Skillbuilding: Citation Placement

From OnBoard - Newsletter of the BCG
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Elizabeth W. Schmidt, "Citation Placement," OnBoard 6 (May 2000): 14.

No genealogist ever argues with the fact that documentation of all research findings is one of the most important requirements of the profession. The skillbuilding discussions during conference lectures, in classrooms, and in the published genealogical guides stress the importance of full citation for the source of all documentation in any research project.

Despite the admonitions of lecturers, teachers, and writers, theory and practice often do not find a common meeting ground. Perhaps a combination of human lassitude and the invention of machines that ease the burden of the researcher have contributed to the problem.

The introduction of the photocopy machine opened a whole new venue for researchers. Replacing hours and hours of painstaking transcribing or abstracting, the simple push of a button produced quality copies of original documents. The fantastic machines, however, did not often produce citation services for the individual document pages. It was still the responsibility of the researcher to record all possible references for the document.

The advent of computers has added a new dimension to record retrieval. An increasing number of repositories are making their collections available through online services. Applying a bit of pressure to the print key of a home or office computer easily provides a cascade of records for the researcher. These electronically transmitted pages can be focused to fit the computer paper and are often more legible than the originals. Despite the fact that another modern marvel has been developed that enhances the ability of the genealogists to gather information, the computer copy of the document seldom includes a citation for each page. The researcher remains as the vital link between the document and the source.

In the May 1995 issue of OnBoard, page 11, the subject of citation was emphasized in an article about application strategies in connection with BCG certification. The suggestions offered are worthy of reconsideration. “The successful applicant…includes full citations (book, page, file number, repository) on all photocopies even when attached to a report.” The rationale given was “…documents and reports become separated; if the full citation appears only in the report, users of the document will have to redo the research to identify the record….”

To bring the subject of citation of documents, especially photo-reproduced or electronically obtained documents, a step further, it is necessary to consider the location of the citation on the document. Many libraries, archives, and other repositories will stamp the reverse side of the photocopied document giving the name of the facility and then insert pertinent information for the individual document, by hand. Unfortunately, when the document is reproduced by a researcher, the citation, on the reverse side, is often not copied. The identity is thereby lost. The best way to guarantee continuity of source information is to place the full citation on the face of the document. No matter how many generations of copies are generated, the origin of the document will be retained. It may be necessary to use a larger size paper or change the scale to include the citation on the front of the document, but the results will be well worth the effort.

There are a number of simple ways to record the information needed to preserve the identity of a document. If a margin is available, sources can be written, typed, or otherwise placed on the face of the document wherever space can be found. When margins are lacking, a label containing the citation could be affixed to an empty space. No margins and no empty spaces on the face of the document suggest an adjustment to paper size or format in order to accommodate a full citation.

The human factor in citation omission is more difficult to surmount than compensating for the shortcomings of machines. While modern inventions have dramatically enhanced research capabilities, it continues to be the responsibility of the genealogist-researcher to insure proper citations on all documents. The successful applicant for certification or renewal will keep in mind the importance of full citation for each document.

Elisabeth W. Schmidt, CALS

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