Digitized images like microfilm are copies; even the material in will and
deed books are copies, not originals. Microfilm and digitized images are
less prone to error in one sense, but are less likely to show alterations
that the original document would. Even original documents are not error
free. Sources should be evaluated on a number of levels including but not
limited to how close to the original they are, how close to the event they
were created, the reliability (if ascertainable) of the informant and
whether there is supporting evidence in other documents.

Barbara

Barbara Vines Little, CG
PO Box 1273
Orange, VA 22960
phone: 540-832-3473 (evenings)
fax: 540-832-5057
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CG is a service mark of the Board for Certification of
Genealogists®, used under license by board-certified associates who meet
genealogical competency standards prescribed for those programs.





----- Original Message -----
From: "Diana Bennett" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, November 01, 2004 9:16 PM
Subject: [VA-HIST] Documented Evidence


> Dear Listers:
>
> I just read an article by Elizabeth Shown Mills re citations and
> evidence. My question = Can we accept online census images as original
> documents? I have found these at libraries with subscriptions to
> Heritage Quest. Another site, distantcousin.com, has images of old city
> directories. Are these acceptable as original documents?
>
> Thanks,      Diana Kercheval Bennett
>
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