Having difficulty with sources and source citations. I believe a source to be the document and the citation to be the index or reference to find it. i.e. Birth certificate (paper) and the BMD vol and page number that led to it.
If this is correct, how do people (usually) enter this information? The only button to press seems to be 'Add Citation'. So would it be the case of entering the details of BMD and then linking to a multimedia image of the Certificate?
What if the certificate is not available but only the BMD reference?
I know that everybody has their own methods but there is probably a most used method.
Thank you.[confused]
ID:4914
* Entering sources/citations
Entering sources/citations
It seems almost as difficult to find these gems as it does people records.
Thank you Jane.[smile]
[EDIT]These tutorials are marvellous and very detailed. It must have taken much dedication. Thank you.
Thank you Jane.[smile]
[EDIT]These tutorials are marvellous and very detailed. It must have taken much dedication. Thank you.
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davidm_uk
- Megastar
- Posts: 740
- Joined: 20 Mar 2004 12:33
- Family Historian: V7
- Location: St Albans, Hertfordshire, UK
Entering sources/citations
I find it useful to think of the Source Citation as just a link (with a meaningful name) that points to a source record.
The source record can contain information about where the data came from, and can also contain your transcript of some/all of that information, and notes about it. The source record can also contain (I think the most useful part) links to other files on your PC which contain data, in particular scanned images of certificates, downloaded images of census returns, screen captures (images) of BMD references, documents that other people have sent you etc.
Since one source can contain information relevant to a number of individuals and/or events, the source citation can be shown against each those, but the information in source record itself is only in one place (makes things easier to manage and keeps your FH data file smaller).
Beyond the basics above there are all sorts of variants/extensions that people use or prefer, for example the citation itself can include data. The links in Jane's reply above go into more detail about this.
For my own part I create seperate citations for (for example) birth index, christening index, and then (if I decide to buy it) the birth certificate, each with it's own source record containing links to images (screen captures for index entries, scanned image of birth certificate). I might even have multiple citations for birth index entries from different web sites during my research phase, but then combine them once I have confirmed that they do relate to the individual concerned.
Hope this helps.
The source record can contain information about where the data came from, and can also contain your transcript of some/all of that information, and notes about it. The source record can also contain (I think the most useful part) links to other files on your PC which contain data, in particular scanned images of certificates, downloaded images of census returns, screen captures (images) of BMD references, documents that other people have sent you etc.
Since one source can contain information relevant to a number of individuals and/or events, the source citation can be shown against each those, but the information in source record itself is only in one place (makes things easier to manage and keeps your FH data file smaller).
Beyond the basics above there are all sorts of variants/extensions that people use or prefer, for example the citation itself can include data. The links in Jane's reply above go into more detail about this.
For my own part I create seperate citations for (for example) birth index, christening index, and then (if I decide to buy it) the birth certificate, each with it's own source record containing links to images (screen captures for index entries, scanned image of birth certificate). I might even have multiple citations for birth index entries from different web sites during my research phase, but then combine them once I have confirmed that they do relate to the individual concerned.
Hope this helps.
Entering sources/citations
Thank you davidm_uk. From the two replies and following the tutorials I think I have concluded that my approach was wrong and probably typical. To get the people on the tree and then provide the data and hope I got the right people etc. etc.
These replies have suggested that the sources are the better start and then add the people.
As a result I conclude that I keep the tree and messy data I have (to show grandmother?) and produce a new one from scratch alongside (and over time) where I do it the way that Jane's tutorial suggests, sources then people, using auto citation.
Thank you both for the enlightenment.
These replies have suggested that the sources are the better start and then add the people.
As a result I conclude that I keep the tree and messy data I have (to show grandmother?) and produce a new one from scratch alongside (and over time) where I do it the way that Jane's tutorial suggests, sources then people, using auto citation.
Thank you both for the enlightenment.