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Archiver > TMG > 2008-05 > 1209834844


From: "Darrell A. Martin" <>
Subject: Re: [TMG] Citation reference code proposal
Date: Sat, 03 May 2008 12:14:37 -0500
References: <mailman.2483.1209785098.4678.tmg@rootsweb.com> <481C91AF.6010507@nm.net><000501c8ad3d$97599560$c60cc020$@net>
In-Reply-To: <000501c8ad3d$97599560$c60cc020$@net>


Teresa Elliott wrote:
> Which is my point. Citations only print once now because there is only one
> place for them to print. If you allow multiple places for them to print, I
> don't see why you are only allowing them to print once. You are going to
> require me to enter the same source and CD twice if I want it to print
> twice, which to me is a waste of good time.
>
> Teresa Ghee Elliott

Hi, Teresa:

I believe that the term "citation" is defined, as used in TMG, as "the
use of a source as support for one specific assertion". Normally, "an
assertion" is a Tag. If that understanding is correct (if not, the rest
of this message is not going to help a bit), then the reason a citation
can only print in one "place" is, by definition, because it only
*exists* in one place. The use of the same source to support a different
assertion is, by definition, a different citation. That is true even if
all of the elements of the two citations are otherwise identical.

This gets confused a bit by the thinking that a citation *reference
number* (possibly not the correct term) in printed text is "a citation".
It is only a reference *to* a citation.

TMG manipulates citation reference numbers to conform to accepted style
practices, especially by combining them or by using "ibid". This is
correct and useful but doesn't help keep things clear in this discussion
[grin]. Same goes for embedded citations, which in terms of clarity are,
for me, even worse.

Darrell

--
Darrell A. Martin
a native Vermonter currently in exile in Illinois


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