November 2017 Sourcerers Challenge

Question

Hello, Sourcerers! It's time to start November's monthly sourcing! I'll have October's stats up later today.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Please post here and let me know if you will be using the tracker or if you will be listing your profiles here in your post. Either one is perfectly fine : )

To participate:

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. 

When you can, it's 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 can't find them among all the other stuff, they aren't helping as much as they could.

Onto November's challenge:

You only need to answer the post once, and just edit your post to add your new profiles, continuing in a comment on your answer as necessary. Please number your contributions (a number every ten or hundred works just fine). It helps us tally at the end of the month much faster. See last month's challenge for examples.

* All profiles improved must come from the Unsourced categories or be already present on WikiTree and unsourced-you cannot create new profiles and add sources just to up your tally. The hope and goal is to improve the numbers already on WikiTree that need sources. Adding sources will help merges happen, too, which will improve our tree. Showing folks what sources you're using helps newer researchers see just what's available out there for us to access. Another great source of unsourced profiles is to check out orphaned profiles.

* The tally is of profiles improved, not sources added. That said, if you can add a number of sources to a profile, all the better. Maybe we'll switch things up and see how many sources added y'all can do one month.

* If you attempt to add sources to a profile and just cannot find any, please add a note under a == Research Notes == section giving where you tried to find records and you can sign it with the four tildes (~~~~) so the date is applied as well. Something like "Looked for John in the US Census records for 1900-1940 and couldn't find him on FamilySearch or Ancestry" would be fine. Or, "Searched google for an obituary and didn't find one." That way the next researcher knows where to start.

* If the only source on a profile is "Ancestry tree" or "Geni.com" it can count as unsourced, and you can add better sources to it to count in your tally.

* If you find a match and can merge a profile into an already sourced profile, that counts, too. You still found a source, plus you eliminated a duplicate. Awesome!

We are now actively in our November Challenge, which will run through November 30th. Ask any questions here in the thread, otherwise, SOURCE!

Comments

I will participate, using the tracker.

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Challenges Tracker - sorry, I just don't get it. Where / how can I see the accumulative running total? Better yet, is there a tutorial somewhere how this properly works?

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Here is a link to the scores, Hans. This link really should be included in the Challenge information every month.

Sourcerers Challenge Scores

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Question...what if all the profiles you are working on or the majority already have some kind of "ancestry.com" or rootsweb or other like "family website" set as sources..and you are actually unable to see these sources because of subscription requirements?  Do you leave these non-viewable sources that many others can't see? or if you have found actual records of baptisms, births, census, deaths, land patents etc...do you just wipe out these more questionable sources and replace with the actual document sources.  A for instance I recently came in contact with on one of my actual direct line ancestor branches, included many with only ancestry ref of Drouin...but then I found the actual record of baptisms, and low and behold...even the birth dates or baptismal dates and even some children don't "fit" with what I found of the actual marriages and baptisms and birth dates listed on the baptism cards??? sooo I replaced the questionable sources with what I see and know to be the actual records...according to what I was told when I started on here, that 3rd party sources like ancestry aren't "good enough" sourcing...I see the purposed of having them to start with till records are found..But..do we go ahead and remove all the unnecessary as the records are found?

one other question...can I do this by just continuiing to work on the lines I'm working on to put actual records to and just hit the tracker button at the top of the pages?  I won't hit it for any new children I add but I will be continuiing to add them as I find their records while working on the others...Ok...did I ask enough questions??? lol

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I try to source the information some other--publicly documented--way. A lot of it I'm successful with, though some of it just isn't viewable without an Ancestry account. I'm iffy on citations of family trees within Ancestry, though they do have some records there that I can't find on Family Search, etc. :|

I leave the Ancestry sources, because they may contain information that is still valuable and does tie to an official record, you just can't see that record without an account.

I add public supplementary sources that back up the Ancestry ones, and in the case of conflicting information, I note that in the ===Research Notes=== section of the bio.

I agree with you that it's very annoying. I don't take Ancestry or other such sites at their word.

If a record is flat out incorrect based on other public data that I've found, or the math just makes no sense, I take it out of the main bio and put it in ===Research Notes===.

You're a rockstar for delving in so deeply.

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Hi, Arora,

Never too many questions. ;)

If a profile already has sources, it doesn't count for the challenge, even if you find more or better sources.

If by Ancestry sources you mean family trees at Ancestry, then WikiTree doesn't consider that a source. However, if the source is cited properly (a census record for example), it is still a source even though the record/image was accessed at Ancestry and it is a subscription site. As long as someone else can find the source record based on the citation in the profile it is considered valid.

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okeydokey going back to my sources and loading. thank you for the replies and answers.  I'll hit tracker button as I finish each one...not really competing here..just curious as to how many I'm averaging when I have time to help.  have fun hunting.

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Challenges Tracker - when I check the totals on the tracker, it updates my own numbers - but none of anybody else. There are some 60 contributing members, and if you believe the tracker, no activity from anybody else for the last week?

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That's entirely possible, Hans. Not everyone does it every day. Some people only do it now and then. Some only do the sprints.

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I noticed that the tracker quite obviously makes a distinction for "officially not qualified" and "officially qualified" - although the difference is merely the label "Unsourced". Even the "not qualified" profile is nothing but a pseudo sourced profile, i.e. the label was deleted, but otherwise has no sources. - Yet, the same parameters are ignored for the "Saturday sprint"?

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The difference in the two numbers is often when the unsourced tag was put on the profile. If when Aleš Trtnik  does the data dump and it has the tag at that time then you sourced the profile it will show in the Unsourced Category line. 

If it missed the cut off point it gets counted in the Unsourced Others Line. Of course any profiles which have had the tag removed or not ever put on and then sourced will get counted in the Unsourced Others Line.

This is my understanding of the tracker.

 

 

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Thank you, I (think) I understand the mechanics, it is the logic which utterly escapes me.

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Quoted from Last Month, or some-such: "
or the record, here are the participation steps, as I do them:

1. Select a profile from the Unsourced Profiles category.
2. On the profile's pull-down menu select "Research."
3. Select where to search. I usually use FamilySearch.
4. If you find a source, record it on the profile. I copy FamilySearch's handy "Citing this Record" citation and paste it into a set of <ref> tags.
5. Remove the {{Unsourced}} Research Note Box and save the changes.
6. After saving, click the Challenge Tracker button and record the point.
7. Return to step one and repeat until eyes glaze over.

P.S. Julie and Eowyn did a video walk-through of the above. Very nice."
Or if the link did not work: https://youtu.be/dbhcrvsoUVU

Answer 1

I'm in this month, sourcing Scottish profiles and I'll use the challenge tracker :-)

Answer 2

I know I am late but I am in again for November

Answer 3

participating using the tracker

Answer 4

I'm in, but I'll probably only manage a handful this month!

I'll be using the tracker too.

Answer 5

I haven't beenn participating in the monthly sourcing challenge because I was discouraged over the limitation during the Source-a-thon to sourcing only profiles that were already on the unsourced list.  That is so limiting and so defeating of our purpose as Sourcerers.  As mentioned by one of our WikiTreers on G2G, most of the unsourced profiles on WikiTree are NOT on the unsourced list.  Because we are allowed to count the unsourced profiles already on WikiTree in our monthly challenges, but not on the unsourced list, I will go ahead and jump in this month.  I have already sourced MANY profiles that I didn't register with the Challenge Tracker, I guess in silent protest; but I am a Sourcerer.  I would like my fellow Sourcerers know that I am still striving to source those profiles with them.  So onward, Source!

1. Frazier - 715

Comments

Okay, I sourced my first unsourced, but not listed, profile.  The challenge tracker says that this profile does not officially count.  Very discouraging.  We need to fix this if we want to fix all of these unsourced profiles on WikiTree.  It feels like our work doesn't count as a Sourcerer if it does not officially count!  In the meantime, I will be listing them in my answer.

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I feel your pain - actually, voiced the same concern. Regardless, sourcing is more important - and, please do list / use the tracker for all profiles which are otherwise in compliance with the "Sourcing Rules". Onward and Upward.

Answer 6

Hello - I will do what I can to source profiles this month. I learned to use the Challenge Tracker on a previous project. Is that ok or do you prefer we list our profiles/changes here?

Linda Green

Comments

I see others are using the tracker, so I have also been using it.

Thanks.

Answer 7

I will be using the tracker.

Answer 8

Back in, and Wow, love that Tracker. Now if my house would just clean itself while I get ready for the whole family to come on November vacation days!

Answer 9

I'm in. Going to try to use the tracker.

Answer 10

I'd also like to participate! I'm focusing on New Zealand profiles and will be using the tracker.

Answer 11

Better late than never. :)

1. Henry Stevenson
2. Elizabeth Barney
3. Cynthia Johnson
4. John Stevenson

Answer 12

I'll do my usual help along the way of my regular work--I'll use the tracker, but I'm sure I won't be placing very high. I mostly want to improve my mom's side of the family so I can present her with lots of cool info when I visit her for Christmas ;)

Comments

And apparently I have a recurring error with the wrong ID (Hoffman-5580 instead of -5880), so I'll keep trying to stamp that out. I'm sure I'm just not paying enough attention and my browser is remembering bad values.

Answer 13

1. https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Barnett-2897 England Birth Index Marriage
Index & Death Index  
2. https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Cordell-553 England Baptisms and England Marriages

Answer 14

November 2017 Sourcerer's Challenge
1. Folsom-786 edited unsourced profile and added sources Folsom Genealogy, Find A Grave Memorial and others
2. Folsom-787 edited unsourced profile and added sources Find A Grave Memorial, Minnesota Death Index and others
3. Littlefield-926 edited unsourced profile and added sources Find A Grave Memorial, Georgia Death Index and Social Security Applications and Claims Index
4. Folsom-846 edited unsourced profile and added sources Find A Grave Memorial, 1930 and 1940 U.S. Fed. Census
5. Gilman-1181 edited unsourced profile and added sources Gilman, "Gilman Genealogy . . ."; Find A Grave Memorial; US Social Security Death Index
6. Wood-21317 edited unsourced profile and added sources Gilman, "Gilman Genealogy . . ."; Find A Grave Memorial
7. Gilman-1184 edited unsourced profile and added sources Gilman, "Gilman Genealogy . . ."; Find A Grave Memorial; California Death Index
8. Phillips-20107 edited unsourced profile and added source Gilman, "Gilman Genealogy . . ."
9. Gilman-1185 edited unsourced profile and added sources Gilman, "Gilman Genealogy . . ."; Find A Grave Memorial; US Social Security Death Index and others
10. Gilman-1183 edited unsourced profile and added sources Gilman, "Gilman Genealogy . . ."; Find A Grave Memorial; California Death Index and others
11. Christensen-219 edited unsourced profile and added source Gilman, "Gilman Genealogy . . ."
12. Gilman-1182 edited unsourced profile and added sources Gilman, "Gilman Genealogy . . ." and others
13. Hodge-2683 edited unsourced profile and added source Gilman, "Gilman Genealogy . . ."
14. Gilman-1178 edited unsourced profile and added sources Gilman, "Gilman Genealogy . . ."; Find A Grave Memorial
15. Miller-44160 edited unsourced profile and added sources Gilman, "Gilman Genealogy . . ."; Find A Grave Memorial