I have been on the LUG email list for a number of years and the issue of how
to cite sources or which template to use constantly comes up. I am fairly
pedantic but when it comes to sources I agree with Geoff Rasmussen- the most
important thing is, for readers to know what the source is and where to find
it.
I have cited everything from engraving on a Baptismal cup, to copies of Nazi
documents provided and translated by the International Tracing Service. It
is impossible to have a template for everything but Legacy has many to
choose from. I pick the closest to what is appropriate. I also try to be as
consistent as possible. You can also add text or comments to any citation to
ensure readers know everything necessary.
John
-----Original Message-----
From: Mary Leek
Sent: Friday, July 14, 2017 8:59 AM
To: 'Legacy User Group'
Subject: Re: [LegacyUG] Help With Citing Sources
Dennis,
I don't use the Legacy SourceWriter System, just the Basic Source System so
my examples might be formatted differently if using the SourceWriter.
There are many different methods of organizing and formatting your sources.
If you plan on publishing, then there are formatting specifics you will want
to follow. Otherwise, I feel a source is sufficient if there's enough source
information there for someone else to use to track down my source. Many
genealogists or family historians prefer to be more structured in their
approach. Only you know how much time and effort you wish to invest.
One frequently used source for burial location is the website, Find A Grave.
With the new interface, still in beta, they are providing an already
formatted citation to place in the source detail when you cite information
from a Find A Grave memorial.
Example:
https://new.findagrave.com/memorial/107684300/ralph-johnson-fowler
scroll to the bottom of the page and you will see the link for the citation,
contents shown below.
Find A Grave, database and images (https://new.findagrave.com : accessed 13
July 2017), memorial page for Ralph Johnson Fowler (4 Oct 1917–10 Oct 1994),
Find A Grave Memorial no. 107684300, citing Mount Kenton Cemetery, Paducah,
McCracken County, Kentucky, USA ; Maintained by Glenda & Ken Miller
(contributor 47705248)
This example above might give you an idea of how to format a citation for a
website.
I use Ancestry.com for a lot of my records research so my source is
Ancestry.com for any records I cite which were found and viewed on that site
and for the citation, I use the source citation information they always
provide at the base of the record being viewed.
For information I cited for an uncle's 1940 Fed Census family entry, my
citation would be:
Example:
Ancestry.com. 1940 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo,
UT, USA, Year: 1940; Census Place: Weaver, Franklin, Arkansas; Roll:
T627_136; Page: 4A; Enumeration District: 24-31
If someone wanted to view the census record I'm citing, the information in
the citation is enough for them to find it by going to a local library and
using microfilm or whatever other source they use for viewing Federal Census
records.
I have a book I own and frequently use, so the book is my source, with all
the book information entered for the source, then I simply put the page
number in the citation detail where the specific information I'm citing was
found. If I want to be more detailed, I might also add in the citation
detail 'pension number' or 'death date' or 'name of wife' or whatever
information I've discovered and used from this source.
Example source:
Frances T. Ingmire, Arkansas Confederate Veterans and Widows Pension
Applications (printed in
Signal Mountain. Tennessee, ©1985. pub, by Mountain Press, P.O. Box 400,
37377-0400;
www.mountainpress.com). pg. xx
In my Master Source List for the source mentioned above, my Master Source
List name is Book: Arkansas Confederate Veterans and Widows Pension
Applications. I don't print this Master Source List Name but using Book: in
the Master Source List allows all of my books to sort together in the list
and makes it easier for me to quickly find a specific book source. Once I
type in Book: the source list jumps to the books and I can quickly spot the
book I want to cite.
You are wise to think about this before you begin. I think you can get as
complicated or as simple as you want to make things. Try a few different
ways of setting up a source and see how it prints and how easy the format is
for you to use. Just decide beforehand, then be consistent.
If you want to try and find a book written about this subject, google citing
genealogical sources or something similar and you should have a lot of
suggestions to look through. The Mills book is quite detailed and I believe
the Sourcewriter System in Legacy is closely based on her suggestions.
Here's a link to a helpful list on Cyndi's List that might get you started:
http://www.cyndislist.com/citing/citations-in-genealogy/
Good luck with your project.
Mary
-----Original Message-----
From: LegacyUserGroup [mailto:legacyusergroup-boun...@legacyusers.com] On
Behalf Of Dennis Birke
Sent: Thursday, July 13, 2017 1:46 PM
To: 'Legacy User Group'
Subject: Re: [LegacyUG] Help With Citing Sources
Thanks for the suggestions. I have watched Geoff's webinar on citing
sources and it’s very helpful -- as far as it goes. I think what I'm
looking for is a manual that gives examples for the commonly cited sources.
For example, when citing Federal census records, what is the Master source
and what is the detail? Is the Master source the record at the state level?
Or county level? Or city/town/ township level?
I'd like to have a reference book or manual that tells me what the standard
practice is -- so that I don't have to spend hours trying to think it
through or proceeding on a trial and error basis and then having to re-do a
dozen entries after discovering I guessed wrong.
Another example: Cites like FamilySearch are very helpful in offering full
citations for some kinds of information. But, I've been having a very
difficult time figuring out how to fit those citations into Source Writer
(and, again, figuring out the appropriate level for separating a "master
source" from "details".
I'm thinking I can't be the only person to have struggled with these issues
and someone has probably written something that answers all or most of my
questions. I'm trying to identify that book or manual or website, etc.
Don't get me wrong -- I really do appreciate how powerful a tool Source
Writer might be. But it assumes a level of knowledge that a novice like
myself just doesn't have.
-----Original Message-----
From: LegacyUserGroup [mailto:legacyusergroup-boun...@legacyusers.com] On
Behalf Of Cathy Pinner
Sent: Wednesday, July 12, 2017 9:11 PM
To: Legacy User Group <legacyusergroup@legacyusers.com>
Subject: Re: [LegacyUG] Help With Citing Sources
Michele has given you the link to a very popular webinar.
You don't have to be a professional to need to cite your sources in a way
that someone else can understand - that someone could be you in a few years
time.
There's nothing wrong with using Basic Sources.
The most important thing to get your head around is Master Sources and
Source Detail. Together they provide everything you or someone else needs to
know to find the source (or to know why they can't find it because it's from
a document/Family Bible/etc that you own or saw when you visited Uncle
John.) A book is easy.
The book is the Master source and the page is the Source Detail.
But what about something you find on FamilySearch?
The easiest way to source FamilySearch data is to create a Basic Source with
the Master Source just saying FamilySearch in the Source List Name (which is
your finding aid for refinding a Master Source) and FamilySearch in the
Title.
Then you can copy and paste the FamilySearch source to the Source Detail
- sometimes it will fit in the Source Detail box but often it's too long, so
put it in the Source Detail Comment and checkmark that to be included. The
transcription is copy and pasted into the Source Detail text and not
normally included in the citation.
The same can be done with the source that Ancestry provides.
With the SourceWriter simply remember that you don't have to put something
in every available box. These are general templates that don't always apply.
For online databases and online databases with original images, you can use
the SourceWriter internet templates for these.
The name of the particular database goes in the Master Source. In the source
detail something like "entry for Joe Bloggs" and in the credit line - where
Ancestry etc got the information.
This can be more useful than putting all Ancestry sources into one Master
Source. It's an advanced step but you can more easily find which people
you've looked for and found in a particular database if you have a Master
Source for each database.
It's much harder adding sources later but no reason not to start. Use tags
to indicate that you have sourced everything you've entered for that person.
The source icon lights up with just one source so isn't useful for letting
you know that you still have work to do.
Have fun - I'm still cleaning up sources that I entered when I first started
that fortunately still make some sense to me but wouldn't to anybody else.
Cathy
Michele/Support <mailto:mich...@legacyfamilytree.com>
Thursday, 13 July 2017 5:19 AM
Have you watched Geoff’s free webinar, Sources and Citations Made
Simple, Standard, and Powerful? It definitely takes the mystery out
of it.
https://familytreewebinars.com/download.php?webinar_id=201
Michele Simmons Lewis, CG
Legacy Family Tree
mich...@legacyfamilytree.com <mailto:mich...@legacyfamilytree.com>
www.legacyfamilytree.com <http://www.legacyfamilytree.com/>
Certified Genealogist is a registered trademark and the designation CG
is a service mark of the Board for Certification of Genealogists®,
used under license by Board certificants who meet competency standards.
*From:* LegacyUserGroup
[mailto:legacyusergroup-boun...@legacyusers.com] *On Behalf Of *Dennis
Birke
*Sent:* Wednesday, July 12, 2017 4:50 PM
*To:* legacyusergroup@legacyusers.com
*Subject:* [LegacyUG] Help With Citing Sources
I’ve been using Legacy for a number of years, but never bothered to
record sources. I’d like to start citing sources, but I’m finding
using Source Writer very cumbersome and time-consuming to use. I’m
not a professional, and don’t need professional-quality citations.
I’d just like to record sources of information in a consistent and
systematic way so that future generations of my family have some idea
where I found the recorded information. Is there a webinar, tutorial,
manual, etc. that can provide me with some basic instructions on
citing sources and/or using Source Writer? I think I need something
akin to “Source Writer for Dummies”. I’d appreciate any suggestions
you have.
Dennis Birke <mailto:dpbi...@gmail.com> Thursday, 13 July 2017 4:50 AM
I’ve been using Legacy for a number of years, but never bothered to
record sources. I’d like to start citing sources, but I’m finding
using Source Writer very cumbersome and time-consuming to use. I’m
not a professional, and don’t need professional-quality citations.
I’d just like to record sources of information in a consistent and
systematic way so that future generations of my family have some idea
where I found the recorded information. Is there a webinar, tutorial,
manual, etc. that can provide me with some basic instructions on
citing sources and/or using Source Writer? I think I need something
akin to “Source Writer for Dummies”. I’d appreciate any suggestions
you have.
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