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Genealogical Research Standards 2 9

explain. By all means include the unverified family stories and
legends, as long as you indicate that they are apocryphal and
where or from whom you obtained them. Whether you believe
they are censored or exaggerated, they add that universal human
touch to the family history you uncover. Future genealogists
may discover the means or new sources to determine the truth,
thanks to your clearly defined groundwork.
Each ancestor presents us with a different time period to
work in; other variables in different generations may be the
locale of the search, the social and economic realities of the
time, the religious or political beliefs of the ancestor, and so
on. All these factors influence the creation of records for and
about them.
Standards of genealogical documentation - following the
Genealogical Proof Standard - are meticulous. Those of
us who are already deep into the accumulation of
information may also benefit from a review of past research.
Reinforcing the GPS, we may be well advised to review the
work we did and the conclusions we reached in previous
years, at a time when we had perhaps more enthusiasm
than experience! Genealogy is a never-ending quest for truth.
It is clear that we today have inherited much work done by
earlier genealogists and family historians. It is equally clear
that we must pass on the best job we can do, considering
the resources and assistance that exist for our choosing.