
|
| Analysis and correlation of the collected
information |
- Facilitates sound interpretation of the data
contributed by each source
- Ensures that the conclusion reflects all
the evidence
|
| Resolution of conflicting evidence. |
- Substantiates the conclusion's credibility. (If
conflicting evidence is not resolved, a credible
conclusion is not possible.)
|
| Soundly reasoned, coherently written conclusion. |
- Eliminates the possibility that the conclusion
is based on bias, preconception, or inadequate appreciation
of the evidence
- Explains how the evidence led to the conclusion
|
Applicants for research-category certification are
required to demonstrate they fully understand
the GPS and can apply it to research situations. The
parts of an application that specifically
test this knowledge include the case study and kinship-determination project.
The GPS reflects a change from the term "Preponderance
of the Evidence," used earlier to describe
the high standard of proof BCG had always promoted.
(For further information
about this topic, click here
for information on BCG's decision and here
for a detailed article on this subject.) Case studies
in national genealogical journals, such as the National
Genealogical Society Quarterly and The American
Genealogist, illustrate the GPS.
|
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