[PAF] Non-member submission from [Rands7@aol.com]

["Ed Rogers" <ed.rogers@innernet.org>]

Subject: Re: [PAF] Need Help with Sources.
To: paf@innernet.org
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Thomas,
I hope this message doesn't confuse you, but my name is Richard Rands and I
was on the committee that compiled the Family History Documentation
Guidelines that Richard Halliday referred to in his response to your
question.

The crux of the issue you are facing is how to cross reference your hard
copy
documents with the source entries in your PAF database.  You have to first
decide on the most comfortable filing method for your hard copies.  As you
will find in the Guidelines, most people settle on one of three methods:
1. By record type.  For example, Census Records, Church Records, Cemetery
Records, etc.
2. By surname.  For example, all records for the Jones line.
3. By geographical location.  For example, all records from Pennsylvania.

There are more details about these filing methods in the Guideline booklet.

The next step is to build a Source List in your PAF database that
corresponds
to the same filing method you use for your hard copies.  You will not want
to
create a Source entry for every document in your file of hard copies.  That
will make your Source List much too long.  You should create a Source entry
for groups of documents that fall into the categories listed above.  For
example, if you are comfortable using method number one, document type, you
might have a section in your file cabinet for church records.  You would
then
have a Source entry in your Source List as follows:

Title:  Family Records: Lerman, Thomas B., Church records.

You can fill in the other Source entry fields as appropriate.  Each document
in your file of church records will have a number as you specified in your
message.  Each time you want to create a source citation to one of those
documents, you will link it to the Source List entry, Family Records:
Lerman,
Thomas B., Church records, and in the Film/Volume/Page Number field, you
would enter the document number.  You can describe the document in the
Citation comments field, you can enter the specific text that supports the
event you are documenting in the Citation Text field, and you can store an
image of the document in the Citation Image field.

Using this method, you will have a number of entries in your Source List
titled, Family Records, but they will all be in alphabetical order by family
name and document type.

As Richard Halliday recommended,  you should acquire a copy of the
Guidelines.

Richard Rands




> Richard,
>
>  Could you do me a big favor please? I am recently been collecting quite a
>  few documents and would like to start a filing system that will last me a
>  long time without having to change (if that is at all possible). Since if
>  appears that you have used several methods, I am curious if you can list
all
>  of the advantages and disadvantages for the different filing methods. I
do
>  not know much about any of them and would really like your opinions. With
>  the advantages and disadvantages, please list the name of the method (if
it
>  exists) and which you prefer and why.
>
>  Thank you,
>  Thomas


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