As Genealogist's how do we differentiate between ‘Fact and Fiction’?

As genealogists, we search for the truth, we look for evidence to prove and disprove a theory, and we look at all the evidence before we reach a reasoned conclusion. But what if the facts are not correct? What happens if the facts that have been recorded are wrong? How do we decide which facts are true and which facts are fiction? Sometimes it’s not that easy. For many different reasons, some of our Victorian Ancestors deliberately tried to avoid being found amongst the records and blatanly lied. From bigamous marriages to brushes with the law, avoiding records was a way of life for some of our ancestors. Just because a date is carved in stone on a headstone doesn’t necessarily make it right! Sometimes the ‘fact’ is only a ‘fact’ based on the balance of probability.

How Do We Differentiate Between Fact and Fiction