What do you do when you find a source is bad that that was used on many, many profiles.

Question

Hey Folks,

This one is on me.  I had received a paper on a line in my family (Lord) which I used as the source for adding many profiles in this line to WikiTree.  I noticed something amiss when I originally posted, but didn't have the time to check on it at the time (left a note on that specific profile that something was off). 

I know that I need to slowly go through and do the research myself and correct the issue.  I will, but until I get it corrected what do I do?  Go through and add an oops template to all the profiles?  Disconnect the line and leave a note that I am correcting mistakes and remove all the source citations for the bad source?

Too bad I didn't use a single source from a free space page so that the changes would be universal...20/20 vision.

Ideas and suggestions for making this less painful?

Mea Culpa Mags

Comments

Hi Mags

This is perhaps a little belated, but we have Category: Family Myths and here's an example page that someone else added to that category: http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:Dolton_Family_Mysteries.

---

Great category Maryann! Mags

Answer 1

Say 'mea culpa' three times, then two 'hail Marys', then one disconnect with the line.  Hindsight's always 100%.  Be glad you figured out the problem and are working to correct it.  I don't honestly have any easy ideas for you...  ;)

Comments

Thank you Darlene and by Proxy Sir William.

Mags

Answer 2

Which source is bad? What's the problem with it? How did you discover the issues?

It seems like you could create a free-space page to explain the issues with the source, then add links to that page from the various profiles where that source is used. Among other things, that would allow other family members to pitch in and help solve the problem -- and it would discourage them from accepting the information at face value.

Comments

That's a good idea Ellen.

Mags

Answer 3

I can't be absolutely sure of this because I didn't create the bot, but it sounds like the perfect use for Jonathan Wainwright's bots.  Why don't you contact him and ask if he could create one to remove all the bad sources across your watchlist?

By the way, the same bot, could also add a statement of your choosing at a location of your choosing on each profile - something like "corrective work is currently in process" or whatever you want it to say.

Comments

Maybe a bot to identify all the source citations and leave a note that this information needs further research?

Mags

---

A bot can remove anything that it can search for and add anything you want, at whatever place in the bio or sources that you want to add it.

This is the perfect situation that bots can be incredibly wonderful tools to have.  Global replacements are what they do very simply and easily.

---

Can the bot also do the research to correct all the issues?   ;-)

Mags

---

Windows? (the glass ones)! :D

---

Funny Vincent!  Mags