The Family Tree By Terence L. Day Terence L. Day, genealogist and journalist, is on the Washington State University faculty.
Genealogists take a special interest in generation gaps.
No, not the difficulty one generation has understanding and communicating with another. Genealogists often calculate how many years lapsed between generations in their families so they can estimate the year of birth or marriage. This is important to help them narrow the search for records that might reveal precious vital statistics. Unfortunately, many don't understand how to calculate a generation, which is the difference between the average age of parents and the average age of children. Even worse, the average number of years between parents and children is an inefficient guide to research.