Alice Childs, assistant director of BYU’s Center for Family History and Genealogy, discussed methods for determining accurate information from historical documents during her Education Week class on Friday, August 23.

Childs’ course, titled “Analyzing Historical Records to Reach Correct Conclusions,” was designed to help amateur genealogists better recognize and discover errors in historical records. The course consisted of a mix of lectures and audience participation. Childs cited quotes from leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and taught that genealogy is the work of the Lord.

“God blesses our bodies, including our brains,” when we pray for help in doing His work, Childs said.

Although most historical records, including birth and death certificates, grave records, newspaper clippings and military documents, were not created for use in genealogy research, they are still useful records in locating and documenting family members, Childs said. In fact, all documents useful for genealogy research were provided by the Lord, she said.

“These records were often created for different purposes and we can benefit from them in genealogy,” Childs said.

Childs posed three questions about evidence analysis that genealogists can use to determine the historical accuracy of a source. The questions she discussed are as follows:

1. When and how was the source created? If the source was created a long time ago, it may be less accurate.
2. Who provided the information for the source?
3. Do the facts in the source directly or indirectly answer the research question?

Childs said that those conducting family history research should not only ask these questions, but also consider what their research questions or the end goal of their research are. Examples of this might be finding an ancestor’s birth date, burial location or parents.

When information isn’t available in one document, genealogists should look for other documents that can confirm, refute or add to current historical records, Childs said. This method is called correlating evidence, Childs said.

“We never want to base our conclusions on just one document because there is always room for error,” Childs said, illustrating the importance of correlating information using multiple historical documents.

Childs walked the audience through her research process, concluding each document by giving the audience quiz questions to test them.

Another factor genealogists should consider when assessing the accuracy of a document is how far the document is from the information, Childs said. A historical document describing the life of a person born 100 years ago, for example, is more likely to contain compiled second-hand information than first-hand documents. Therefore, a diary entry or birth certificate would be more useful for research, Childs said.

“We need to think about who provided the information, who they are and why they might have said it,” Childs said.

In concluding her remarks, Childs quoted Elder Dale G. Renlund’s RootsTech Address 2016.

“As you engage in temple and family history work, ‘you will find not only protection from the temptations and evils of the world but also personal strength—strength to change, strength to repent, strength to learn, strength to sanctify, and strength to turn the hearts of your family members to one another and to heal what needs healing,’” Childs quoted Elder Renlund as saying.

Genealogy is the Lord’s work and He will help those who do His work to complete it, Childs testified.

“I know that this work is a blessing to our ancestors and to us,” she said.