The Discriminating Genealogist: Telling Good Evidence from Bad

The “best evidence” rule in law requires the presentation in court of an original rather than a copy, and a copy won’t even be admitted if the original is available. In genealogy, our rules require us to do the same: to discriminate, choose in favor of, prefer certain types of evidence to others, certain bits of information to others, certain sources to others. So... just how do we do that?

 

Presented live at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City and sponsored by the Board for Certification of Genealogists.