Theories
From SharedTree Wiki
Family history is in many ways a science. A major part of science is following the scientific method.
- You have an educated guess that your grandfather is from Holland.
- You test that hypothesis by searching immigration records at Ellis Island and land records from Holland.
- You find evidence that supports your hypothesis.
At this point your hypothesis has graduated to a theory.
In some rare cases you actually have fact--you birth your child and you know who the mother is. But for the most part the majority of family history is based on educated guess and anywhere from poor to well tested theories.
The question I would like to know is at what point should hypotheses and theories be "published" publicly on SharedTree?
Advantage to publishing earlier
- Other people can help you test you hypotheses
- they can help find other sources
- they can share their own previous unpublished research on the subject
- they can help finance trips and other expenses that may be involved
- SharedTree can be used as a workspace, not just a final publication destination
Advantage to publishing later
- mistakes are not taken as fact by less informed individuals
- other people don't steal you work and ideas and claim it as their own
- SharedTree stays cleaner
