Derivative Source

A DERIVATIVE SOURCE is anything that specifies the origin of a fact or piece of information, but is dependant on some other authority for the information included therein. A derivative source should be distringuished from an ORIGINAL SOURCE. Derivative sources may be written, visual, or verbal, and include documents, publications, and people. Derivative sources include indexes, abstracts, transcriptions, translations, and compilations. See SOURCE.

Examples:

• A vital records index is a derivative source.
• The Social Security Death Index is a derivative source.
• A family bible may be a derivative source if the information contained therein was obtained from an authority other than the person who entered the information.
• A family member or friend may be a derivative source if the information provided was not obtained first-hand.
• A church jubilee book or a town history is usually a derivative source.

Original Source

An ORIGINAL SOURCE is anything that specifies the origin of a fact or piece of information and is not obtained, formed, or developed from another authority. An original source should be differentiated from a DERIVATIVE SOURCE. Original sources may be written, visual, or verbal, and include documents, publications, and people. See SOURCE.

Examples:

• An official death certificate generated at or near the time of death may be an original source.
• A family bible may be an original source, if the information recorded therein is not obtained from another authority.
• A family member or friend may be an original source for information, assuming that the person supplying the information has first-hand knowledge of the information.
• A cemetery monument may be an original source for the monument's design, location, and inscription.
• A last will and testament may be an original source for the wishes of the individual who wrote the will.

Source

A SOURCE is anything that specifies the origin of a fact or piece of information. Sources may be written, visual, or verbal, and include documents, publications, and people.

Examples:

• A birth certificate may be a source for a child's full legal name at birth, date of birth, place of birth, names of parents, and other information.
• The Social Security Death Index may be a source for the dates of birth and death for an individual.
• A family bible may be a source for the dates and places of births, marriages, and deaths and the names that the participants used at the time of those events.
• A family member or friend may be a source for information about the members of a family, including dates of birth, marriage, death.
• A photograph of a cemetery monument may be a source for birth and death information.