Different types of genealogical evidence—birth certificates, census records, letters, property deeds—carry different weights and reliability depending on when and how they were created. Learning to rank these sources and understand what each one can actually tell you prevents false confidence in incomplete or secondhand information.
Evidence correlation in genealogy is the process of comparing and weighing original records, derivative records, and authored works alongside direct evidence, indirect evidence, and negative evidence to reach a reliable conclusion about an ancestor. Each evidence type carries different levels of reliability and must be evaluated in combination rather than in isolation.
AI assists with evidence correlation by categorizing documents by type, flagging contradictions between sources, suggesting additional records that could resolve conflicts, and helping researchers build structured arguments that account for every piece of available information before drawing a final conclusion.
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