The Orphan Trail Handbook

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Location: [unknown]

Contents 1 Orphan Trail 1 Expectations 1.1 Biography 1.2 Data Fields 1.3 Sources 1.4 Research Notes 2 Orphan Trail 2 Expectations 2.1 Biography 2.2 Data Fields 2.3 Sources 3 Extras 4 FAQ

Orphan Trail 1 Expectations

• Fundamentally, OT1 is about learning the basic skills for conducting research and minimising the potential for future mistakes.

Biography

• Information matches data fields.
• Birth, marriage and death information should be included with at least one primary source found and referenced.
• Easy to understand.
• Make sure the biography and sources headers, and <references/> tag, haven't been removed by mistake.

Data Fields

• Ensure the information in data fields is sourced and consistent with the biography.
• Location fields should ideally include village, town or district and county which are correct for the time period (e.g. Middlesex rather than Greater London), but at minimum should include country if specifics are unavailable.
• United Kingdom should not be added after England in the location fields for dates before 1801, and for dates after 1801 its use is optional.

Sources

• You should be accessing birth, marriage, death and census records from websites such as the GRO, FreeBMD, FamilySearch, FreeReg and FreeCen.
• When citing these sources, each reference should meet the 4 W's: What, Who, When and Where.
• If you feel comfortable you're welcome to cite your sources in inline citations, but this is advanced and sources written in bullet points are fine.
• You should attempt to evaluate potential inconsistencies between sources, regarding data such as age, location, occupation and named relatives.
• Manual sourcing should be done where possible, but using tools such as the WikiTree Sourcerer may be permitted by individual Trailblazers.

Research Notes

• Where information is uncertain or sources conflict, record this under a Research Notes header placed below the biography and above any sources.

Orphan Trail 2 Expectations

• The points included below should be considered in addition to the OT1 expectations.

Biography

• If a will has been used, where more than 5 lines are necessary, it should be transcribed on a separate Free-Space Page.

Data Fields

• You should have an understanding of old style and new style years, using new style years in data fields where possible

Sources

• You should be able to demonstrate basic use of inline citations.
• If sources behind a paywall have been used, ideally the relevant information should be noted or transcribed.
• References to sources accessed on Ancestry or FindAGrave should include their relevant templates.
• Reliable primary and secondary resources for information on England should be used where deemed necessary (e.g. Cokayne, British History Online, History of Parliament, etc.)

Extras

• If an image has been used, it should include the appropriate message indicating the relevant permission for its use to avoid copyright issues.
• Feedback received from your Trailblazer should be addressed.

FAQ

• Categories: See WikiTree's Categorisation Help Page as well as the England Project's Categorisation Guide.
• Stickers: See WikiTree's Stickers Help Page.
• WikiTree+: See WikiTree's WikiTree+ Help Page.