Records contain many statements and each of those statements can either be true or false. Analyze each statement separately, thinking about who likely gave the information, how likely they were to actually know the information, and the circumstances under which they were giving the information. It’s also helpful to think about whether the person might have any motivation to give incorrect information and whether there would have been any penalties for giving false information.

It’s also worth considering if more than one person could have been involved in giving the information and how publicly that information was given.


A recent blog most on Rootdig discusses some of these concepts in regards to a 1907 court case.

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