ProofTrail Research Foundations · Module 1, 3
Documentary genealogy reconstructs identities, relationships, and events by analyzing records in context. It is more than collecting documents or copying names.
What you will be able to do
- Explain source, information, and evidence.
- Describe how documentary and genetic evidence work together.
- Recognize correlation as the bridge to conclusions.
Why this matters
A record has no universal truth value. Its information becomes evidence only when applied to a question and weighed with other evidence.
Source, information, evidence
The source is the record or artifact. Information is what it communicates. Evidence is the use of that information to answer a question. One item may be direct for one question and indirect for another.
Documentary and genetic evidence
Records establish identities, locations, legal relationships, and chronology. DNA supports biological-network hypotheses. DNA does not replace documentary identity work.
Correlation
Correlation compares independent evidence, identifies agreement and conflict, and explains why the combined pattern supports one conclusion over alternatives.
Historical context
Jurisdiction, law, migration, religion, language, community, and record loss determine what was created and what survives.
Use it in ProofTrail
- Open a focused case question.
- For one source, identify the item, relevant information, and evidentiary use.
- Link the source to the people and hypothesis it bears on.
- Record what it cannot establish.
Practice with the fictional Williams case
Practice data only: Sarah, Robert, every record, place, and DNA comparison are fictional.
Analyze E4. The source is the marriage license. Information includes Sarah’s address, occupation, parents, groom, and witness. Parent names directly address parentage; address and occupation indirectly connect E3 and E4.
Common mistakes
- Calling a record itself the evidence without naming the question.
- Treating a copied tree as independent confirmation.
- Assuming DNA confirms the documentary tree.
- Ignoring creation and context.
Check your understanding
1. Can information function differently for two questions?
Check answer
Yes. Sarah’s address directly answers residence and indirectly supports record identity.
2. Does documentary genealogy exclude DNA?
Check answer
No. The forms can be correlated but require separate analysis and limitations.
Create the work product
A source-information-evidence analysis for one Williams record.
Completion standard
The learner names the source, states the information accurately, and explains exactly how it bears on the question.
Continue the investigation
Apply the distinction to each Evidence record.
Written lesson version 2.0. Optional video fields support a future captioned video and transcript. The written lesson remains complete.