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Evidence Explained: Citing History Sources from Artifacts to Cyberspace: 3rd edition revised by [Elizabeth Shown Mills]

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Elizabeth Shown Mills

Evidence Explained: Citing History Sources from Artifacts to Cyberspace: 3rd edition revised [Print Replica] Kindle Edition

by Elizabeth Shown Mills (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.7 299 ratings

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EVIDENCE EXPLAINED is the definitive guide for all who explore history. It is based on one principle: We cannot judge the reliability of any information we find, unless we know exactly where the information came from and the strengths and weaknesses of that source. More than a thousand citation models for U.S. and international sources show us how to cite both original documents and their derivatives—in printed, filmed, and digital formats.

EE guides users through a maze of historical records and artifacts not covered by other citation manuals—from town halls and county courthouses to state and federal government agencies, as well as corporate, church, and private archives. It treats artifacts and memorials in both public venues and personal collections. It demonstrates how to handle the quirks that regularly stump us when we use the relics of past societies.

Beyond citation models, EE helps us understand each type of record and identify each in such detail that we and our readers will know not only “where to go to find our source” but also understand the nature of that source, so that the evidence can be better interpreted and the accuracy of our conclusions can be appraised.

EVIDENCE EXPLAINED differs from other citation manuals in one other key regard. Traditional guides emphasize "output"—the bare essentials needed, at publication, to identify sources while minimizing publication costs. EE focuses upon "input," identifying the information researchers should record in the research stage—not just the basic identification of the source, but all the details essential to textual criticism, thorough analyses, and sound conclusions.

A 4-page QuickStart Guide, tucked into the front flyleaf of this third edition, provides a crash course for new users.

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892 pages
Language

English
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Publication date

August 12, 2017
File size

14951 KB
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"The definitive guide for how to cite every conceivable kind of source a historian might use, from traditional archival materials to digital media to the most arcane sources imaginable." --John B. Boles, William P. Hobby Professor of History, Rice University

"In standardizing a family history style, Mills has advanced the discipline. She has given researchers, writers, editors, and publishers invaluable new tools to bring quality and consistency to their work and distinction to the field." --National Genealogical Society Quarterly

The latest revision of this style manual, meant specifically for historical research and family genealogy work, builds upon the previous editions by adding new citation models, updates to websites, and information on new materials. There are more than 1,000 citation models covering print, microfilm and microfiche, websites, digital books and journals, DVDs, CDs, podcasts, and more. The glossary and bibliography have also been expanded. Libraries owning a previous edition will want to update; those where historical research - particularly genealogy-is important will want to acquire it as well. --Rebecca Vnuk, Booklist, Sept. 1, 2017 --This text refers to the hardcover edition.

About the Author

A popular lecturer and past president of both the American Society of Genealogists and the Board for Certification of Genealogists, Elizabeth Shown Mills is the author, editor, and translator of 13 books and over 500 articles in the fields of genealogy, history, literature, and sociology. She has delivered over 1,000 lectures internationally, has appeared on radio and TV talk shows on three continents, and was featured on BBC's 20th and 30th anniversary specials on the novel Roots. --This text refers to the hardcover edition.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B074S4RJRF
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Genealogical Publishing Compay (August 12, 2017)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 12, 2017
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 14951 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Not enabled
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 892 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #344,347 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #46 in Study & Teaching of History
- #171 in Historical Study & Teaching
- #3,641 in Reference eBooks

Customer Reviews:
4.7 299 ratings

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Elizabeth Shown Mills

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Elizabeth Shown Mills is an internationally acclaimed historical researcher and writer who has spent her life studying American culture and the relationships between people--emotional as well as genetic. Featured on BBC, CNN, PBS, and other networks in the U.S., U.K., and Australia, she has guest-blogged for the NEW YORK TIMES and has been widely cited as "the genealogist who has had the most influence in the post-Roots era."

Her 13 prize-winning books range from reference works such as "Evidence Explained: Citing History Sources from Artifacts to Cyberspace" (Library Journal 2007 Best Reference) to the historical novel, "Isle of Canes," which chronicles a family of freed slaves across four generations, and is drawn from Mills's own research in the archives of six nations.

Her latest work is the greatly enlarged, revised edition of the Louisiana State University Press classic, THE FORGOTTEN PEOPLE: CANE RIVER'S CREOLES OF COLOR.

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Amazon Customer

Textbook is as expected

Reviewed in the United States on January 18, 2023

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Textbook is as expected

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Paul Barkley

Fantastic resource for citation formats, but more importantly WHY you cite this way

Reviewed in the United States on May 17, 2018

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When I bought the original version 7 or 8 years ago, I thought of this as a handy checklist for all sorts of citation formats, and of course it's that. The complications of citing even a book become apparent when you find, say, chapters written by different authors, so citing other kinds of evidence like electronic records becomes even more difficult without help. However, as important and useful as these formats are, the first two chapters are extremely powerful in helping shape how we go about our research and why we want to take the time to do it correctly. Most of us have learned that the research we did years ago wasn't done to the standards that we apply today, and wish we'd known then what we know now. These chapters, if absorbed, will prevent those kinds of rookie errors.

The inside front cover shows a process map from sources to information to evidence, and just grasping this concept makes the entire book worthwhile--everything else is a bonus. I would also recommend Robert Charles Anderson's "Elements of Genealogical Analysis" as a companion to "Evidence Explained", because it expands on the notion of how to go about taking sources and breaking them down, and it gives examples of the process. That will help reinforce the message of "Evidence Explained" and make the citation formats and chapters on research even more valuable.

One thought about the paper version versus the Kindle version. The printed version is almost 900 pages and my first copy arrived with a broken spine, which Amazon replaced quickly. I like having a paper copy of some things, but I'll probably purchase the Kindle version so I can take it with me when visiting courthouses and archives. Why? Because I want to make sure I capture all the citation data while I'm still on-site. When I get home it may be too late. You never know what type of record you're going to run into when searching.

53 people found this helpful

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LB

A Genealogist “bible” for citing sources

Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2023

Verified Purchase

A must -have reference for genealogy work

One person found this helpful

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Shelly Dudley

A very quick and easy transaction.

Reviewed in the United States on December 11, 2022

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The book is exactly what I wanted. It was new and in excellent condition.

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GracieLou731

Not Written for Genealogy Software Users, Hard to Use

Reviewed in the United States on February 22, 2021

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Evidence Explained (EE) is one of the top styles recommended for sourcing and citing genealogy work. But a lot of the content in the book is not written/formatted for genealogy software users and it is difficult to use.

I spend a lot of time dissecting examples, trying to make them fit into my genealogy software. And I mean a lot of time. And in the end I'm not sure if they really follow the EE style.

I also find this book is hard to use. In the index I looked up how to source and cite a naturalization record, and there are five (5) entries in different sections of the book, all with different information and different examples. I spent maybe 30 minutes looking at the different examples, trying to get the information in them to fit with the information I had about the document, and the fields available to me in my genealogy program. I then entered some info in my program, ran a report to see how it looked published, tweaked the info, and then reran the report, etc. Honestly, I spent about 30 minutes just trying to get this one source somewhat formatted in the EE style.

I'm trying to clean up my sources and citations in my database. I have 275 sources and 2800 citations in my database. I'd like them to adhere to the EE style. But using this book it would take months.

I really want to produce a professional or semi-professional genealogy with good sources and citations. There are a couple of good online resources for sourcing and citation that provide information and examples that are easier for me to follow. I will be using them.

12 people found this helpful

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L. M. Stoner

A little hard to navigate

Reviewed in the United States on February 10, 2022

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My first impression of this genealogical resource is that it has a fantastic amount of information. However, I encountered a bit of a problem finding the chart "The Evidence Analysis Process Map" using the index.

2 people found this helpful

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Greer

Be Aware that the Kindle version is a Print Replica

Reviewed in the United States on August 5, 2019

Verified Purchase

This is certainly the key reference for analyzing and citing sources for any genealogist or family historian. The content is complex, but usable for those willing to spend the time needed to do the job properly. I give the Kindle edition 4 stars to help avoid some disappointment or dissatisfaction. The Kindle edition is correctly identified as a “print replica”. This means it features:

Notes and highlights
Search, copy and paste
Zoom and pan
Pop-out linked table-of-contents
Page numbers matching print edition

But what it does not have are internal electronic links. So, if you find a desired reference in the table of contents or the index, you can’t just click on a link to jump to that page. Instead, you must use the Kindle search or page function. I was disappointed with this at first, but after experimenting, I am quite satisfied in the format. Hopefully, other potential purchasers will avoid the disappointment phase.

32 people found this helpful

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peebsmama

A Must Have for Any Serious Genealogist

Reviewed in the United States on December 7, 2020

Verified Purchase

I'm currently taking the Boston University Certificate in Genealogy course. Accurate citations are a must for all assignments. Evidence Explained is a go-to guide for citing sources of all kinds from artifacts, documents, online sources and DNA. There are detailed explanations of how and why to cite each type of source, examples of citations in all three formats, and "quick check models" which are my go-to guide for getting all the information for a source. This book is a bit pricy, but if you plan to do any genealogy, it's a worthwhile investment and a resource you will use frequently.

7 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Caroline Robinson

Brilliant quality

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 15, 2023

Verified Purchase

I'm very happy with the quality of this book as it is like brand new.

John C

Must have for Serious Genealogists

Reviewed in Australia on November 10, 2020

Verified Purchase

A well written book covering almost all the serious genealogist needs to know about creating consistent source citations. The only criticism is the book is very US centric but by creating an account on the Evidence Explained website you can get answers to your questions concerning source type not covered directly by the book. The Kindle version is very handy in that it is relatively easy to find information. Navigation using the Kindle app is not as responsive as ebooks on the Apple iBook app.

Lynn Morgan

Totally awesome reference book for genealogists and history researchers!

Reviewed in Canada on March 29, 2019

Verified Purchase

This book had answers for how to cite my unusual sources of information! Handy quick reference pages in gray are extremely useful! The book covers just about anything you can think of. Worth every penny.

2 people found this helpful

Robin Drake

I am an amateur Genealogist and want to correctly make ...

Reviewed in Canada on March 24, 2018

Verified Purchase

I am an amateur Genealogist and want to correctly make my citations to give my work authenticity. This book is exactly what I need.

3 people found this helpful

Amazon Customer

Check compatibility before you buy

Reviewed in Australia on February 12, 2021

Verified Purchase

The book is a first class reference for its subject. My only complaint is that it will not open on my Kindle Paperwhite as "The item is not compatible with this device".
Nowhere on the Amazon website was there any indication that could happen. From now on I will, always download a sample if its available before buying to ensure it will open. By the way my Paperwhite is only 2 years old. I can read it on my PC and tablet.

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