Team Acadia 2018 Source-A-Thon Team Chat

Question

Update: Registration is now closed!

Welcome / Bonjour to Team Acadia Source-a-thon participants!

This is where we can prepare for the big event, communicate with each other, and cheer each other on! If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, post them here.

Please tell us what are your areas of expertise? Which Acadian sources do you have available to you? We look forward to working with you all to improve the health of the Acadians Project and WikiTree!

Official times: 8AM (ET) Friday 28 Sep to 8 AM (ET) Monday 01 Oct

Comments

Bonjour Team Acadia!

Joyce and I thought it would be a good idea to touch base with everyone before S-A-T kicks off this weekend! We'd love to answer any questions you might have, as well as to hear from you on what areas you'd like to work on, if you have a preference. No worries if you don't, but we will divide things up so we don't trip over each other during the race, and it'll be great to know ahead of time if you'd prefer a particular location or time period.

We Have Tips! 

All week we'll be adding S-A-T tips, so please add yours if you have any:

• If you're not already a member of Family Search, join today-- it's free, easy, and very useful for finding records and clues.
• Start the S-A-T with no tabs open except our team page and the page of the list you're working on. After you've added a source, saved, and clicked on the counter, close all non-essential tabs-- they pile up!
• When adding a source for S-A-T add just the citation below the <references /> tag with an asterisk to demarcate it.
• An easy way to find sources is to click on the "Rootsearch" link on the profile you want to source. The link is located in two places-- on the profile page, lower middle right side under “Research,” and also in the menu bar under the wiki-ID tab, click on “Research.” 
• Rootsearch is a WikiTree app that opens a page that shows your search parameters and options for searching different sites. The easiest is FamilySearch. The first time you go there you'll have to go back and click on FamilySearch again, and then FS will show you records that fit your search parameters (the data already on your unsourced profile). Sometimes you might want to adjust those parameters. For instance if you can't find records for a woman in her maiden name, you can go open the Rootsearch parameters page and change her LNAB to her married name. Or add a middle name. You can add or change dates there, too, with no alteration of the actual profile, and often improved success. 
• If you've never used "Rootseach" try it out today--you'll love it!  
• Once you’ve found a good source, the FamilySearch record has a source citation already written for you. Just copy it, then paste the citation into the profile. 
• Find-a-Grave also has a good source citation to copy. From the memorial page just click on "View Source" next to the memorial ID. Then copy the citation from the grey box and paste into the profile. Then save it, count it, close it!

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More Tips!

• Get familiar with guidelines before the Source-a-thon begins! Be sure you understand which sources are valid and especially which are NOT. Review the links provided in our Team Acadia space page. Ask questions on this G2G forum!
• Get familiar with the spreadsheet. It's really easy and will help team members to not collide with each other while sourcing profiles!
• Once the event begins, remember to remove the Unsourced category or template from the profile after you've added a source!
• After saving your source to the profile, remember to record your point by selecting the green Challenge Tracker button!
• Remember that adding a source to a profile you manage won't count for the Source-a-thon! [But another team member could do them for you.]
• It sounds like a race where speed is the important thing, but actually adding quality source citations is the primary goal. Speed is great, but not at the expense of quality! Work at a pace you're comfortable with. Like any marathon, stay hydrated, find your stride, pace yourself.
• It's fun to occasionally check where the team is in the team rankings. We'll post links to those when they become available.
• Most important of all -- have fun! 

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Tip:

• A better set of lists is on the Acadia tab of the spreadsheet. The spreadsheet page has a location on each row. When you hover your mouse over the name of the province or state, a link will pop up. Click on that link and it takes you to that location's Unsourced Profiles list. Then just select the profile you want to edit. The spreadsheet has an area below the locations showing the names of each team member, with space to the right to enter brief notes showing what you're currently working on and what you've completed. That allows all members of the team to know what to avoid when selecting profiles to work on.

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 Source-a-Thon Lagniappe:

Throughout the Thon, each time you post a sourcing selfie, you're entered in a drawing for fabulous WikiWear!

See: https://www.wikitree.com/g2g/691219/will-you-share-a-sourcing-selfie

We'd love to see lots of smiling Team Acadia sourcing faces!

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Stephanie,

I know how to post sources but for whatever reason, I cannot follow the procedures for working on  profiles on this S-A-T?  Any help?

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Scott, sorry for the delayed answer-- hope you haven't given up! We can figure this out. The only difference in posting sources for S-A-T is the challenge tracker. After saving your work you click on the tracker, then on 'add action.' Can you be more specific about what the problem is?

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What is the “tracker”, how do I locate it ?

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It's inside the big green rectangle at the top of the profile that says "Changes Saved" and appears every time you save a change to a profile. A black rectangle at the end of the last line of text in the box says "challenge tracker." Click on that black rectangle and a new window will appear. It gives a selection of pre-written choices for the type of source you saved, but you can skip that if you want and just click on the button that says "Add Action."

You can test it out on any profile by saving a minor change now just to see it.

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Scott, how's it going? If you want, you and I can open a profile and I'll take you through it step by step.

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I posted a selfie this morning just as the plane was leaving the terminal, but the picture won't show up in the post! Oh well I tried!

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Lol! I tried, too, but mine was an "unwanted file type mhtml," so no go. It was cute, too. My dog is bored to dog-tears, so I caught him in action. Joe and I have discussed changing his name to "Blocker," and today he's living up to it in yet another way!

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That might just be the ticket to getting me going.  I tried two but not sure I did them effects.

How do we do this?

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I'm about to eat but it looks like you've got it! They were counted!

Answer 1

If anyone is interested in some statistics about how we did in the S-A-T, I have some! 

• A total of 438 people sourced 72,713 profiles in this year's S-A-T. Compared to last year's total of 53,245, that's an increase of 37%, with pretty close to the same number of people participating!
• Team Acadia sourced 1,138 profiles with 10 people participating. That's an increase of 36% over the 839 profiles we completed last year, and with slightlyfewer people!
• Team Acadia came in 21st of 32 teams, which ranks us in the 66th percentile based on team ranking of total profiles sourced. Not bad for a small team!
• We came in 14th of 32 teams when you look at each team's average number of profiles sourced. Our average was 114 profiles per member participating, beating out 7 of the higher-ranked teams that were larger but not as productive on average!
• We started out with 706 unsourced profiles in the Acadians Project. That number is now down to 496, a 30% reduction in one weekend!

Sorry if this is a confusing math stew! Just suffice it to say, Team Acadia did an awesome job and has much to be proud of all around! Well done!!

Comments

Wow, Joyce! Thanks for the stats!  As you very well know, I am NOT a numbers gal, but this is just what I wanted to know! Can't wait to brag to my hubbie, who IS a numbers guy.

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LOL I'm never very far from my spreadsheets, even post retirement!

Answer 2

As a first-time co-captain and a rookie genealogist, not sure how much I bring to the table beyond my enthusiasm! But I do have Donald Hebert's SWLR on CD, and access to pre-1500 profiles. Oh, and I'll be happy to take the credit for bringing a REAL genealogist into our tree and our team-- my childhood friend, Joyce Rivette! We grew up together in New Orleans with barely an inkling of our rich heritage or that our future children would be very very distant cousins.

Answer 3

I've been a member of Team Acadia since last year's Source-a-thon, when Stephanie talked me into participating. It was so much fun and it hooked me on WikiTree!

I've been tracing my husband's Acadian ancestors for many years, and have personal copies of the original DGFA set, as well as BRDA and SWLR publications and an Ancestry.com subscription. I only wish I had paid better attention in French class!

Comments

Joyce, your skill set makes you invaluable as a leader of this team, and I was thrilled when you stepped up to lead us! Not only do you have the training and the experience, but just as importantly, you're fun and easy to work with! I hope you continue to lead the team in future S-A-Ts!

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Awww, thanks! It was fun!

Answer 4

Howdy.  I have many ancestors in the Acadian project and desire to help.

I have limited source material so I am basically just a worker bee and will take on any work requiring researching challenges.

Comments

Thanks for joining us, Scott! There are some resources available on the internet, if you have easy internet access. You can review the resource list on the Généalogie acadienne page for starters. Maybe other team members can offer additional suggestions!

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Scott, if you need a look-up for any of your profiles, let me know. I have the DGFA and beaucoups Louisiana sources.

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Scott, I finally found a very useful source who cites the common original sources.  Try looking up Karen Theriot Reader.  I found most of my unsourced Bourg profiles there.

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Scott, let me know if you want me to source a profile with you.

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Scott, you're on the board! Hooray! I knew you'd do it! Thanks for joining in!!

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Not sure I am doing much good.  Not sure how to access and use source material other than what’s available on rootsearch.

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That's fine for this challenge. Those are valid sources, and that's what I'm using too.

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Scott, thank you for the work you did this weekend! I'm glad you reached out with questions and I'm sorry I wasn't more helpful, but time got away from me. If you are still interested, I would be happy to go over some profiles with you to get you in fighting shape for next year's challenge (and there's also the Spring Clean-A-Thon)! Let me know, and we can schedule a time to get started!

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I am totally committed to WikiTree as I believe in having sources to validate our trees.  I would like to work with you to improve my skills.  On another note, I will be teaching a class, Intro to WikiTree.com, this coming weekend to the San Antonio Genealogical and Historical Society.  I have been holding Family Tree Maker Workshops there for over 3 years.  I know my skills for handling the Acadian Project are pretty bad so certainly could use the help.  Best if we could link-up after Oct 7th.

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Wow! It's more likely that you could teach ME! However, I do happen to have friends on the Acadian Project with a measure of expertise who might be willing to help.... I'll get back to you after I've talked to Joyce Rivette and Jacqueline Girouard!

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Jacqueline and I are connected and we have previously had some conversations, re: Louisiana.  Small world, especially with WikiTree.

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I take this to mean you will talk to her about getting familiar with the Acadian Project? I know you're busy getting ready to teach your class this weekend, but after that I do want to go over using the RootsSearch app with you, whenever you're ready. I looked at the profiles you worked on, and I can definitely help you figure it out. Just reply here when you're ready.

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https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:Sourcing_Primer_-_Instructional

That should definitely help with rootsearch.

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Thanks, Steven! I was just about to say the same thing! Just to make it stand out, I'll say it again: 

• Online Sourcing Primer by Steven Tibbetts

Answer 5

Hi everyone,

My mother was Acadian, and I have some facility with French as well.  I would be happy to help out, but I may need some direction as to what has to be done.  I do live close to Moncton, New Brunswick.  I could make a trip to the Centre D'Études Acadiennes at U de Moncton.

Paul Berry

Comments

Happy that you're part of the team, Paul! It's great that you have such close access to Moncton. I'm sure that will be very useful to the Acadians Project!

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Hi Paul! Bienvenue! I'm guessing from your statement that this will be your first Source-a-thon? Do you know how to access the unsourced profiles that you might be able to help? Because I'm thinking you can be a tremendous asset to the team!

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Stephanie,

Yes I found some helpful information yesterday, but I am looking forward to putting it in practice.  I will start this weekend by working on some of the profiles that I manage.

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Paul, anything I can do to help?

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Paul, we missed you this weekend! I hope everything's OK. Scott and I are going to do a couple of mini sourcing tutorials and the offer is open to you as well!

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Stephanie,

I figured out how to find the unsourced profiles, but I could not really figure out how to access all the online sources.  I have not "joined" any other genealogical sites, and I am more comfortable working with paper.

I would be interested in a mini sourcing tutorial.  When I have time, I will dig up some on our family documents that I have (parents and grandparents) and scan them.  Perhaps I will have more free time for the next one.

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Paul, you HAVE to try online sourcing! You're going to love how easy it can be! Right now Google Family Search and select their Create a free account page. It's free with no strings. (Only for 2 weeks, then it asks you to renew for 2 weeks. I've kept mine going for 3 years-- it only takes a second to renew.)

Now go to your  profile of Catherine Roy. Scroll down her profile page until you see the Comments box on the right. Right below that you'll see "Research" above a link to the Rootsearch app for finding online sources. Click the link and a tab opens which has Catherine Roy's data from your profile already entered. You can adjust this information as you wish for searching. (Often just adding the middle name or changing a wife's maiden name to her married one will bring good results. Try a search with each. Or you may know a date that wasn't entered in a data field-- or suspect a different date. Anything you change here only affects the search.)

Scroll down until you see the choices for searching. Click on FamilySearch. The first time you do this, assuming you are a member (It's free and is a treasure trove, so join right now if you haven't already) it will ask you what you are searching for. Close the tab, go back to the RootsSearch tab you just left, and click FamilySearch again. Then it will open to a list of records that fit your search parameters.

It looks to me like every record on that first page is for your Catherine Roy. Click on the name to open the record. When you're satisfied you have the right Catherine Roy's record, scroll down to "Citing this record" and copy the citation. Go back and paste it after the fact it documents. (Or, for other people's profiles you may just want to put it under their <references /> tag and let them do some of their own work.) Bam! Now you're ready for next year's team!

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Paul, this very clear instructional video may be more helpful than my explanation:

• Online Sourcing Primer by Steven Tibbetts

Answer 6

This is new to me and I really have no idea what I am in for.  Can someone please share what they know about what I signed up for?

Comments

I am sorry I am totally lost! Guess I need to watch a turtorial if there is one.

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Most people go to the profile ID in the upper right corner and in the dropdown menu scroll down to "Research". (this is rootsearch) From there it will give you several places to search. "FamilySearch" is a very popular one and quite easy but you must have an account now. It is free though so well worth it.

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You're in luck! Here's one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbhcrvsoUVU&feature=youtu.be  with instructions for how to source.

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I made THIS because I searched and the video didn't come up. I added the video link to the bottom.

https://www.wikitree.com/g2g/677350/sourcing-primer

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Melanie, if you're still a guest member, please look at this instructional video for how to easily find and add online sources to your profiles:

• Online Sourcing Primer by Steven Tibbetts

Answer 7

Hi Everyone!

This will be my first Source-a-thon. I am a descendant of Caspar Dubs (Dubs-51) and my ancestry is Acadian. Both sides of my family are from Louisiana but I currently call Mississippi my home. I'm looking forward to participating in this challenge with everyone.

Comments

Looking forward to working alongside you, Shae! It will be a fun weekend!

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Shae, thanks so much for joining us this weekend! I hope you had fun and will join our team in future endeavors!

Answer 8

Hi, Stephanie and Jackie!  I am happy to work on anything.  I lfrequently use the Censuses.  I don't have Stephen Whites book so at a disadvantage there except I have the english supplement and will use that when possible.

Assign me to anything you want, I will do my best.  --Cindy

Comments

Hi Cindy, I don't think we'll be assigning specific tasks to anybody for the Source-a-thon. You are free to source any Unsourced profiles on any of the lists provided, including profiles that don't have the Unsourced category. Of course we'd love to have all of our Acadians sourced, but any profile sourced is a step in the right direction!

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I read this sentence from Stephanie:  "but we will divide things up so we don't trip over each other during the race,"

Whatever you want to call it, I'll take whatever portion you divide up for me.  Also I don't know how to access the "lists provided" - is that still to come or how do I find these lists?

Cindy

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Oops I see your confusion, but I can explain! The "lists provided" are in two different places. One set of lists is in the Team Acadia page by location, but those lists might be hard to comprehend if you haven't used them before. 

I think a better set of lists is on the Acadia tab of the spreadsheet. The spreadsheet page has a location on each row. When you hover your mouse over the name of the province or state, a link will pop up. Click on that link and it takes you to that location's Unsourced Profiles list. Then just select the profile you want to edit. The spreadsheet has an area below the locations showing the names of each team member, with space to the right to enter brief notes showing what you're currently working on and what you've completed. That allows all members of the team to know what to avoid when selecting profiles to work on.

I can post more details about how to use the spreadsheet if you or anyone else has any questions about it!. 

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@Cindy, sorry, it does sound like I said we'd be assigning work. I just meant we'd all be working the unsourced profiles, and if we can know what each is working on, the others won't waste time opening profiles that someone else has done or is working on. See Joyce's reply.

@Joyce, if you have time, please do post those details for everyone!

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Hi, Stephanie and Joyce, I will pick something and post it on the spreadsheet at the time I'm doing it.

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Cindy, thanks so much for all your contributions this weekend! I hope you had fun and will join us again next year!

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I will do it again.  I didn't quite finish the B's so I will continue to work on them over the next few days, plus any other letters that have people left.  There were a couple where I thought the sources were too light and left the profile unsourced so someone else someday would perhaps find something better.  Would you check some of my completed ones to make sure the sourcing was written correctly?  Karen Theriot had quite a few sources cited and the info overlapped (i.e. several sources for birth and marriage) so I went back and forth between making them inline vs copying them in the sources section below.  Any feedback would be good.

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Will do! Happy to invest in a fellow teammate!

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Cindy, I looked at the last three you did on Sunday, and they look great! The only thing I changed was to add Reader to Karen Theriot's name. But the links work, and the main thing-- the sources she cites-- are there in your citation! And you give her the credit for finding them!  Beautiful!!

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Stephanie, thanks for the feedback and encouragement.  I did quite a few without the Reader so I'll try to fix if I find them.  And updated my cheat sheet to include that.  I'll keep sourcing for a while - (unless you want to leave some for the next SAT ;)

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Lol, I actually thought about that! But if you read Joyce's final team stats on page 2 of the chat, you'll see there's almost 500 remaining, and, I assume, new ones still being added. So knock yourself out. (That sounds rude, but if you're from Louisiana you know it isn't meant to be!)

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Even backwoods downeast Maine where the Acadians originated knows that means "go for it as much as you want".

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Will do!  I needed a new "cause".  No offense taken :)

Answer 9

Good Morning Team Acadia!

I would encourage you to take a break at least every 3 hours and watch the Source-a-thon Hangouts Video Chats!. It's fun to keep up with what happening around the globe as we source this weekend.

And the race begins!

Comments

Woohoo! Have fun, everyone!

Answer 10

This may be a dumb question, but: if I'm able to find a source for a single event in a person's life (say, their marriage) but am unable to find sources for their birth/death, can I still count them and remove them from the unsourced category? Or should I leave them, since there's still unsourced information in their entry?

Comments

Liat, all it takes is one valid source to remove the "Unsourced" category from a profile! The meaning of "Unsourced" as a category means there are no valid sources. If you find a good source for just one event, the category should be removed.

Steff, I don't know what is happening with your replies!

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Liat, Thank you so much for all of your hard work this weekend! You were a force to be reckoned with, and it was all I could do to try to keep up! You really inspired me to kick it into gear, so thanks for that, too! I hope you will join our team again when the Spring Clean-a-thon rolls around!

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I will absolutely join Team Acadia next year, Stephanie! I'm super new to the site so this was a really fun first event for me, I had a blast.

Answer 11

I'm working on Arcadia "J" and found a record that already has sources attached, but still shows "unsourced" in profile. Do I just remove the "unsourced" heading and should I be counting this?

Comments

Susanne, if the only sources for a profile are user-generated trees, such as Ancestry trees, Geni.com, MyHeritage, nosorigines, even FamilySearch trees, just to name a few [there are many others], then the profile is still considered to be unsourced for the purposes of the category. If that is not the issue with the one you found, please let me know which profile it is and I'll take a look at it!

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There are some profiles that will appear on multiple lists, so another person may have added those today and forgotten to remove the template. Check "changes" on the profile before you decide to claim them.

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Hi Joyce, the profile is for Marie Osithe Jeanson, born 20 May 1752. I've added the source I found, but haven't saved it yet.

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Susanne, that profile has a lot of citations for Ancestry trees, which are not considered to be a good source for the purposes of the unsourced category. If you have found an actual source that isn't a user-generated tree, then you can enter it and claim the point with the tracker. Thanks for checking!

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Thanks, that helped.

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Susanne, thanks for working with us this weekend! Hope you'll join us again in future challenges!

Answer 12

Source Tracker isn't updating my contributions. (sad face)

Comments

Don't worry, Ales is a genius and nothing will be lost. I'm wondering if you mean the profiles remain on the list after you refresh it? Because they will until Monday.

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It looks to me like we're currently in 24th place out of 32 teams. Not bad, considering we're one of the smallest!

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I just found yours and you're right-- it's only showing you with 1. I'll have to dig deeper to figure it out.

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If you forgot to click on the tracker, you can go back to the profiles you sourced, open the edit page, note your addition, and then click on the tracker. Choose one of the tracker's descriptions of what you added, then 'add action'! Even if you don't go back to them I think they will count, but be clear in your 'explanation for change' on the profile that you're adding a source.

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Jackie, thanks for all the hard work you put in this weekend for S-A-T! (On top of everything else you do!) It's always a pleasure working with you--I hope you had fun, too!

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Thank you and the team! It was fun and so glad we had a strong team this year. I would have been a bit more productive sourcing but I ran into multiple duplicated lines, duplicate profiles, surname problems and I can't just source one fact and move on. I feel compelled to find sources for whatever I can find while I have a profile in front of me. This morning, I got a sweet note from someone thanking me for sourcing his 4th grandmother--he said it was one of his brick walls. That's gold right there.

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You're so right, pure gold! And anyway, we all know a team of a dozen or so will never beat those mega-teams out there! The point of S-A-T boils down to profile improvement for a better tree. It seems to me that fixing the whole profile--especially when you're sourcing with a book that isn't online-- is every bit as valid an effort as speed-sourcing, and then some. (Shhh! I didn't say that!) But you had very respectable numbers!

Answer 13

We've moved up 4 spots to 20th place! 

!!Allons-y!!

Comments

Whoo Hoo!! GO TEAM!!

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Go Liat!!

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Wow I am eating y'all's dust!!

Answer 14

ATTENTION LISA LINN!! 

YOU WON THE 11PM DRAWING!! Lisa, you must claim it by 2am EDT! Go here to claim your prize.

Comments

Good catch, Joyce!

@Lisa, congrats! Hope you were able to collect it, but if you didn't, your name goes back in for another chance later!

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Lisa Linn, you are seriously about to pass Liat! Woo hoo!

Answer 15

The source tracker seems to be down! Should I keep a manual tally of my changes and then go back and add my contributions to the tracker when it's back up?

Comments

I think that's the way to go; otherwise we're stalled.

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Your contributions page will keep track for you!

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Phew! It's back up, too.

Answer 16

Is anyone else having trouble with the challenge tracker timing out?

Comments

Thank goodness it didn't last long!

Answer 17

Hi Team Acadia, I've been using Karen Theriot Readers amazing list of ancestors.  She documents her facts with Bona Arsenault and Stephen Whites sources.  Is it preferable to put the source link to her page that has the original sources, or should I copy over her source citation into the profile?

Comments

I would do this <ref> Karen Theriot Reader, (website information and link); citing (original source citation).</ref>

(Edited to add Reader! Sorry about that, Cindy!!)

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Thank you!

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I agree! It's best to say what was cited. That way if her website is ever lost or taken down, we'll still know where her info came from.

Answer 18

Team Acadia is making great progress, thanks to all of you! We're one of the smallest teams participating, yet we've managed to approach the middle of the pack! At one point I think we were 16th of 32 teams, almost all of which are about twice our size!

Just wanted to take a moment to thank everyone for their efforts! I know some of us have done as much as we can, and some are just getting started. We even have an unofficial member who is participating from the sidelines, having missed the entry deadline, but working for the good of the tree nonetheless! A couple of our members are pulling citations from source books, which takes a lot more time and effort than ripping and rolling from online sites. Tout est bon! Merci!

Comments

What she said!! Y'all are really rocking it!

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Joyce, we're going to miss you today, but what you've accomplished while preparing for your trip is nothing short of amazing! You've been a fabulous captain of our team! I hope you'll lead us again next year!

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I see you've managed to sneak in a few more! You go, grrl!

Answer 19

Tracker is stalling, but carry on! Your work is saved to your contributions page. You can always go back and hit the tracker button for the points when the tracker is back!

Comments

It's back on!

Answer 20

Just checking in to see who's still with us! (JK-- I just looked at the scoreboard! We've moved up again to 18th-- amazing, as we've lost one of our heavy hitters (Joyce). Our team has added almost a THOUSAND sources to our shared tree!! Just wanted to share that and to say THANK YOU ALL for your efforts! It's not over yet, and I think we can stay ahead of the Nor'Easters, and even get ahead of Team Tennessee 2! But the Mighty Maple Leaves are hot on our trail, so I must get back out there! Don't forget to check out the Hangouts at 5! (See Joyce's earlier post for the link.) Allons-y, y'all!