The way I see it, a registry is an index or list of names, such as the California Birth Index. A certificate is a document for a single individual or couple containing specifics about dates, names, etc.
There are no "original" birth certificates unless you actually go to the governmental office to view it. Generally all you will see are certified copies that have the original stamp, seal, or imprint, or a photocopy of such. A true certified copy, even one marked for genealogy purposes, is better than a photo copy of same, but they are still certificates. Unfortunately, SourceWriter doesn't take these differences into account. So, if I have a paper copy of the certificate I indicate it is a birth certificate, basic format, then under comments indicate either certified copy, photocopy of certified copy, or whatever it is. You could probably play with some of the fields on page 2 and include the information in the actual citation, which would probably be better. The difference between the full and short forms, at least on mine, are that the full is a complete copy of the full certificate. The short form is only about half of that and just contains basic information about my birth and my parents information. Basically only that information that is necessary for a genealogist. Who cares that I had 1% silver nitrate in my eyes, or that my mother was tested for Syphilis? The full form tells me that, but not the short form. On Wed, Jan 13, 2010 at 1:11 AM, Rob Miller <[email protected]> wrote: > > I'm having a problem wrapping my head around the way SourceWriter labels BMD > records. > > What do you call a photocopy of the actual form your ancestor filled out to > register a BMD? (I have some with and without "Genealogical Purposes Only" > stamped on them.) > > Prior to SourceWriter I was calling them "birth registrations", because (in > my head), they are not certificates. But SourceWriter seems to paint them all > as "birth certificates" and stamped copies (for Genealogical Purposes) as > short forms of birth certificates. > > I know it's ultimately up to me, and I can change the Source Detail > Certificate Type to read registration rather than certificate, but I would > like to know what the correct name for these documents is and how they are > handled by most. > > Thanks very much! > > Rob > > Rob Miller > Toronto, ON -- Jim Walton "...probe the past carefully and report it as it was, not as I wish it were" >From Evidence Explained by Elizabeth Shown Mills Legacy User Group guidelines: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/Etiquette.asp Archived messages after Nov. 21 2009: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ Archived messages from old mail server - before Nov. 21 2009: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ Online technical support: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/Help.asp To unsubscribe: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/LegacyLists.asp
