Family Tree Girl

Wow this is flying around social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc)  and the genealogy communities. Thomas MacEntee of geneabloggers (http://www.geneabloggers.com/review-google-guide-genealogy-1001-ways-search-internet-like-genealogist/ did a great overview of what Barry J. Ewell has plagiarized in his new book.

  There are warnings about purchasing the book. If you write something and use other’s material, just simply give the proper credit to the originator. It’s not that hard! Give credit where credit is due. It shows your professionalism and ethics, along with the respect you have of the originator and the respect you also would receive. The more awareness that is provided the better the consumer is informed. But, think about it,  the more attention he gets also increases his base.  So what is really going on here? The ones in the know and active will not buy it, but the hundreds of others will grab it with a smile. They really don’t care who said what, or what proper citations should be used, they just want some guidance for their genealogy research.

Judy Russell, the Legal Genealogist chimed in. Dear Myrtle also highlighted it on her blog (http://blog.dearmyrtle.com/2016/03/unethical-behavior-and-mr-barry-ewell.html) I worry that I really need to cover myself on the “SO WHAT” concepts to record analysis. I developed it and teach it and share it. It is an extremely useful tool to use in analyzing and questioning your information.  It helps you with developing your research plan. It’s documented at the Midwest African African Genealogy Institute (MAAGI) since 2013, its the only institute that uses it. I see and hear others mentioning it. 99% says Murphy’s or Shelley Murphy’s SO WHAT rules. I thank them. I believe I need to pay more attention to the published genealogy materials. You never know where SO WHAT and other things as an instructor and presenter is showing up on others books, etc.

Now many of us instructors, presenters, or bloggers, myself included will either disagree, or figure something is not right and do a little further research on something that is mentioned on a TV show, article or Blog. We will and do post about our findings with evidence to back it up. It is not to “target” saying the individual is wrong or said something that was not factually accurate. Maybe they didn’t do enough research, or share that more research was done, and we felt it will leave the reader to think otherwise, giving them too many ASSUMPTIONS or give them incorrect guidance in doing research. So please do not view this as hating, or calling out individuals or a TV show, etc. It’s in our nature to make sure folks are guided the right way, especially when it comes to African American genealogy.

Read the link and you can google to obtain more information. http://www.geneabloggers.com/review-google-guide-genealogy-1001-ways-search-internet-like-genealogist/

Something to think about: what do you think? Is this something you want to see more discussion on? Share your thoughts, its not just about genealogy! Is this a fact of thievery to make money on to sell a book?