Citing Online Images - "citing" or "imaged from"

By Anonymous on Fri, 07/19/2013 - 16:33

Forums

I have a question with regards to citing online images.   On p. 605 (Online Databases and Images > First Reference Note > #2) of Evidence Explained, the words "imaged from" appear in place of "citing."   Are there times when one would be used instead of the other? Thank you,rootsjockey

Submitted byEEon Sat, 07/20/2013 - 09:57

Rootsjockey:

If we were software engineers creating citation templates, we would think in terms of data fields linked by "bridge words" and we might expect those "bridge words" (say, "citing" or "imaged from") to remain static from one citation to the next. The problem with that expectation is that the data elements are variable and the bridge words have to be variable also, in response to the circumstances. With every citation, once we string together the details for the essential data elements, we have to thoughtfully consider what the whole citation actually says.

Let's consider a comparison. EE's QuickCheck Model on p. 211 models a citation to a business website that offers digital images. There, after identifying the website, EE does use the word "citing" rather than "digitized from":

     ...  (http://www.springgrove.org/sg./genealogy/sg_genealogy_home.shtm : accessed 22 February 2009), card for Abram Jones, no. 9180, citing section 40, lot O, space 235.

By comparison, the example you cite (11.40, p. 605), which offers digital images of a NARA microfilm publication, reads this way:

      1. ... (www.ancestry.com : accessed 1 February 2009), John A. Shown (Co. K, 64th Ill. Inf.) index card; imaged from General Index to Pension Files, 1861–1934, T288 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives [n.d.], no roll number cited.

In the Abram Jones example, the card itself cites "section 40, lot O, space 235."  In the John A. Shown example, if we use the word "citing" in lieu of "imaged from," then we would be saying that the index card itself cites General Index to Pension Files, 1861–, 1934, T288 [etc.]  That would be an seriously misleading assertion. The card itself does not cite the microfilm on which that card appears. Therefore, between those elements of the citation (the card data and the source of the card), we have to use a verbal "bridge" that accurately states the situation.