I Follow the

Association of Professional Genealogist Code

Code of Ethics and Professional Practices 

Purpose: The APG Code of Ethics and Professional Practices serves to promote: (1) a truthful approach to genealogy, family history, and local history; (2) the trust and security of genealogical consumers; and (3) careful and respectful treatment of records, repositories and their staffs, other professionals, and genealogical organizations and associations.

  1. Consistent with these purposes, I agree to:

  2. Present research results and opinions in a clear, well-organized manner; 

  3. Refrain from withholding, suppressing, or knowingly misquoting or misinterpreting sources or data; 

  4. Report appropriately qualified genealogical conclusions in writing based on the weight of the evidence with fully and accurately cited sources; 

  5. Represent my abilities, services, and credentials honestly, avoiding the use of misleading or exaggerated statements; 

  6. Engage in sufficient continuing education to maintain competence and comply with applicable requirements; 

  7. Prepare and abide by written agreements regarding applicable project scope, fees, charges, payment structures, and deliverables without concealment or misrepresentation; 

  8. Disclose potential conflicts of interest; 

  9. Maintain confidentiality of client communications and research, except as permitted in writing by the client or required by court or professional disciplinary proceedings;

  10. Treat information concerning living people with appropriate discretion; 

  11. Refrain from violating or encouraging others to violate laws or regulations concerning copyright, rights to privacy, business practices, or other pertinent subjects; 

  12. Refrain from mutilating, rearranging, or removing from their proper custodians printed, original, microfilmed, or electronic records; 

  13. Give proper credit to the work of others and refrain from plagiarism; 

  14. Refrain from soliciting established clients of another researcher through denigration, violation of laws or regulations, or other improper means; 

  15. Refrain from behaviors or statements that malign or are maliciously calculated to injure the profession; individual genealogists; genealogical associations, programs, or educational organizations; or the Association of Professional Genealogists. 

I also Follow the

Board for certification of genealogist (bcg) code of ethics Association of Professional Genealogist Code

To protect the public 

  • I will not publish or publicize as fact anything I know to be false, doubtful, or unproved; nor will I be a party, directly or indirectly, to such action by others. 

  • I will identify my sources for all information and cite only those I have personally used. 

  • I will quote sources precisely, avoiding any alterations that I do not clearly identify as editorial interpretations. 

  • I will present the purpose, practice, scope, and possibilities of genealogical research within a realistic framework. 

  • I will delineate my abilities, publications, and/or fees in a true and realistic fashion. 

  • I will keep confidential any personal or genealogical information disclosed to me, except to the extent I receive consent to share.

To protect the client (paying or pro bono) 

  • I will reveal to the client any personal or financial interests that might compromise my professional obligations. 

  • I will undertake paid research commissions only after a clear agreement as to scope and fee. 

  • I will, to the best of my abilities, address my research to the issue raised by the client and report to that question. 

  • I will seek from the client all prior information and documentation related to the research and will not knowingly repeat the work as billable hours without explanation as to good cause. 

  • I will furnish only facts I can substantiate with adequate documentation; and I will not withhold any data necessary for the client's purpose. 

  • If the research question involves analysis of data in order to establish a genealogical relationship or identity, I will report that the conclusions are based on the weight of the available evidence and that absolute proof of genealogical relationships is usually not possible. 

  • If I cannot resolve a research problem within the limitations of time or budget established by contract, I will explain the reasons why. 

  • If other feasible avenues are available, I will suggest them; but I will not misrepresent the possibilities of additional research. 

  • I will return any advance payment that exceeds the hours and expenses incurred. 

  • I will not publish or circulate research or reports to which a client or colleague has a proprietary right, without that person's written consent; I will observe these rights, whether my report was made directly to   
    the client or to an employer or agent. 

To protect the profession 

  • I will act, speak, and write in a manner I believe to be in the best interests of the profession and scholarship of genealogy.  

  • I will participate in exposing genealogical fraud; but I will not otherwise knowingly injure or attempt to injure the reputation, prospects, or practice of another genealogist. 

  • I will not attempt to supplant another genealogist already employed by a client or agency I will substitute for another researcher only with specific, written consent of and instructions provided by the client or agency. 

  • I will not represent as my own the work of another. This includes works that are copyrighted, in the public domain, or unpublished. This pledge includes reports, lecture materials, audio/visual tapes, compiled records, and authored essays. 

  • I will not reproduce for public dissemination, in an oral or written fashion, the work of another genealogist, writer, or lecturer without that person's written consent. In citing another's work, I will give proper credit. 

To protect people who provide DNA samples 

  • When seeking data from a living person for genealogical research purposes, I will explain how I would use and share the data and the benefits of that use and sharing. 

  • I will explain risks and consequences, such as uncovering unanticipated relatives, medical implications, unexpected ethnic backgrounds, and intentional misinformation about such situations. 

  • I will explain options for openness and privacy and how other researchers could or could not access the data. 

  • I will explain there are never any guarantees of complete anonymity and privacy 

  • After providing that information, I will request and comply with the signed consent, freely given by the person providing the DNA sample or that person's guardian or legal representative.