FamilySearch Wiki:WikiProject FamilySearch Historical Records/Guidelines for Articles

'We need your help! Below is a style guide to assist you in editing and authoring desciptions of wiki articles that describe FamilySearch digital collections.'

Some style notes:
'FamilySearch Collections are currently found in the Record Search pilot site, it's identical twin in the FamilySearch Labs site and in the beta site also found in FamilySearch Labs. The collections are entitled "Record Search" in the pilot and labs site, but "Historical Collections" in the new version of FamilySearch.org that is now known as FSbeta.'

''Wiki articles that are created to describe FamilySearch Collections are written to assist wiki users who may or may not be genealogical experts. The articles should be written in a basic languge style, using simple words. Descriptions of each section of a Family Search Collection are listed below. With the exception of the title, the headers represent the format used by the User Guidance Unit to create wiki articles.''

Title
The title of the wiki article reflects the title of the collection(s) in Record Search.

Include in the title:

The name of the locality, beginning with the largest jurisdiction and ending with the smallest jurisdiction. Country names should be listed, with the exception of the United States and Canada. Example: Nicaragua, Managua Department Civil Registration Records.

Dates are added for census records only. Example: Florida State 1885 Census

Record type and name of the denomination or specific religious organization. Examples: Illinois Belleville Catholic Church Records. British Columbia Births

Add the phrase (FamilySearch Historical Records) to the end of the title in parenthesis. Example: England, Durham Diocese Marriage Bonds and Allegations (FamilySearch Historical Records). This phrase distinguishes articles that describe specific Record Search/Historical Collections from other wiki articles.

FamilySearch Collection Template
Members of the User Guidance Unit will add the required Collection Identification number to the FamilySearch Collection Template: FamilySearch Collection. The template brands the article as describing a collection from the FamilySearch website and will create links to digital collections. The template format allows for up to 9 collections links.

Contributor Invite Template
Please add the Contributor invite template to encourage wiki user participation:

Style Guide link
The Style Guide link takes wiki editors to this wiki article. Please type the phrase “For guidelines to use in creating wiki articles that describe collections of images and indexes produced by FamilySearch, see:”. followed by the link itself, using the phrase: “FamilySearch Wiki:Guidelines for FamilySearch Collections pages” for the link: Example:

For guidelines to use in creating wiki articles that describe collections of images and indexes produced by FamilySearch, see: FamilySearch Wiki: Guidelines for FamilySearch Collections pages

Foreign Language Title
List the title of the collection in the language of the records.

Collection Time Period
Describe the dates covered by the collection.

How to Use the Record
Explain to wiki users how the records can be used to help them find out more about their ancestors. Describe research strategies that are helpful when dealing with the collection. Explain what the next step would generally be in order to follow on the information obtained in the collection. If describing an index, describe how to find the records that were indexed in the collection.

Record Description
Describe the physical state of the originals, including:

water damage torn pages bleed-through fire damage

Describe the record types included in the collection, the language of the record's text and the format used in the records.

Record Content
This section includes sub-headers in bold text for the major record types found within the collection. A phrase similar to "Most (record type) contain the following important genealogical facts, such as:" This phrase should be followed by the significant genealogical data found in the records, usually in the form of a bulleted list. Some collections contain several types of records and may need a list for each record type.

Sample Images
Samples of images from the collection will be added to this section in galleries. Foreign language images may include callouts of major phrases in the document or a translation of the document. Images should be placed above or next to the record content section.

Record History
Describe the history of the records, which might include the processes, creation an disposition of the records. Relate information about a set of records, localities, jurisdictions, and religious or ethnic groups. The history of the collection itself can also be described in this section of the article.

Why this Record Was Created
This section should explain the original intent of the creation of a specific collection.

Record Reliability
Describe how reliable a collection is and whether there are known issues with the accuracy or the collection.

Related Web Sites:
List websites outside of the wiki that contain information related to the collection being described. Addresses and other information about an archive or other site could be added to this section of the wiki article as well.

A sentence is input into this section by the User Guidance Unit to encourage wiki users to add helpful wiki sites. If you feel that the correct websites have been added, feel free to delete the sentence, which reads:

'''This section of the article is incomplete. You can help FamilySearch Wiki by supplying links to related websites here.'''

Related Wiki Articles:
Create internal links to wiki articles that contain information that is related to the collection being described.

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from a record, you should also list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records.

 A suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the Wiki Article: How to Cite FamilySearch Collections.

Examples of Source Citations for a Record in This Collection:
We are encouraging wiki users to add sample citations to the articles. Please post this text in Normal font: Please add sample citations to this article following the format guidelines in the wiki article listed above. Please add the following examples to the article:

Examples of citations: (Normal text with bullets):
 * United States. Bureau of the Census. 12th census, 1900, digital images, From FamilySearch Internet (www.familysearch.org: September 29, 2006), Arizona Territory, Maricopa, Township 1, East Gila, Salt River Base and Meridian; sheet 9B, line 71
 * Mexico, Distrito Federal, Catholic Church Records, 1886-1933, digital images, from FamilySearch Internet (www.familysearch.org: April 22, 2010), Baptism of Adolfo Fernandez Jimenez, 1 Feb. 1910, San Pedro Apóstol, Cuahimalpa, Distrito Federal, Mexico, film number 0227023

How Has This Article Helped You?
The User Guidance Unit has created this section of the article to encourage wiki users to send feedback. It is designed as a link that will take patrons to the FamilySearch Collection Feedback page:

Create the link using this phrase: Send us your story

Style Guide Link
Please add a second link to the guidelines page at the end of the article. Use the phrase “FamilySearch Wiki:Guidelines for FamilySearch Collections pages” for the link, after the phrase : For guidelines to use in creating wiki articles that describe collections of images and indexes produced by FamilySearch, see: (Normal text) For guidelines to use in creating wiki articles that describe collections of images and indexes produced by FamilySearch, see: FamilySearch Wiki:Guidelines for FamilySearch Collections pages

Sources of Information for This Collection:
To assist wiki patrons with making citations that describe their findings, create a bibliographic source citation that describes the digital collection following the instructions referenced below.

Instructions for creating these sources, including how to add information about individual archives is found in the wiki article: “How to Create Bibliographic Source Citations for FamilySearch Historical Records Collections"

Example showing a general statement and details of several archives:

England, Cheshire, school records, 1796-1950,” database, FamilySearch; 2009, from Great Britain, Board of Education. "School Records." Cheshire Record Office, Chester (England). FHL microfilm, 41 reels. Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.


 * Acton (near Nantwich) National School (Cheshire). School registers for Acton (near Nantwich), 1877-1920. Cheshire Record Office, Chester, England. FHL microfilm 1894886, Items 4-5; 2299012, Items 1-2.
 * Alderley Edge Day School (Cheshire). School registers, 1875-1915. Cheshire Record Office, Chester, England. FHL microfilm 1894886, Item 8.