Even if you’ve been doing it for years, genealogy research can be tricky and challenging. Not only do you have to make sure that you’re researching the right people, you also have to ensure the accuracy of every piece of information you come across. And since pretty much anyone with an Internet connection can publish information on the Web, it’s pretty easy to stumble onto inaccurate information online these days.

Fortunately, there’s a way for you to determine if your genealogy research is as accurate as possible. The Board for Certification of Genealogists has actually come up with a set of guidelines that are helpful at determining the accuracy of genealogy-related information. Referred to as the Genealogical Proof Standard, these can help set you on the right path to accurate genealogy research.

For genealogy research to be as accurate as possible, the Genealogical Proof Standard requires researchers to follow some guidelines. First, all relevant information presented must have been researched extensively, with all sources of the information completely cited. Properly citing all the sources you used during your research will help make the verification of information easier in the future.

The Genealogical Proof Standard also requires researchers to closely examine all the information they come across. This will allow researchers to properly judge the relevance and accuracy of their collected data. When analyzing data, it’s best to take into account the source for the information and the quality of the information itself.

Resolving inconsistencies in research is also an important guideline in the Genealogical Proof Standard. Often, the easiest way to resolve inconsistencies is to find additional proof for the facts that don’t match each other. The facts must also be considered carefully, to determine which fact is more likely to be true than the other. Once the facts have been reconciled, a sound conclusion can be reached, to serve as proof of the research’s accuracy.