Evidence! Citation & Analysis for the Family Historian

by Elizabeth Shown Mills

This book provides the family history researcher with a reliable standard for both the correct form of source citation and the sound analysis of evidence. In successful genealogical research, these two practices are inseparable. The book is invaluable for beginners, who want to avoid mistakes in their research, and for advanced researchers, who are seeking guideposts to map their own course precisely.

Genres: Reference, Nonfiction, History, Research, Writing, Adult

124 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1997

Reviews

[Jeremy · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I've worked on my family history from materials passed on from members of my family and collected from other databases, I have been frustrated by incorrect information and the lack of source annotations in the pedigrees I have. My latest disappointment was to find that one of my favorite ancestral lines, which passes through a 15th century Lord Mayor of London, probably does not belong to my family.

As I've been preparing to start the arduous work of checking the information I've inherited, I have started to consider the best way to annotate the sources I will gather. Family History Documentation Guidelines by the Silicon Valley PAF Users Group, is an excellent volume with good suggestions on how to annotate sources in PAF, but suggests multiple methods. I decided to look for other suggestions before I chose a method.

Evidence! appears to be the most popular volume about source annotation today, so I checked it out from my library. Unfortunately, the author's treatment of citations is more general than I was looking for, mostly geared towards professional genealogists who write journal articles and research reports. Of course, these citation formats are certainly also applicable to pedigree charts and family group sheets, but I was hoping to find suggestions on how to organize sources in PAF.

That being said, this is an excellent book on the need for detailed citation and analysis in genealogy. The first half discusses principles behind accurate analysis and citation, while the second half gives citation examples for many of the source types used by genealogists. I found many of my own opinions mirrored in the principles espoused in this book. I think it is an excellent introduction to genealogical research, and I will probably purchase a copy for myself.

I understand that the author has also published a followup to this book called Evidence Explained that clocks in at 885 pages. I am interested to get a look at that book and see what other information it has to offer.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great source for examples of citations for genealogy research papers!

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

A technical book that will constantly be a resource for me as I continue to work on becoming an accredited genealogist. I own this book and it's a good thing because I will constantly need to reference it!

[Granny · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a professional genealogist, this little book is always on my desk.

[James Jeffrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must have for serious researchers.

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finally purchased a used copy to help with my genealogical pursuits. This will be a reference book to have on hand for the future, so I just skimmed it. The slim book is shorter than I expected. In the first half of the book, Mills provides some good tips on fundamentals of citation and analysis. The last half of the book has a multitude of examples of types of citations that a researcher may want to use (based on the Chicago style). I wish the book included more examples of common research conundrums and how to resolve them.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of valuable detail. Especially when I get back to doing more acutal research. Most of what I am doing now is on Ancestry and is not printed. This info adds to the laminated detail sheets that I bought a few years ago.

[Just · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great resource for any genealogist trying to ensure the most helpful citations for their work.

[Jillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Could be boiled down to two pages of principles, but the additional explanation and reference material could be helpful for beginners.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unfortunately this book is dated, and it doesn't cover what is probably the most used source today -- the internet. In particular, there are no examples or discussions about how to cite to a Federal Census that was obtained via Ancestry.com or FamilySearch.com.

[Tania · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful reference for the amateur genealogist. Part 1 explains what the researcher should be looking for in their sources and documentation, including how to distinguish a reliable source from hearsay and how to complete source notes. Part 2 is a comprehensive table that explains how to reference the various types of sources. The appendices show sample documentation. The index allows the reader to pinpoint the source they need to reference and go right to it. It is a clear and concise guide that will allow the family historian to create and maintain good records in the course of their search, and allow them to both prove their findings and find their way back to the original materials they used.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been doing genealogy research for well over a decade, and I have to say that one of my biggest problems by far is my lackadaisical approach to citing sources. It's not that I don't think citing sources is important. It's extremely important. I just get sidetracked when I'm researching and don't always write down where I found a particular document or fact.

This book is a wonderful resource for people like me. Take this book with you on your library trips! If you use the information presented in the book every time, you won't have to duplicate your work to go back and document your sources after the fact.

Cite early. Cite often.

Enjoy!

[Sue Mortensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is exactly what I needed for the several projects I am working on. I was able to get rid of several other books and replace them with this book. I have marked and flagged all of the examples I think I will be using in the future. It was interesting to see how obsolete some forms of media have become in such a short time. I excited to organize my work using the rules outlined in this book. It's been very helpful.

[Brad Garton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very concise useful book for figuring out what to cite, and how to do it. Part one has explanations of Citation and Analysis, part two are examples for various types of resources encountered doing genealogical research. The forms are based on the Chicago manual of style with modifications for the types of resources Genealogists encounter.

Elizabeth Shown Mills is an authority in Genealogical writing and research.

[Mootzee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just reread this book for the third time. It's a great, portable reference guide to genealogical citations. This is the precursor to Shown Mills' Evidence Explained book; a quick and dirty version if you will. Lots of great examples given to help you understand how the citations are constructed. Highly recommend just for the portability.

[Tanya · Rating 3 out of 5]

This reference seems great for American sources, but I found many of my British references were left incompletely treated. Her 2009 publication, Evidence Explained is much more complete, and really makes this book obsolete.

[Cindy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good resource for researching family history but a little dry.

[Gwnhwyfer · Rating 4 out of 5]

While this book is an excellent resource for citing sources, I have one quibble with it: it's very American-centric.

[Christine McCloud · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this book with a little dread, but knowing this is an area in my genealogy research that really needs improvement. It fortunately is not a long book, so was not TOO intimidating.

[Andy Lawless · Rating 4 out of 5]

Published by Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc.
199 B. Calvert St. Baltimore, Maryland

[JP · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you only get one reference book about how to record family history, this is it. It's concise and handy as a constant reference.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent citation examples.

[Tina Sansone · Rating 5 out of 5]

I use this book often as I cite sources on my research reports.

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading Jones's Mastering Genealogical Proof took some of the stuffing out of this book. Jones's book was much more recently released.

[Josh · Rating 3 out of 5]

A handbook for citing materials found during a genealogical inquiry and how to assess them for trustworthiness.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really need to own this book. Clear and to the point.

[Ted Gurley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Essential primer.

[Ernie Dawson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is not only great from genealogical documentational point of view but any research.