Genealogy and Scientific Analysis

Question

With the sciences we are taught that not everything is a fact.  We collect information in order to establish a hypothesis (educated guess), and from there we test the hypothesis and gather more evidence to either prove the hypothesis wrong or correct.  Additional testing and information can lead to the hypothesis becoming a theory, which then is continued to be tested and evaluated.  Theories can be disproved, only after thorough research and testing can eventually a theory be proven to be a fact.

In genealogy, something is not considered to be a fact just because someone said it was true.  There must be evidence and proof established to support before it is considered a fact.  I have found in my own studies where my understanding of my own family has had to change because DNA proved otherwise, new information was found that challenged my prior understanding, etc.  I have also identified where rumors became substantiated with new evidence.

There are a lot of profiles being built and persisted in WikiTree with no evidence or sources other than that someone said the information was true.  If new information is found to help support that profile or is found to challenge the information on a profile, please take the time to evaluate all of the information before dismissing the information.  If you don't agree, please provide evidence to the contrary so that we can maintain an accurate tree.  

Most importantly, please do not personally attack someone and their family who disagrees with you online or via private messages.  We are a community and not everyone will agree, but we must be civil.

Comments

Patrick,

I agree with much of what you said. There are guidelines that are not always followed, sometimes by the same people routinely. That being said, there are many beginners with their "learners permits". As this is not a paid site nor paid researchers, there isn't a "screening process (per-say)" and it is expected that there will be mistakes made, even with clear direction from others and deviations from WikiTree's abundance of help. WikiTree is a work in progress (every single file). Yes, there are and will always be unsourced or poorly sourced profiles, but even slow improvements are better than no improvements. I get frustrated at times (until I find a glaring error in one of my own). WT like all of us are a "work in progress".