Sourcerers Challenge (February 2022)

+18 votes
6.3k views

Hello, Sourcerers! It is time to start sourcing! Prior month Owl Stickers and Sourcerers Badges will be posted soon.

To participate:

  • Review the Rules
  • If you are new to the Sourcerers' Challenge, click the "Answer this post" button (not the comment link) and tell us you are participating

You only need to answer this month's post if you don't already have the Sourcerers' Badge. You are welcome to add an answer to ask questions or offer encouragement.

If you have a problem with the Tracker let us know by using the comment link to the question that opened this thread. 

USING THE TRACKER

The tracker should only be used when the profile meets the Monthly Challenge definition of Unsourced (see the Rules). Add a comment to the question if you are unsure if something counts as Unsourced. You can use either the Unsourced Profile Category or the DBE Report for Unsourced profiles to find profiles that will definitely qualify. The Orphaned profiles category is another great place to look for unsourced profiles. 

After you save an edit, a green banner appears at the top of the profile edit page with a dark “button” labeled Challenge Tracker is a link to the Tracker page. Click the link and, on the page that comes up, select Sourcerers challenge and click the appropriate hint in the right column (or fill in your own if none of the canned answers fit what you did). Click Add Action and you are finished. The Tracker records the number of profiles to which you have added sources. You can see the results for any monthly challenge using this link. The current month is at the bottom

http://wikitree.sdms.si/Challenges/SourcerersChallenge/default.htm

Remember, your sources need to be as full and specific as possible, so others find them useful. That means, if the source is online, you should link to it. If it is a page from a book, the page number should be included so others can easily see where you found the reference. Some books and magazines have free-space profiles to help with citation formats. Find them in the Sources Category. If the book does not have a free-space profile, consider adding the WorldCat permalink to help others find the book.

When you can, it is great to do a bit more while adding sources, like clean up the GEDCOM leftovers or help the formatting from older profiles. Sources are important, but if you cannot find them among all the other stuff, they are not helping as much as they could.

If you attempt to add sources to a profile and cannot find any, please add a note under a == Research Notes == section (click the link for examples and instructions on placement) giving where you tried to find records. Something like "Looked for John in the US Census records for 1900-1940 and could not find him on FamilySearch or Ancestry" would be fine. Or, "Searched google for an obituary and did not find one." That way the next researcher knows where to start. Do not remove the Unsourced Template and do not use the tracker to count in your tally.

The Monthly Challenge runs from the first of the month and ends on the last day of the month, GMT time. 

The Current Challenge Tracker Results Page has up-to-the-minute stats for those of you using the Challenge Tracker.

http://wikitree.sdms.si/Challenges/SourcerersChallenge/20220201/User.htm

Ask any questions here in the thread, otherwise, SOURCE!

in The Tree House by Debi Hoag G2G6 Pilot (398k points)
edited by Debi Hoag

34 Answers

+9 votes
Please count me in again, Debi. Thank you.
by Robin Shaules G2G Astronaut (1.5m points)
Thanks, Robin. We always count on you!
+11 votes
Please count me in, for the very first time.
by K. Nichols G2G6 (9.5k points)

Welcome to the Sourcerers Challenge, K. I'll check the tracker next week to make sure it's working for you. Let me know if you have any questions by adding a comment below mine.

Thanks, I do have a question. I have run across a couple of unsourced profiles that are not categorized as unsourced.  Does the tracker recognize those?
Hi K. Yes, those can be tracked for the weekly and monthly Challenges.
How does that magic happen?

How to do the tracking magic? Use the Challenge Tracker link in the big green box at the top of the profile after you save the improvement. This YouTube video starting at about the 4.30-minute mark will explain how to use the tracker (earlier parts of the video explain how to find sources and add the citations to profiles).

Thanks, I watched the video twice.  Is the Challenge Tracker an app I need to download?  I have already done three profiles and never saw a Challenge Tracker box pop up.  Guess I'd better stand down until I figure out what I'm doing.

It's not an independent app, K. After you save a profile, the page redisplays and this appears at the top:

Challenge Tracker box at top of profile page

Are you not seeing that? The words in the dark box are a link. If you do see it, click the link to open the Tracker page that looks like this:

Make sure that your Wiki ID (Nichols-12704) is in the first box. Check the box beside Sourcerers' Challenge and add a comment, then click the Add Action button.

I have verified that the Tracker is working for you and that you have added a reliable source to a qualified profile. We'll get your badge awarded in early March after we finish the February stats.

Thank you.  I think I'm catching on!
Thanks.  I'm standing down now but that was a good kind of challenge.  If I decide to do it again in the future, how would I get on a team?
Now that you have the Sourcerers badge, you don't need to do anything to participate on a monthly basis. We'll automatically add your tracked totals to the spreadsheet.

We don't use Teams in the Sourcerers Challenge. The Teams are typically used in the various Thons. When threads for those Challenges open, there will be instructions on how to join a Team.
+10 votes
Count me in!  Excited to participate!
by Christine Miller G2G6 Mach 6 (62.3k points)

Welcome to the Sourcerers Challenge, Christine. I have verified that the Tracker is working for you and that you have added a reliable source to a qualified profile. We'll get your badge awarded in early March after we finish the February stats.

Since you are using Ancestry to find your sources, I wanted to make sure you know about the WikiTree Sourcerer app. One of the options on the dropdown menu is to create citations that have stable links to the records, as well as the database information to help other members find the record in the future. There is a video on that space page that explains how the app works.

+10 votes
Please count me in. I had so much fun in January!
by Amy Sparks G2G6 Mach 2 (26.0k points)
Thanks, Amy! I'm glad you enjoyed the challenge.
+10 votes
Count me in, Thank you!
by Sherry Bartlett G2G6 Mach 4 (45.6k points)
We've got you counted, Sherry. Have fun!
+10 votes
Please count me in for this month! I enjoy this challenge and am looking forweard to it.
by Paul Harwood G2G6 (7.0k points)
We've got you, Paul. Have fun!
+10 votes
Please count me in for sure, Debi! Thank you!
by Carol Baldwin G2G Astronaut (1.2m points)
Never doubted that you would be here, Carol. Have fun!
+10 votes
I'm in again for February!  I enjoy searching for sources and adding them to profiles.
by Sara Palmeter G2G6 Mach 2 (21.5k points)
Thanks, Sara. I'm glad you're enjoying it; have fun!
+10 votes
I've done Saturday Sourcing Sprints but this will be my first monthly challenge. :)
by Melissa Gridley G2G5 (5.6k points)

Welcome to the Sourcerers Challenge, Melissa. I'll check the tracker next week to make sure it's working for you. Let me know if you have any questions by adding a comment below mine.

I have verified that the Tracker is working for you and that you have added a reliable source to a qualified profile. We'll get your badge awarded in early March after we finish the February stats.

+9 votes
I would like to participate, but my answer has disappeared twice.
by Abby Vanoy G2G6 Mach 1 (11.0k points)
I see it now, Abby. Welcome to the Sourcerers Challenge. I'll check the tracker next week to make sure it's working for you.
I'm not seeing you on the Tracker yet, Abby. Have you been using the big green Challenge Tracker link at the top of the profile after adding the first reliable source?
I haven't! I will now. Thanks!

I have verified that the Tracker is working for you and that you have added a reliable source to a qualified profile. We'll get your badge awarded in early March after we finish the February stats.

Regarding FindAGrave memorial pages, please be sure to only remove the Unsourced template if the memorial page can be considered a source. See the Find A Grave Help page section on using it as a source for more information. If the memorial isn't sourced, you can add the citation but don't remove the template or Tracker. Thanks!

I understand now! Thank you!
+9 votes
Please count me in
by Erika de Kock G2G3 (3.2k points)
Thanks, Erika. Have fun!
+8 votes
I'm in again. Go Team Missouri!
by Luther Brown G2G6 Pilot (560k points)
Thanks, Luther. Good luck with Missouri!
+8 votes
Please count me in, thank you!
by I. Caruso G2G6 Mach 9 (92.6k points)
We've got you counted, I. Good luck!
+8 votes
See the owls can you put them on your bio or do they just stay in the comments box
by Suzy Cairns G2G6 Mach 2 (28.9k points)
Hi Suzy. The email that you received may have the code to add to your profile. If it converted it to the sticker in the email too, send me a private message and I'll send it to you.
+9 votes
Wish to try this. First time and not sure how this works so will need help. Figure this is best way to learn
by Wynn Herbert G2G1 (1.1k points)

Welcome to the Sourcerers Challenge, Wynn. I'll check the tracker next week to make sure it's working for you. Let me know if you have any questions by adding a comment below mine.

I have verified that the Tracker is working for you and that you have added a reliable source to a qualified profile. We'll get your badge awarded in early March after we finish the February stats.

+8 votes
I'm in for Feb.  Even if it's just for a few, every little bit helps, right?
by Candyce Fulford G2G6 Pilot (119k points)

Welcome to the Sourcerers Challenge, Candyce. I'll check the tracker next week to make sure it's working for you. Let me know if you have any questions by adding a comment below mine.

I'm not seeing you on the Tracker yet, Candyce. Have you been using the big green Challenge Tracker link that shows up at the top after you save?
+7 votes

Please count me in, for the very first time.

by Beate Hauer G2G6 Mach 1 (17.9k points)

Welcome to the Sourcerers Challenge, Beate. I'll check the tracker next week to make sure it's working for you. Let me know if you have any questions by adding a comment below mine.

I have verified that the Tracker is working for you and that you have added a reliable source to a qualified profile. We'll get your badge awarded in early March after we finish the February stats.

+8 votes
Count me in.
by Pam Wade G2G6 (8.7k points)
Thanks, Pam,  have fun!
+8 votes
Always happy to do a little sourcing!

Wendy xo
by Wendy Taylor G2G6 Pilot (137k points)
Thanks, Wendy. Have fun!

I didn't realize this was your first month joining us, Wendy. I'll check the tracker next week to make sure it's working for you. Let me know if you have any questions by adding a comment here below mine.

I have verified that the Tracker is working for you and that you have added a reliable source to a qualified profile. We'll get your badge awarded in early March after we finish the February stats.

+7 votes
Please, count me in again!
by Marcia Benjamin G2G6 Mach 4 (45.6k points)
We've got you counted, Marcia. Have fun!

Related questions

+19 votes
26 answers
+18 votes
30 answers
+30 votes
33 answers
+22 votes
56 answers
+23 votes
34 answers
+22 votes
29 answers
+23 votes
40 answers
+21 votes
23 answers
+18 votes
26 answers
+25 votes
45 answers
3.3k views asked May 31, 2022 in The Tree House by Wendy Taylor G2G6 Pilot (137k points)

WikiTree  ~  About  ~  Help Help  ~  Search Person Search  ~  Surname:

disclaimer - terms - copyright

...