Too Poor to Trace?

2 August 2014 Solutions to the toughest research problems almost always call for an integration of sources. Because no one type of document can be relied upon to state a needed answer in plain words, researchers typically have to correlate bits and shreds of evidence from a myriad of records. A common reason why this effort fails, in rural areas, is a supposition that ...

Neifes and Villeins:

31 July 2014 "Because, under the English Common Law, a freeman might marry a neife, or a villein a freewoman—the issue ... would follow the condition of the father, but the marriage was lawful. ... But the spurious issue of a neife, though by a free father, would be a villein." Hmhh. This doesn't sound like language in the good ol' U.S.A. of 1842! ...
Just What Is 'Thorough Research'?
29 July 2014 Here at EE, we hear this question often. How much do we have to look at before we can say we've done "thorough" or "reasonably exhaustive" research? If we've found direct evidence to answer our research question, is that enough? Do we really have to have three sources that all agree? ...
EE Tue, 07/29/2014 - 08:33
Sins against Clio & St. Genie
27 July 2014 When you seek an answer to a research question, do you head for sources that are the easiest to use or give the quickest answers? (What might we call that? The sin of immediate gratification?) When you ...
EE Sun, 07/27/2014 - 07:00