About Creating a No-source zone on the FamilySearch.org Family Tree

 

We are all acquainted with driving through areas where the speed limits change for safety reasons. I would like to see this concept applied to the FamilySearch.org Family Tree website. 

There is a natural conflict in genealogy between people with a casual interest who a just beginning to explore their family connections and those who a experienced. Traffic laws recognize that young students on their way to school need extra protection in crossing streets around schools. Children are also cautioned about crossing any street and are hopefully trained about the dangers of traffic. Equally, those who are new to genealogy are not automatically aware of the customs and procedures of the FamilySearch.og Family Tree website. 

Initially, it is important to know that the the FamilySearch.org Family Tree only works if it is treated as a source-centric family tree. This statement has been made numerous times over the years and is codified in FamilySearch publications. See the following list.

• FamilySearch. “View Sources in Family Tree • FamilySearch,” May 31, 2022. https://www.familysearch.org/en/help/helpcenter/article/how-do-i-view-sources-attached-to-my-ancestor-in-family-tree.

“A Short History of FamilySearch Family Tree.” Accessed November 3, 2023. http://www.ancestryinsider.org/2013/03/a-short-history-of-familysearch-family.html.

“Authentication - FamilySearch Developers — FamilySearch.Org.” Accessed November 3, 2023. https://www.familysearch.org/developers/docs/guides/implementation-cert.

FamilySearch GEDCOM. “FamilySearch GEDCOM Community.” Accessed November 3, 2023. https://gedcom.io/community/.

FamilySearch Wiki. “Tools for Using Family Tree/Search,” April 10, 2020. https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Tools_for_using_family_tree/Search.

Jr, Bennett Cookson, Ken Boyer, James Mark Hamilton, Kendall J. Jefferson, Daren Thayne, and Michael J. Wolfgramm. Genealogy investigation and documentation systems and methods. European Union EP1550958A2, filed December 28, 2004, and issued July 6, 2005. https://patents.google.com/patent/EP1550958A2/en.

Seaver, Randy. “Dear Randy: Should I Use FamilySearch Family Tree as My Main Genealogy Database?” Accessed November 3, 2023. https://www.geneamusings.com/2021/11/dear-randy-should-i-use-familysearch.html.

Tanner, James. “Genealogy’s Star: Sources in FamilySearch Family Tree.” Genealogy’s Star (blog), August 13, 2012. https://genealogysstar.blogspot.com/2012/08/sources-in-familysearch-family-tree.html.

———. “Rejoice, and Be Exceeding Glad...: A Survival Guide for the FamilySearch Family Tree: Part Two -- The Scope of the Challenge.” Rejoice, and Be Exceeding Glad... (blog), May 19, 2018. https://rejoiceandbeexceedingglad.blogspot.com/2018/05/a-survival-guide-for-familysearch.html.

(By the way, I am fully aware that I am citing myself in two of the examples given above).

Unfortunately, as the FamilySearch.org Family Tree (hereinafter Family Tree) evolved, it has failed to maintain a structure that would support a source-centric content. What this means is that users can make entries in the Family Tree without providing a source for the information entered. There are likely millions of entries that look like the following:

There is a good argument for allowing "new" users (like young students attending an elementary school) to enter into the complex world of genealogy without providing a source showing where the information was obtained. It is likely that at least some users will have personal information and contact with their parents. From my extensive experience helping users from Spanish speaking countries, there are people who can list sometimes three generations from memory. My suggestion is that the first four generations of a new user's genealogy be part of a "No required source zone." However, I would also suggest that the website continue to emphasize the need for sources. 

A "source" in the context of genealogical research is a citation to the location where the information entered can be verified. The word "source" as used in the Family Tree is ambiguous in that it is used to refer to a historical document giving information about an entry and to anything showing where the information was obtained. Because of this ambiguity, an entry such as "Personal Information" is acceptable but useless for verification purposes. But as the example above illustrates, there are a huge number of entires that have no "sources." From my standpoint, I am forced to treat these entries as nonsense. 

If the Family Tree had this kind of record, it would then be appropriate to require any entries in past the fourth generation to have a source. Presently, the Family Tree has a notice when there is no source attached, but that notice apparently has no effect on those adding unsupported entries. I would further suggest that, as I have begun writing in other posts, that an AI assistant for users could help both new and experienced uses and help to elimate the vast number of duplicate entries, and un-supported entries.