Phil in SF commented on Mastering Genealogical Proof by Thomas W. Jones
Mastering Genealogical Proof teaches family historians and genealogists how to reconstruct the relationships and lives …
Content warning resolving conflicts
Back to the chapter I just finished on resolving conflicts. The "process" detailed is:
- Identifying two or more answers in conflict
- Listing or describing the evidence supporting each side of the conflict
- Demonstrating that the conflict is resolved by lack of corroboration, quality of evidence, explanation, or a combination
Notes three ways of resolving conflict: lack of corroboration, quality of evidence, and explanation. That last one is broad and Jones provides little guidance for it.
At the end of the guidance on conflict resolution, Jones notes that if there is an unresolved conflict, there can't be a conclusion that meets the Genealogical Proof Standard. At best, a researcher can state an opinion or a probably. [ Perhaps in a note indicating future research. ]