Evidence Explained: Third Edition vs. Fourth Edition

Upon discovering the imminent release of a new edition of Evidence Explained: Citing History Sources from Artifact to Cyberspace, I was filled with both eager anticipation and apprehension of change. The third edition (revised) was published seven years ago in 2017, and the prospect of a refreshed volume piqued my interest. I wondered about the innovative citation concepts Elizabeth Shown Mills would introduce in the fourth edition, and how it might impact my established citation system. I’ve already worked out, through much pain, re-learning, and revisioning, a citation system that works for me based on the previous edition.

Also, my third edition is full of Post-it notes, colored flags, margin notes, and familiarity. Would I be able to transfer all those personalizations to the new edition smoothly or painfully?

When the fourth edition arrived, the first obvious change was that it was thinner. It is 739 pages versus the 892 pages of the third edition. The second obvious change is that all the gray pages, QuickCheck Models, were gone, which may explain why the new edition is slimmer.

Inside the book, there is an entirely new Chapter 3. This chapter simplifies the citation writing process by introducing 14 new templates employing seven essential elements. This development echoes the approach taken by Tom Jones in Mastering Genealogical Documentation. The 14 templates are referenced throughout the book, offering a standardized framework for citation writing. For instance, section 8.13 on Church “Record Books: Cited by Exact Title” suggests using Template 9: Government, Church, or Corporate Office.

The 14 standardized templates are in lieu of the QuickCheck Models, and they make a significant and welcome change in streamlining citation writing.

Maybe I’ll build new custom RootsMagic source templates based on these 14 new models. (If they don’t create too much re-work of what I’ve already developed.) But still, I was wondering, where do I find all my old familiar models in this new version? Where would my post-it note on section 3.16 go in the new book? So, I set out to map the Third Edition vs. the Fourth Edition and learned that my post-it would now go in the fourth edition section 4.15. The mapping table below details the corresponding sections between the two editions. Sections without a third-edition counterpart indicate new sections in the fourth edition.

However, it’s crucial to note that, while section titles may be similar, the content within those sections may vary, ranging from moderate revisions to complete overhauls. Chapter 10 appears to have undergone substantial changes.

After mapping the new book to understand the rearrangements, where to find old familiars, and what is new material, I feel ready to jump over. I’ll keep my beloved third edition close by, but the fourth edition will now take its place on my desk.

You can also download a copy of this table.