Here are the five elements of the Genealogical Proof Standard, defined by the Board for Certification of Genealogists:
http://www.bcgcertification.org/resources/standard.htmlThere is also a good series of online videos (by Ancestry.com) re: each element at youtube.com:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0xuz8BBkD4jfsZ9sdWL1...I just started applying these to my research, and it's amazing how much more effective it is. I thought I was a "seasoned researcher," but in reality I wasn't even a "researcher," by these standards! Wow!
Read these, use these if you have any desire to "do" REAL genealogy.