Citing Sources

[markjones99]

The more I read on family history research the more I read about the importance of citing sources. The vast majority of my sources are BMD certificates, census returns and notes from family meetings. How do people go about citing their sources? Academics use a number of formal methods but presumably anything that enables you to refer back to the original source is sufficient?

[UK4753]

Essentially you are correct.  If your tree and accompanying source information is in paper format then I would think a scheme that is consistent and which can be followed by a third party is what you are trying to achieve.

If your tree is in an electronic format, say from Ancestry, then your sourcing task is much easier.  Ancestry has done much of the work for you. 

Just be careful in believing anything you find on the internet; another person's tree is not credible source information.  Every piece of information needs to be questioned and put into context.

I'm sure others at RC will jump in and expand / correct what I have tried to explain.