Challenge of the Week: Clean up names [closed]

+11 votes
1.1k views

Hi WikiTreers,

Will you join our Data Doctors Challenge this week?       

Aleš's "WikiTree+" data analysis has uncovered thousands of profiles with special characters or words in name fields that probably don't belong there. There are parentheses that need to be removed, suffixes that need to be moved to the Suffix field, and much more.

Here is the table of likely problems and issues.

Although the changes might be simple and fast, a thoughtful genealogist like you needs to investigate and make the decision.

After you investigate something, set the status [more info]. That will earn you a point. The member with the most points at 11:59pm EDT on Sunday night will get the badge and the bragging rights. But we'll all benefit from a neater, cleaner shared tree.       

If you're participating, please post here to let us know. It's nice to cheer each other on, and it will help us avoid stepping on each others' toes. Also post here if you have any questions about how to participate.       

Thanks for helping!

Real-time tracking results:       
See your stats  alongside other participants here.

Top 10

WikiTree profile: Space:DD_Challenge_Names_VI
closed with the note: Challenge is finished
in The Tree House by Eowyn Walker G2G Astronaut (2.4m points)
closed by Eowyn Walker
Challenge is active

https://tinyurl.com/weekchallenge  spreadsheet link 

All updated and ready to go. Below is a link on the G2G post explaining how to do Data Doctor Challenges with screenshots.

https://www.wikitree.com/g2g/631771/data-doctor-challenge-guide 

Challenge Tracker

Looks like you have to be on trusted list to do anything.
I'll give it a try.
C Ryder, You can comment, you can private message/email, or you can fix any that are open. That is still plenty of work.

I was trying to fix some last name at birth deals, to replace 2 with ø but can't seem to recall how to edit last name at birth. Last I did one, I thought it was just edited like everything else, but I am not seeing any way to access it?

I will do some
Okay I'm confused I have been doing the challenge could someone please clarify for me Middle Names eg "Linda or Lynda" I have been removing the "or" and marking as uncertain. Is this right or wrong and if wrong could someone please tell me the right way

Yhank You Helen
Taking out the "or" is right and leaving both spellings is right. One could be in the middle name field as uncertain, the other could be in the "other" name field. I think the presentation would look better this way.
I just now came across  profles that appear to be  'Fake' gedcom profiles, if there is such a thing as 'Fake' profiles ? !

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Sibling-1 note: I had edited this profile, changed 'Father' to 'Unknown' and also removed a child named  'Add a Sibling'

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Sibling-2
I was unable to make complete corrections to the following profile, the manager of the profile has entered the surname  at birth as 'Schmitt or Schmidt' ,and I see that the rest of the family surnames have been entered in that same format. Should these profiles now be directed to a manager's attention in order to correct these profiles ?

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Schmitt_or_Schmidt-7

26 Answers

+6 votes
I'll do my bit, aiming at UK area first.
by Paul Shepard G2G6 Mach 1 (15.7k points)
+6 votes
I think I understand, will give it a go
by Living Poole G2G Astronaut (1.3m points)
+5 votes
I'm in: Scottish profiles again :-)
by Sheena Tait G2G6 Pilot (114k points)
+5 votes
Count me in
by Hilary Gadsby G2G6 Pilot (312k points)
+6 votes
I am in for the next few days
by Cheryl Hess G2G Astronaut (1.8m points)
+5 votes
I'll do names in Quebec.
by Cindy Cooper G2G6 Pilot (322k points)
+5 votes
I'll chip in.
by Thomas Fuller G2G6 Mach 9 (92.8k points)
+5 votes
I'll take care of a few of these
by Emily Holmberg G2G6 Pilot (153k points)
+5 votes

Can someone please remind/point me to the specific guidance we are to follow for LNABs such as O'Connor? I've run into a number of "O'..." names on this list in the "771 Separators in Last Name at Birth" section ...

Also ... if time permits ... could the appropriate Data Doctor leader consider adding the badge to my page if you find it appropriate? I've been working on tasks for a few weeks now (and will keep doing so, badge or not smiley ).

by Susan Keil G2G6 Mach 6 (66.5k points)
edited by Susan Keil
Aleš is the one who awards the badge and he does that by going through the list of those asking. He generally tries to do it twice a month but we've kept him REALLY busy with Categorization.

He left off at sept 26 and you asked on oct 1 so the next time he goes through the list I'm sure he will award it.
Do I have to ask for the badge? I work slowly but steadily.

I think as long as you have answered at this thread, your Data Doctors badge will be awarded when Aleš catches up with his tasks.

+5 votes
I'll give it a go
by Margaret Haining G2G6 Pilot (147k points)
+5 votes
I'll fit some in this week. Starting with "712 number in prefix." Most of those that I've looked at so far, already have a comment on the page about this issue, posted April 2018. It appears most of the managers on these profiles are inactive. And the profiles are "protected", so we cannot fix them. Oh, well. We keep trying....
by Beverly Benfer G2G6 Mach 2 (27.7k points)
+5 votes
Are we supposed to verify (ie check or find sources) or what?
by Living Poole G2G Astronaut (1.3m points)

That would depend on the type of error you are checking. If it is something like "733 Prefix in Preferred Name" and he happens to be referred to as "prince" then it would be a false positive.

Most will be people trying to be creative sorting out a tree from a book and trying to put it in a name field instead of in the biography.

"773 Prefix in Last Name at Birth" would probably be triggered if their LNAB was "Lord".

Often, clicking the actual error name will take you to an explanation of what to look for.

Thanks I have been looking at those with first name King, Prince etc. if it’s not obvious or sourced on profile I have been finding sources and editing profiles if allowed.
Okay folks, happy hunting, I am off for a few days. Be interesting to see who is topping the chart when I am back!
+3 votes
I'm on it!  Good luck everyone.

I'm not pre-1500 certified, some profiles I'm not able to correct.  Perhaps, admins can reprogram those 1500's to their proper places to those who are pre-1500 certified and not be on general list to correct.   

P.S.  As I'm going through correcting these profiles, noticing that many if not all have been generated through some kind of irrelevant relationships with GEDCOM.  Some have no additional information to verify sources, or if the person is male or female.  The profile is being presented as half/half.  Never seen that before.  Anyway, good luck everyone and have fun.  We'll get through this together.  Happy Halloween Birthday!
by Paula Reinke G2G6 Pilot (102k points)
edited by Paula Reinke
+3 votes
I'll do a bit
by C Ryder G2G6 Mach 8 (87.6k points)
+3 votes
Okay, I have not done this before and must be missing something very obvious. I understand the challenge. I have looked at the table. So how do I actually find or select profiles to QC? Do I just do a search in the name field for the parentheses character and go from there? How do I search for a wrong gender?

Is there a tutorial for this type of task?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Harold
by Harold Robertson G2G2 (2.4k points)
+3 votes
I am going to give it a try... fingers crossed!
by Louann Halpin G2G6 Mach 7 (70.4k points)
+3 votes
I will participate! I will probably just be sticking to the low-hanging fruit of changing "Baby Girl" to "Unnamed Infant," etc.
by Emily Yaden G2G6 Mach 1 (15.2k points)
+3 votes
I'll work on some.
by Traci Thiessen G2G6 Pilot (293k points)
+4 votes
Jumping in!
by Tara Wildes G2G6 Mach 2 (26.9k points)
+2 votes
I'll clean up whatever names I come across.
by K. Anonymous G2G6 Pilot (145k points)

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