U.S. Social Security Applications and Claims Index 1936-2007

By Anonymous on Fri, 01/06/2017 - 20:17

Forums

May I please ask how you would cite a U.S. Social Security Applications and Claims Index 1936-2007?

I found this document listed on Ancestry.com's website as an index and would like to use this in my ICAPGen four generations paper. 

I looked in your book Evidence Explained but did not find this specific document listed. 

Best Regards,

Amy

Submitted byEEon Sat, 01/07/2017 - 11:08

Ah, Amy, if EE were to try to cite every record group in existence, it would be the size of the OED--and would still fail that mission!

Basically, you are citing a database at a website. There are several approaches you could take for finding models.

  • If you have EE's 3d edition, turn to the QuickStart pages and look for "Website with multiple offerings." (But do read the entire QuickStart guide, so you'll understand the principles behind the model.)
  • Beyond that, EE has dozens of models that cite Ancestry.com databases--including a QuickCheck model at p. 166 that explains the essential elements. You can use that or any of the other Ancestry database models and simply plug in the data that is specific to the database of interest and the record of your interest. 
  • If you'll look up "Social Security records" in the index, it will point you to 11.55, where you'll find an example of citing the Social Security database at FamilySearch. Again, you can use that model and simply substitute Ancestry's database title and Ancestry's website data for the FamilySearch data.

The most important point to remember is this: Using any citation guide to look up a ready-made model for a specific set of records will, in most cases, be an exercise in frustration. The odds are overwhelming that you won't find a model for that one set of records under the exact conditions that you are accessing them. But, regardless of what citation style we follow, if we take the time to learn the basic principles, we will be able to create our own good citations for anything we use. EE puts those basic principles in the QuickStart guide and the first two chapters.

Best wishes,

Submitted bypetty65on Thu, 06/24/2021 - 10:15

Clarification please - year used in the citation

In the book, section 11.55, there is a single year listed.  Is this the death year of the person?  I know this sound like a silly question but the birth is usually listed as well.

 

Thanks,

Petty

Submitted byEEon Wed, 07/07/2021 - 08:29

Petty, the year that is cited for the "U.S. Social Security Applications and Claims Index 1936-2007" (which is an index to claims for death-benefits) would be the year of death—i.e., the year the record was created.

One easy way to clarify points like this in our mind is to remember that citations are to record information about the record, not information about the person.