We don’t like waiting! As family historians, we must learn patience. We need to take our time when doing our research, following the steps we learned in the Methodology courses, and carefully examining each new clue or document. We start with what we know and document each generation before moving back to the previous generation. Making assumptions and jumping to the next generation impulsively will cost us valuable time. Learn patience. Work methodically. Be thorough.
Waiting is not foreign to genealogists. We know that some research questions will not be answered quickly or easily. We know that new areas of research with new record types will require our time to learn and understand what is and is not included. We know that a family mystery is not solved in an evening, and our research is never really “finished.” We learn patience, and perseverance.
We also like surprizes. When we make a discovery, no matter how small, we celebrate! We like puzzles. Each clue we find leads to making the “big picture” clearer. We like a challenge. If we hit a Brick Wall in our research, we will work to find the solution. Whether it takes learning about another resource, or taking another course to learn a new skill, we will work until we figure it out.
Be patient. Follow the research principles that you have already learned and work through it. If you need to research a new topic, see if it is in our list of courses, and then add it to your list of electives. We want our students to succeed in their projects.
Our students at The National Institute for Genealogical Studiesare preparing for the last month of courses for 2021. December is a busy month for many. Schedules and outside expectations compete for our attention. Be sure to plan your month carefully. Self-paced education takes perseverance and focus. We are here to help you succeed in meeting your genealogical education goals.
The Holiday season is upon us – filled with Family Time, Traditions and Memories. It is a time to gather with extended family members and share memories of years gone by. There will be well-known family traditions mixed in with new traditions – welcoming new family members to our celebrations. It’s a good time to take note of changes in our families over the past year of 2021. As family historians, we record the BMDs as we receive the news, but the holidays are usually a time to welcome those new cousins and in-laws into your family circle.
It’s a time for stories of, “Remember when….?” and photos! Take lots of photos, especially of family groups and elderly family members. And then there is the food! Traditional recipes with Grandma’s chocolate fudge – made only as she does, and Great-Aunt Mable’s dressing recipe. Be sure to record these. Find out why certain foods are served, and why these traditions were formed, and carried on year after year. Record them and preserve them as the treasures they truly are.
Make December a month to remember! Prepare for Family Time, for sharing Memories, and for exploring your holiday Traditions. Record what you learn and document the new stories. The online education you are pursuing to preserve your family history will not only benefit your immediate family, but it will bring together extended family members as well. You may even discover some new cousins!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The National Institute for Genealogical Studies offers quality online education with over 230+ courses to choose from. Some of our courses are topic/country-specific, or provide insight into research methodology, while others are skill-building courses to maximize your research time. The first Monday of a new month means another rotation of courses will start. Most courses feature 6 modules over an 8-week period, easily adapted to most busy schedules. Many courses have been bundled into packages to provide discount options. Take a look at our course calendar and see which courses will accomplish your genealogical education goals. Register today! —————————————————- Visit our website for a complete list of online courses offered by The National Institute for Genealogical Studies. Check our Course Calendar here. Follow us on Social Media: Blog, Facebook, Twitter,Pinterest. *Note: Please be aware our social media accounts are monitored regularly, but NOT 24/7. If you have any questions, please contact the office directly.
As you pursue your family history research, you will at some point, encounter difficult-to-read handwriting on a document of interest. Therefore, transcriptions should become a regular part of your research projects. Transcription Skills are developed by transcribing; there is no shortcut. Transcribing documents gives opportunity to make a clear and easy-to-read transcription for future reference and analysis. The National Institute for Genealogical Studies offers a variety of course topics for developing these skills through record groups from various countries.
To become familiar with the handwriting of a certain time period, and in particular location, take some time to find out what script was being used. It may surprize some new researchers that not only were there different handwriting styles, but also scripts used only in certain settings. Finding these general rules will save a lot of time.
Our Basic Level course: Skills: Transcribing, Abstracting & Extractingis a great place to start to develop your Transcribing Skills. As you go deeper and further back in time, you will encounter unfamiliar text and handwriting scripts. Our Advanced Level course: Palaeography: Reading & Understanding Historical Documentswill help you to meet these challenges and to eventually master the handwriting you will encounter in historical documents.
If you have Scottish Research, you will need to spend time exploring this website: Scottish Hanwriting.com, hosted by the National Records of Scotland (NRS). It is an online resource that provides tutorials for palaeography in the Scottish documents you will need to access.
In our Scottish Records Certificate program, we have courses that will examine topics requiring you to develop solid transcription skills. Here are a few examples.
Remember – there are no shortcuts. But the more you practice, the easier it will become. Transcription Skills are learned by practicing. Become familiar with the handwriting of the time period and location where you are researching. Take the time to develop your skills and then discover what is really in those documents! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ As researchers, we have found that there are many skills we need to employ in order to achieve success in our future research projects. Transcription Tuesday will share guidelines and practical suggestions to help our readers to develop the skills for making effective transcriptions, abstracts, and extractions.
The National Institute for Genealogical Studies has two final virtual meetings scheduled for tomorrow, Saturday, November 27th. Hope you will join us, if applicable to your studies and/or research. Details are outlined below.
You can enhance your learning experience by joining a virtual meeting regarding your studies and asking questions. Even if you don’t have questions, you are welcome to just listen, lurk and learn! We don’t mind in the least.
Remember, these Virtual Meetings are NOT mandatory. They are a fun and interactive way to ask questions about the courses and/or research at a relevant session.
***IMPORTANT*** Adobe Connect information and instructions are available on our website. If you are experiencing any issues when attending a virtual meeting, please obtain the INSTRUCTIONS document in PDF format near the top right of our Virtual Learning Room page on our website.
Go to www.genealogicalstudies.com In top menu bar, select Information. In the dropdown menu, select Virtual Learning Room. Click on Instructions near the top right (you may have to scroll over to the right).
The PDF document has Adobe Connect information, Troubleshooting steps, and Adobe Connect Technical Support contacts. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ***CHECK SCHEDULED TIME IN YOUR TIME ZONE*** Go to www.genealogicalstudies.com In top menu bar, select Information. In the dropdown menu, select Virtual Learning Room. Click the virtual meeting name in list (a new window will open). Click on Check Time to see the time in your local time zone. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Analysis & Skills Mentoring Program-Part 1 – ARTICLE REVIEW with Gena Philibert-Ortega MA, MAR This Virtual Meeting is more appropriate for students registered in this course. Please read the article “Heritage Books and Family Lore: A Jackson Test in Missouri and Idaho” by Connie Lenzen (NGSQ Vol. 86, No. 1, March, 1998). Follow the directions found in your course material. Saturday, November 27th at 11 AM Eastern MEETING LOCATION: https://genealogicalstudies.adobeconnect.com/asarticle1/
STUDENT LOUNGE Pop into the Student Lounge for a genealogy coffee break with your fellow students. Saturday, November 27th at 1 PM Eastern MEETING LOCATION: https://genealogicalstudies.adobeconnect.com/lounge/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TO JOIN A VIRTUAL MEETING, simply click on the URL, or enter the URL provided in your browser. Alternatively, you can download the Adobe Connect Desktop App (see instructions above) to attend the virtual meetings. When joining a session, a USERNAME or PASSWORD is NOT REQUIRED. Please type in your first name & surname initial, along with your geographical location; then click Enter as a Guest. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ LISTEN ON THE GO Want to listen to the virtual meeting, but will not be at your computer? No problem! You can download the FREE Adobe Connect Mobile App from the Apple App Store (for iPod/iPhone/iPad), or from the Google Play Store (for Android). ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ See the calendar of future Virtual Meetings sessions at www.genealogicalstudies.com; in the top menu, choose INFORMATION, and then VIRTUAL LEARNING ROOM in the drop-down menu.
If you have any questions regarding the Virtual Meetings and/or the schedule, please send an email to degroot@genealogicalstudies.com.
Transcriptions are a regular part of our research projects, and the key to recording every piece of information in a genealogical document. Transcribing Skills are only honed by consistent practice – studying and transcribing a specific collection of documents gives opportunity to become familiar with the handwriting of a certain time period, and in particular, a specific clerk or registrar. The National Institute for Genealogical Studies provides opportunity for developing these skills through course assignments based on a wide variety of documents, including record groups from various countries.
As we are researching, we encounter many handwriting scripts, as well as individual styles. Take your time when studying a document. Look beyond just your entry of interest. Review the whole document. Check the same letters in other words on the same page. If the heading is difficult to read, browse the previous pages, as well as the following pages to see if you can find a clearer entry. By studying these entries, you will become familiar with the handwriting.
Some entries are written in beautiful script, with wonderful flourishes, making them a pleasure to browse. Others we struggle to decipher. Isabella may stump some transcribers for a while, but eventually, we conquer the challenge. Signatures can present another dilemma to transcribe, as they often are stylized and do not always match the rest of the handwriting on the document. Try to study several signatures to verify. Finding the signature for your ancestor is a good way to confirm your document belongs to the same person. It can even be used to distinguish between two or more individuals with the same name. Be sure to save those signatures for future use. Vital records are good for comparing similar names and places, and also individual letters as the same person is recording several entries for that location.
As our research takes us farther back into earlier records, the handwriting can become more difficult. American Colonial Town Records are a treasure trove of information, but it takes time to be comfortable enough to transcribe the original documents. Some entries are simply one line as the marriage record of Ezra Perry & Elizabeth Burge in 1651 (1); or the death record for Rebecca Perry in 1738 (2). The 1729/30 will of Ezra Perry (3) will take patience to transcribe, but is good practice. Creating a simple cheat sheet with the alphabet used often proves to be very helpful. A full transcription will save time in the future as the will is abstracted and analyzed.
Our Advanced Level course: Palaeography: Reading & Understanding Historical Documentswill challenge you to master not only the handwriting you will encounter in historical documents, but provides numerous assignments and practical exercises in the workbook for understanding the content, especially the archaic terms used. Once familiar, you will become more efficient with deciphering these wonderful colonial documents.
If you are just beginning to transcribe your historical documents, consider registering for our Basic Level course: Skills: Transcribing, Abstracting & Extractingto develop your Transcribing Skills. The examples and practical assignments will guide you through the process of learning the necessary tools to unlock your ancestors’ documents, as you practice your new skills. These two courses are applicable to every aspect of genealogical research, and are compulsory for every Certificate package that we offer. They are highly recommended as necessary foundational courses for every family researcher.
Remember – there are no shortcuts. Transcription Skills are only learned by practicing. Becoming familiar with the handwriting of the time period you are researching – it will be a valuable asset. Take the time to develop your skills and become an experienced transcriber. You will be glad you did.
Citations: (1) Births, 1803-1843 Deaths, 1803-1843 Intentions of Marriages 2nd Marriages, 1813-1837;Ancestry.com. Massachusetts, U.S., Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Marriage for Ezra Perry & Elizabeth Burge, 12 Feb 1651, Sandwich, Massachusetts : accessed 21 Nov 2021 (2) Births, Marriages, Deaths Earmarks 1671-1815; Ancestry.com. Massachusetts, U.S., Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Death record for Rebecca Perry, widow of Ezra Perry, died April 16th 1738, Sandwich, Massachusetts : accessed 21 Nov 2021 (3) Probate Records, 1686-1894; Author: Massachusetts. Probate Court (Barnstable County); Probate Place: Barnstable, Massachusetts (Probate Records, Vol 4-5, 1721-1741); Ancestry.com. Massachusetts, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1635-1991[database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. Will for Ezra Perry Senr of Sandwich, Barnstable, Massachusetts : accessed 21 Nov 2021 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ As researchers, we have found that there are many skills we need to employ in order to achieve success in our future research projects. Transcription Tuesday will share guidelines and practical suggestions to help our readers to develop the skills for making effective transcriptions, abstracts, and extractions.
The National Institute for Genealogical Studies has a several virtual meetings scheduled for this week. Hope you will join us, if applicable to your studies and/or research. Details are outlined below.
You can enhance your learning experience by joining a virtual meeting regarding your studies and asking questions. Even if you don’t have questions, you are welcome to just listen, lurk and learn! We don’t mind in the least.
Remember, these Virtual Meetings are NOT mandatory. They are a fun and interactive way to ask questions about the courses and/or research at a relevant session.
***IMPORTANT*** Adobe Connect information and instructions are available on our website. If you are experiencing any issues when attending a virtual meeting, please obtain the INSTRUCTIONS document in PDF format near the top right of our Virtual Learning Room page on our website.
Go to www.genealogicalstudies.com In top menu bar, select Information. In the dropdown menu, select Virtual Learning Room. Click on Instructions near the top right (you may have to scroll over to the right).
The PDF document has Adobe Connect information, Troubleshooting steps, and Adobe Connect Technical Support contacts. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ***CHECK SCHEDULED TIME IN YOUR TIME ZONE*** Go to www.genealogicalstudies.com In top menu bar, select Information. In the dropdown menu, select Virtual Learning Room. Click the virtual meeting name in list (a new window will open). Click on Check Time to see the time in your local time zone. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Analysis & Skills Mentoring Program – GENERAL DISCUSSION: Navigate Analysis & Skills Courses with Gena Philibert-Ortega MA, MAR This Virtual Meeting is more appropriate for students registered in these courses. The instructor will be available to provide guidance and answer questions regarding any aspect of the courses. Tuesday, November 23rd at 7 PM Eastern MEETING LOCATION: https://genealogicalstudies.adobeconnect.com/asgeneral/
Methodology: The “How To” Courses with Gena Philibert-Ortega MA, MAR Wednesday, November 24th at 8 PM Eastern MEETING LOCATION: https://genealogicalstudies.adobeconnect.com/methodology/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TO JOIN A VIRTUAL MEETING, simply click on the URL, or enter the URL provided in your browser. Alternatively, you can download the Adobe Connect Desktop App (see instructions above) to attend the virtual meetings. When joining a session, a USERNAME or PASSWORD is NOT REQUIRED. Please type in your first name & surname initial, along with your geographical location; then click Enter as a Guest. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ LISTEN ON THE GO Want to listen to the virtual meeting, but will not be at your computer? No problem! You can download the FREE Adobe Connect Mobile App from the Apple App Store (for iPod/iPhone/iPad), or from the Google Play Store (for Android). ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ See the calendar of future Virtual Meetings sessions at www.genealogicalstudies.com; in the top menu, choose INFORMATION, and then VIRTUAL LEARNING ROOM in the drop-down menu.
If you have any questions regarding the Virtual Meetings and/or the schedule, please send an email to degroot@genealogicalstudies.com.
Transcriptions are key to recording every piece of information in a genealogical document. Transcribing Skills are crucial for accurate analysis and therefore, our students at The National Institute for Genealogical Studies are introduced to these concepts in our basic level courses. It is imperative for all researchers to acquire this core skill.
In last week’s post, we looked at making a Census Extraction, which is an exact copy “extracted” from the census page(s). Pre-printed forms help to ensure we do not miss any information and check each column to gather every clue the census entry can give us. This week, we are going to look at making an Abstraction.
Abstraction Definition: An Abstraction is an abbreviation of the original content in a document. It removes all the legal jargon or “boilerplate” language, but ensures that all relevant details within the document are kept. Mary Campbell Bell in Professional Genealogy sums it up this way: “Abstracts are summaries that record all important detail from a whole document.”
General Rules for Abstracting
Begin all abstracts with a source citation.
DO NOT change any wording or tense.
DO NOT change any punctuation (do not add or remove).
DO NOT correct or alter the spelling of words. Keep the spelling true to the document, including names and places.
Take your time to work through the whole record to ensure you have not missed any information.
In art, an abstract painting may look nothing like the original model; however, an abstract in genealogy is very precise, leaving no relevant detail out. They do not replace an actual transcription – that is always the first task. Once a complete transcription of a document is completed, make a working copy and start crossing out the extra words until you have just the details.
Save your working copy and make a duplicate copy. Then delete all of the words you have crossed out. Reread what remains. Does it make sense? Compare it to your working copy. Is there something you should have kept? Do you need to trim it down further? Continue until your abstract only contains the relevant details. A quick summary of the original document.
An Abstract can be in several forms. It may be a list, perhaps in point form; or displayed as a table or chart; or written as a narrative in paragraph form. It does not contain any corrections to the original information; nothing is added, even if it is known by the transcriber. No analysis is included in the abstract. It should be a summary of the original, nothing more. Anyone reading the abstract should instantly see what was contained in that document. If more clarification is needed for analysis, then the full transcription can be consulted for context and further examination.
For more details, consider registering for our Basic Level course: Skills: Transcribing, Abstracting & Extracting to develop your Transcribing Skills. The examples and practical assignments will guide you through the process of learning the necessary tools to unlock your older documents, as you practice your new skills. Our Advanced Level course: Palaeography: Reading & Understanding Historical Documentswill challenge you to master not only the handwriting you will encounter in historical documents, but provides numerous assignments and practical exercises in the workbook for understanding the content, especially the archaic terms used. These two courses are applicable to every aspect of genealogical research, and are compulsory for every Certificate package that we offer. They are highly recommended.
Remember – Abstractions are summaries of the relevant genealogical information found in a document. They are short and concise, and include all of the information, making it easily accessible at a glance. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ As researchers, we have found that there are many skills we need to employ in order to achieve success in our future research projects. Transcription Tuesday will share guidelines and practical suggestions to help our readers to develop the skills for making effective transcriptions, abstracts, and extractions.
We have a Student Presentation scheduled for Wednesday, November 17th. Please join us to show your fellow student support!
The National Institute for Genealogical Studies course, Lecturing Skills Including Preparation, teaches the skills needed to present genealogical-related lectures. It is a “hands on” course where the student presents a lecture via our Virtual Learning Room. We invite you to participate and hear your fellow student. This is a 30-minute lecture, followed by a 10-minute Question & Answer period, and a short poll to provide the student with feedback on their skills.
This is an excellent learning experience for all involved–the student presenter and the audience! We all can learn new and interesting tidbits, even from topics that are not in our area of research. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Location Research – A Necessary Step!” presented by Michele Hoogewind Wednesday, November 17th at 6:30 PM Eastern Presentation Description: Researching the locations that your ancestors lived in can help you clearly and quickly identify what records exist, where to locate them, and put that information into historical context. Join me to learn how …
Presenter: Michele Hoogewind has been researching her family for the past 5 years. Her area of interest is utilizing software and tools to organize family data.
MEETING LOCATION: https://genealogicalstudies.adobeconnect.com/lecturing/ (Note: “Enter as a Guest”) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We would like to thank Kathy Holland for hosting these student presentations. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ***CHECK SCHEDULED TIME IN YOUR TIME ZONE*** Go to https://www.genealogicalstudies.com/. In the top menu bar, select Information. In the dropdown menu, select Virtual Learning Room. Click on the virtual meeting name in the list. (A new window will open.) Click on Check Time to see the time in your local time zone. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ***IMPORTANT*** Adobe Connect information and instructions are available on our website. If you are experiencing any issues when attending a virtual meeting, please obtain the INSTRUCTIONS document in PDF format near the top right of our Virtual Learning Room page on our website.
Go to www.genealogicalstudies.com. In top menu bar, select Information. In the dropdown menu, select Virtual Learning Room. Click on Instructions near the top right (you may have to scroll over to the right).
The PDF document has Adobe Connect information, Troubleshooting steps, and Adobe Connect Technical Support contacts. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TO JOIN A VIRTUAL MEETING, simply click on the URL or enter the URL provided in your browser. Alternatively, you can download the Adobe Connect Desktop App (see instructions above) to attend the virtual meetings. When joining a session, a USERNAME or PASSWORD is NOT REQUIRED. Please type in your first name & surname initial, along with your geographical location; then click Enter as a Guest. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ LISTEN ON THE GO Want to listen to the virtual meeting, but will not be at your computer? No problem! You can download the FREE Adobe Connect Mobile App from the Apple App Store (for iPod/iPhone/iPad) or from the Google Play Store (for Android). ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ See the calendar for future Virtual Meetings sessions here.
If you have not attended a Virtual Meeting before, read the Instructions. If this URL does not open, please go to www.genealogicalstudies.com, click on Information in the top menu bar, and then Virtual Learning Room in the drop-down menu. The link to the Instructions (in PDF format) will be at the top right of the page (you may need to scroll over to the right side of the page).
If you have any questions regarding the Virtual Meetings and/or the schedule, please send an email to degroot@genealogicalstudies.com.
Sue de Groot, PLCGS National Institute for Genealogical Studies —————————————————- The National Institute for Genealogical Studies – leaders in genealogy education since 1997. For more information on the over 230 courses that we offer to our students, visit http://www.genealogicalstudies.com.
The National Institute for Genealogical Studies has a several virtual meetings scheduled for this week, as well as a Student Presentation. Hope you will join us, if applicable to your studies and/or research. Details are outlined below.
You can enhance your learning experience by joining a virtual meeting regarding your studies and asking questions. Even if you don’t have questions, you are welcome to just listen, lurk and learn! We don’t mind in the least.
Remember, these Virtual Meetings are NOT mandatory. They are a fun and interactive way to ask questions about the courses and/or research at a relevant session.
***IMPORTANT*** New Adobe Connect information and instructions are available on our website. If you are experiencing any issues when attending a virtual meeting, please obtain the INSTRUCTIONS document in PDF format near the top right of our Virtual Learning Room page on our website.
Go to www.genealogicalstudies.com In top menu bar, select Information. In the dropdown menu, select Virtual Learning Room. Click on Instructions near the top right (you may have to scroll over to the right).
The PDF document has Adobe Connect information, Troubleshooting steps, and Adobe Connect Technical Support contacts. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ***CHECK SCHEDULED TIME IN YOUR TIME ZONE*** Go to www.genealogicalstudies.com In top menu bar, select Information. In the dropdown menu, select Virtual Learning Room. Click the virtual meeting name in list (a new window will open). Click on Check Time to see the time in your local time zone. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lecturing Skills – Student Presentation with host Kathy Holland Student Presenter: Michele Hoogewind, Topic: Location Research-A Necessary Step! Description: Researching the locations that your ancestors lived in can help you clearly and quickly identify what records exist, where to locate them, and put that information into historical context. Join me to learn how… Wednesday, November 17th at 6:30 PM Eastern LOCATION: https://genealogicalstudies.adobeconnect.com/lecturing/
Eastern European Records courses with Lisa Alzo Thursday, November 18th at 3 PM Eastern LOCATION: https://genealogicalstudies.adobeconnect.com/easteuro/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TO JOIN A VIRTUAL MEETING, simply click on the URL, or enter the URL provided in your browser. Alternatively, you can download the Adobe Connect Desktop App (see instructions above) to attend the virtual meetings. When joining a session, a USERNAME or PASSWORD is NOT REQUIRED. Please type in your first name & surname initial, along with your geographical location; then click Enter as a Guest. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ LISTEN ON THE GO Want to listen to the virtual meeting, but will not be at your computer? No problem! You can download the FREE Adobe Connect Mobile App from the Apple App Store (for iPod/iPhone/iPad), or from the Google Play Store (for Android). ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ See the calendar of future Virtual Meetings sessions at www.genealogicalstudies.com; in the top menu, choose INFORMATION, and then VIRTUAL LEARNING ROOM in the drop-down menu.
If you have any questions regarding the Virtual Meetings and/or the schedule, please send an email to degroot@genealogicalstudies.com.
Transcriptions are needed in all genealogical research. Transcribing Skills are included in the basic level courses for our students at The National Institute for Genealogical Studies. All researchers must strive to acquire this core skill. There is no way around it. There are no shortcuts. We all must develop these skills and increase our effectiveness as researchers.
In last week’s post, we looked at finding Census Names with a few transcription tips. This week, we are continuing to look at transcribing census records by making a Census Extraction.
Extraction Definition:An Extract is when you pull out only parts of the information in an original document. The extracting process is normally used for listings, such as censuses, inventories, tax or voters’ lists, etc., where there could be information about one person or family amongst many others.
When making an extraction, always start with the full source citation for the original document. This is especially imperative when you are removing any information from its source as it is so easy to lose track of where you found it. How many times have you photocopied a page from a book without the reference and later could not remember where you found it? Be sure to include all of the details, such as page number, household number, etc., so that information can be located again at a later time.
Remember – Extractions are still a Transcription, and therefore, they must be a true and accurate reproduction of the written original. Always include all of the column headings. To make this process easier, you can use a pre-printed form to record all of the entries. This will ensure that you have not skipped any information. Record any remarks or notations added to the entry.
Make sure you include all of the information for the whole household. There can be more than one family living in that house, as well as other people. Examples of others could be boarders or lodgers, teachers, clergy, servants, etc. Include all of them in your extraction. There could be a connection that you discover at a later time. They will be part of their FAN Club.
Watch for Relationships. These are always related to the person listed as the Head of Household at the top of the list. You may glean clues to maiden names by noting a mother-in-law or brother-in-law. A sister with a different surname will reveal her married name. A widow listed as the Head indicates that her husband has died and you should look for a death record since the last census where he was listed. Sometimes a son will be listed as the new Head of Household with mother listed further down. Be careful to identify his children and his siblings accurately. Step-children may be mixed in with the other children; this indicates a second marriage. Make note of all relationships wherever possible.
Census household information may be split between pages. If the entry starts at the bottom of the page, always look on the next page; if it starts at the top of the page, look on the previous page. Find the Head of Household and continue until the next Head is listed. Include both page numbers in your source citation, but record your census extraction as one complete household entry. Each household should be recorded on their own census form.
Remember – Census Extractions are Transcriptions – an exact copy of one Household. They aren’t difficult, but you need to be thorough. Use census forms – they are useful tools and help you to record all of the information without going back to access the full census record for the whole community. By making a census extraction a household for each census year, you can then use them to document that family group every ten years, and analyze them over a certain time period.
Transcriptions are a valuable research tool, which every genealogist and family historian should be using regularly. You don’t need to be totally dependent on other transcribers. Learn to make your own transcriptions. PRACTICE transcribing your own documents. It is the only way to become more familiar with handwriting. And the Bonus is – you will become more familiar with the documents you are working with. You will see things you overlooked before, because it forces you to write out every single word. To further build your transcribing skills, check out our courses below. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ As researchers, we have found that there are many skills we need to employ in order to achieve success in our future research projects. Transcription Tuesday will share guidelines and practical suggestions to help our readers to develop the skills for making effective transcriptions, abstracts, and extractions. Transcription Tuesday previous blog post Transcription Tuesday Index ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ These three core courses demonstrate Transcription principles. They are offered monthly, beginning on the first Monday of every month: Register today! Methodology-Part 2: Organizing and Skill-Building (Basic Level) Skills: Transcribing, Abstracting & Extracting (Basic Level) Palaeography: Reading & Understanding Historical Documents (Advanced) —————————————————- Visit our website for a complete list of online courses offered by The National Institute for Genealogical Studies. Check our Course Calendar here. Follow us on Social Media: Blog, Facebook, Twitter,Pinterest. *Note: Please be aware our social media accounts are monitored regularly, but NOT 24/7. If you have any questions, please contact the office directly.
