Online Databases

By ToledoCLK on Sat, 04/11/2020 - 11:06

Forums

My software is Family Tree Maker. I find myself repeatedly using Business and Institutional Records/Corporate Records/Online Database for sources on Ancestry. The current record in question is: Ohio, Soldier Grave Registrations, 1804-1958. Am I doing this correctly?

Submitted byEEon Sat, 04/11/2020 - 19:20

ToledoCLK, EE cannot comment on the use of individual software that offers templates. While various software does offer their own version of EE citations, their templates do represent the interpretations of those software designers. Questions about software are best answered in the forums for that software.

EE itself offers many different examples for Ancestry databases. Each is based upon the type of underlying record that Ancestry is imaging, because different types of records require different types of information to be captured in the citation. Our QuickLesson 26, here at this website, focuses entirely upon Ancestry. We also offer a companion QuickSheet devoted solely to Ancestry's different types of databases, available as both a Kindle edition and as a laminated folder for desktop use. (https://tinyurl.com/uhf5byf).

When the users of EE guides have questions, we try to answer them—software issues excluded. If you would identify the EE model you are trying to follow (by section number or page number) and then draft a citation for us to work with, we'd be happy to help you evaluate it or perfect it.

 

ToledoCLK:

I think you will find that most of the mainstream genealogical database programs offer a template that is suitable for documenting such records. That said, you really need to be able to formulate a citation manually in order to make the judgement call for yourself as to which is most applicable to your case. The exercise of trying to cobble together your best guess and posting it here for comment will definitely help you get there.

I should note that most programs also allow you to either make your own template or use exactly what you've developed by hand entered into a free-form template. In my experience, program-supplied re-usable templates don't usually produce an "ideal" EE citation in all cases. Knowing your own specific situation and making your own templates is worthwhile when you have many entries for a particular source. For just a few entries, the free-form route is often the best and will let you employ a citation that most closely follows the EE paradigm.

Hope this helps clarify things.