Peer Review in Genealogy: Ensuring Accuracy in Shared Trees

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Jackie Ehler

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Genealogy research can be a thrilling and rewarding experience, offering a deeper understanding of your family’s past. However, with the growing number of online family trees and public genealogical databases, it’s essential to ensure the accuracy of the information you share. Peer review in genealogy is a vital tool for verifying your research, avoiding errors, and fostering collaboration within the genealogical community. Whether you’re a novice or an experienced genealogist, understanding the role of peer review in your family tree work can help ensure you’re building an accurate and reliable genealogy.

What is Peer Review in Genealogy?

Peer review in genealogy refers to the process of reviewing, verifying, and cross-checking genealogical information with others, often with experts or fellow researchers, to ensure its accuracy. In genealogy, this typically involves collaboration and the validation of sources, facts, and interpretations, especially when sharing family trees with the broader community.

Peer review can take many forms, including:

  • Collaborative Research: Sharing information with other genealogists and working together to verify facts and sources.
  • Evaluating Sources: Reviewing the reliability and quality of the sources used to build the family tree.
  • Cross-Checking Information: Comparing records from different databases or resources to confirm the information.

Why Peer Review is Crucial in Genealogy

Genealogy research is an intricate process that often involves piecing together historical records from different sources. With so many sources available—some reliable and others less so—it’s easy to make mistakes or overlook inconsistencies. Peer review helps ensure your family tree is built on solid, verifiable data.

Key Benefits of Peer Review in Genealogy:

  1. Verification of Facts: Peer review allows other researchers to confirm or challenge your findings, ensuring that the facts you are presenting are accurate.
  2. Identifying Errors and Misinterpretations: Sometimes, well-meaning researchers make incorrect assumptions or draw inaccurate conclusions based on incomplete data. Peer reviewers can identify these errors early on.
  3. Ensuring Source Citations: Genealogists should always provide evidence for their research findings, and peer reviewers can help verify that proper sources are cited.
  4. Expanding Knowledge: Collaborating with other researchers broadens your access to information, tools, and resources you may not have encountered otherwise.

How to Incorporate Peer Review in Your Genealogical Work

1. Share Your Family Tree with Others

Start by sharing your family tree with trusted peers or genealogical societies. The more eyes on your research, the more likely it is that errors will be spotted. Websites like Ancestry.com, FamilySearch, and MyHeritage allow users to create and share family trees with the public or with specific groups, making it easier to engage in collaborative peer review.

  • Ancestry.com: Offers shared family trees where users can view and contribute information to others’ trees.
  • FamilySearch: Allows users to work on the same family tree, making it easier for genealogists to collaborate on research.

2. Join Online Genealogy Forums

Joining genealogy forums is a great way to connect with other researchers who can provide valuable feedback on your work. Sites like RootsWeb, Genealogy.com, and Reddit’s Genealogy Subreddit offer a platform for posting queries and getting feedback on your findings.

  • RootsWeb: An online forum and mailing list where you can share your research and ask for input from other genealogists.
  • Reddit’s Genealogy Subreddit: A community where genealogists of all levels collaborate, ask questions, and share insights.

3. Collaborate with Local Genealogical Societies

Local genealogical societies are a fantastic resource for peer review. Many societies hold meetings, offer workshops, and maintain databases that you can contribute to and benefit from. They provide a space where experienced genealogists can mentor newcomers and collaborate to verify records.

  • National Genealogical Society (NGS): NGS provides resources for genealogists of all levels, including networking opportunities with other researchers.
  • New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS): Offers valuable resources and networking for those researching family histories in the United States and abroad.

4. Use DNA Testing and Genetic Genealogy for Peer Validation

Genetic genealogy is another powerful tool in peer review. Using services like 23andMe, AncestryDNA, and MyHeritage DNA, you can confirm connections and trace genetic relationships. Genetic results may provide strong evidence to support or disprove relationships in your family tree.

  • 23andMe: Offers DNA testing with potential connections to genetic relatives.
  • MyHeritage DNA: Provides DNA testing services and matches that can help validate connections.

5. Request Reviews from Professional Genealogists

If you are working on a particularly complex family tree or if you are stuck at a dead end, hiring a professional genealogist to review your research may be a good idea. Professional genealogists can offer a fresh perspective and help verify complicated findings.

  • Association of Professional Genealogists (APG): This association connects you with professional genealogists who can offer services like peer review and research assistance.

How to Perform Peer Review in Genealogy

If you’re reviewing someone else’s research, it’s important to approach the task thoughtfully. Here are some tips for providing constructive peer reviews:

  • Check Source Citations: Ensure that sources are properly cited and reliable. If records are missing or unclear, point that out.
  • Cross-Check Information: Compare the information with other available records. Look for consistency in dates, places, and names.
  • Be Respectful: Provide feedback politely, especially when pointing out errors. Genealogy can be a deeply personal journey, and constructive feedback helps improve the quality of the work.
  • Provide Alternatives: If you spot an error or inconsistency, provide alternative suggestions or records that may help resolve the issue.

Conclusion

Genealogy is a collaborative effort, and peer review plays an essential role in ensuring the accuracy and reliability of our research. By engaging with other genealogists, sharing your family trees, and carefully verifying the data, you can build a stronger, more accurate family history. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced genealogist, peer review helps you learn, grow, and connect with others in the genealogical community. As you continue your journey, remember that the process of validation, collaboration, and sharing makes your family tree more reliable and valuable for future generations.

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Hello,

I’m Jackie

Welcome to my blog where it is my intention to help you with all the information you need to get started researching your genealogy. I have been researching my own family history for over 20 years, and hope to help you find what you need to learn more about your family as well. I invite you to join me on a journey of learning and realization. Let’s get searching!

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