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From:
Subject: Re: [APG] citing soundexes
Date: Tue, 11 Dec 2001 10:58:44 EST
About Soundexes,
Taken by itself, this statement in a report ... "The 1920 soundex was
examined, but the ancestor was not found," ... is not very informative. It
would be informative if it were cited. A footnote/citation for the statement
will be helpful to document the scope of the 1920 search.
In addition to the citation telling the reader where the soundex can be
found, a good soundex citation would also
1) indicate which soundex year and which state(s) has been reviewed,
2) indicate the scope of the search.
Soundex citation can read:
1920 U.S. Federal Census Soundex, Illinois, Code T512, All cards for J., Jim,
James Thompson examined for male, aged 27 years and born Illinois, FHL Film
1824745.
I put the citation in this order - year, state, soundex code, individual
being sought, etc. because it is roughly in the order of increasing detail.
First, this citation tells the reader that the 1920 soundex (not the 1900 or
1880) was searched, second, it lists the state with that year, then the code
within that state and then the individual within that code.
It might be the case that the next genealogist comes along, reads the report
and thinks "Hmm, it's pretty clear that this genealogist did not check for a
James Thomson (without a 'p' in the last name), so I'll go back and check the
1920 Illinois for the T525 soundex code, as well."
Then, bingo, the ancestral Jim *Thomson* and his family are found in Peoria.
So, this case is solved by the help of both genealogists - the first one
because he/she cited the scope of their search so that work did not have to
be repeated, and the second one because he/she had enough wits or experience
to know that Thompson and Thomson are frequently interchangeable but they
each have completely different soundex codes.
So, I usually cite negative searches, as well as positive searches. This
practice helps leave a distinct research trail for whomever might come along
next to research the family. Citing the scope and source of negative searches
can help the next genealogist decide where to go next to solve the problem or
what other sources to examine. It reduces the likelihood of any duplication
of effort, thus, it is more efficient in the long haul.
Regards,
Natalie Cottrill
ProGenealogists, Inc.
PO Box 900188
Sandy, UT 84090-0188
(801) 699-9470
(801) 947-9914 - fax 24 hours
http://www.progenealogists.com/
ProGenealogists, Inc. (c) 2001. All rights reserved.
In a message dated 12/11/01 7:29:05 AM Mountain Standard Time,
writes:
> Subj:Re: [APG] citing soundexes
> Date:12/11/01 7:29:05 AM Mountain Standard Time
> From:<A HREF="mailto:"></A>
> To:<A HREF="mailto:"></A>
> Sent from the Internet
>
>
>
> I am a little courious of why you would cite a Soundex record and not the
> actual census. There is so much more info in the census itself, unless, of
>
> course, the actual census is unreadable.
>
> Julia Coldren-Walker
>
>
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> The Association of Professional Genealogists
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