ProofTrail Research Foundations · Module 3
Record priority comes from the question, jurisdiction, time, and record-creation system, not a universal list of best websites.
What you will be able to do
- Select sources capable of addressing a specific question.
- Distinguish a source from its information.
- Search beyond indexes and copied trees.
Why this matters
A source may be strong for one claim and weak for another. A death certificate can be strong for death details and weak for a parent’s birthplace.
Question first, source second
For parentage, consider records naming or implying parents, households, heirs, guardians, associates, and property transfers. For identity, connect names, places, occupations, relatives, and chronology.
Find the underlying record
An index points toward a record. A transcription represents someone’s reading. Examine the image or original, including margins, witnesses, neighboring entries, and context.
Understand creation
Ask who created the record, for what purpose, under which jurisdiction, when, and from whose information. Repository and coverage research are part of the search.
Use it in ProofTrail
- Identify the claim requiring evidence.
- List record groups capable of addressing it.
- Prioritize by relevance, availability, and independence.
- Create specific research actions instead of searching randomly.
Practice with the fictional Williams case
Practice data only: Sarah, Robert, every record, place, and DNA comparison are fictional.
Prioritize the 1912 marriage and 1900 household, then probate, school, land, and obituary records. Treat the Bible as an authored source and an index as a locator.
Common mistakes
- Calling every record proof.
- Ranking records without considering the information.
- Ignoring jurisdiction and coverage.
- Citing an index without viewing the record.
Check your understanding
1. Is a death certificate always strong for parents?
Check answer
No. Evaluate who supplied that information and whether they were likely to know.
2. What is an index primarily for?
Check answer
Locating the underlying record; it can omit context and contain transcription errors.
Create the work product
A prioritized source list tied to the question and expected contribution of each source.
Completion standard
Every search explains what claim the source can address and where the underlying record should exist.
Continue the investigation
Evaluate the information after retrieval.
Written lesson version 2.0. Optional video fields support a future captioned video and transcript. The written lesson remains complete.