* Sources + Citations = confusion

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RichardBtn
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Sources + Citations = confusion

Post by RichardBtn » 27 May 2004 20:11

Forgive my denseness (density?) but I am struggling to understand the uses of FH's Sources and Citations feature and its place as an alternative to Notes.

Most of what I have read so far covers using Sources as a starting point for entering data about an individual. Like the excellent demonstration on this site about entering data from a birth certificate via Sources. However, I can't seem to see the value of Sources and Citations when adding information to existing records when Notes seems to offer a similar function.

Example: I have a relative for whom I have already entered a large amount of data. I now want to add some details about his military career. I have various documents appertaining to enlistment, discharge and medals. I set each of these up as an Event and then linked to an image of the related document via Sources. This produced several individual Sources but all related to one subject, his military service.

Now have I done this correctly? Would it have been better - or possible - to produce one Source called 'military service' and added each Event as a Citation (assuming a Citation is a subset of Sources)? I couldn't find an easy answer to this and the FH manual only seems to give tutorial examples rather than hard facts.

Up to now I've been adding new data as Notes. It seems that Sources offers some definite organisational benefits but I must confess to getting headaches whenever I try to find them!

If anyone can help this newbie and offer advice about using Sources for additional information I would be very grateful.

Richard

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Jane
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Sources + Citations = confusion

Post by Jane » 27 May 2004 23:19

There are already several long discussions of the 'best' way to do this, both on the forums here and on the mailing list archive.

You can find the ones on this site by searching for 'sources' in the search box.

There are two schools of thought on the subject with some people prefering one source and using citations to identify the actual document and the other method where each document has its own source.

Everyone tends to decide for themselves the method which suits them best.

Perhaps you could take the time to review what has already been written and then come back if you still have questions.

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RichardBtn
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Sources + Citations = confusion

Post by RichardBtn » 28 May 2004 01:36

Jane,

Thank you for a prompt and useful reply to my request for help.

As you suggested I did a search on 'sources' and ended up with more information than I know what to do with!

I'll take some time to digest it all and get back to you if I have any further queries. Thanks again.

Richard

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