FamilySearch Wiki:Purpose and Appropriate Topics

Return to Guiding principles and policies

FamilySearch Research Wiki is...
FamilySearch Wiki is a tool people can use to learn how to find their ancestors. It offers information on how to find, use, and analyze records of genealogical value. The site’s content is variously targeted to beginners, intermediate researchers and experts.

Some suitable types of content for the wiki are:


 * Links to online sites that can be used to search for ancestor's records (see an example of an online record page).
 * Instructions on how to find, use and analyze records that are genealogically useful.
 * Historical definitions of legal terms, occupations and other terms that are useful to genealogists.
 * Images of records used as examples of the kind of information a type of record will contain.

FamilySearch Research Wiki is not...



 * A place to post (or find) information or images about a specific ancestor although there are articles that list the appropriate links to websites for these activities (see Searching Genealogy Names).
 * A place to post data sets and genealogical records, such as obituaries, military histories, or transcriptions of record sources.
 * A collection of product reviews.
 * An advertising medium for products or services.
 * A world encyclopedia of holidays and family traditions. Those which affect family history records or research methods are mentioned under specific countries.
 * A place to publicly post internal policies or contact information of the Family History Department or any other affiliate of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
 * A repository of knowledge regarding the use of FamilySearch products.
 * A place to survey users, solicit feedback or collect suggestions regarding the development of products other than this wiki.
 * A place to post religious doctrine or advocate or criticize religious practices.
 * A place to post images of temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
 * A place to criticize FamilySearch or any of its business operations

for suggestions of other places on the Internet to post the information you want to share.

Limited Topics
Some topics which should be included can detract from the site’s purpose if covered in unnecessary depth:


 * History of a place.
 * Geographic information.
 * Military history which influenced the creation or location of genealogical records.
 * Case studies useful for teaching genealogical methodology.
 * Methods of citing genealogical sources.
 * Power usage of an important computer application’s features in finding or analyzing genealogical records.
 * Use of computer hardware in genealogy.
 * Lists of Family History Library materials derived from the Family History Library Catalog (FHLC). The Wiki isn't meant to replicate the FHLC. However, when a FHLC entry fails to provide enough information for patrons to be able to use a resource, the Wiki, like the in-house registries that are found in FHL's can complement the FHLC entry.
 * Information on specific repositories. The Wiki is not intended to replicate the catalogs of other repositories, but it can be helpful to provide a general description of the major collections of a library or archive.
 * Information on genealogical groups, such as genealogical societies, companies or non profit organizations. Although the wiki is not intended to replicate, for instance, the catalog of a genealogical society's library, it can be helpful to list certain facts about a genealogical society. Which facts are appropriate and which are not?

Writings on the topics above can easily become bloated. For instance, while some kinds of geographic information can help genealogists learn where their ancestors may have migrated, others have little or no bearing on genealogy. When writing on any topic the best rule of thumb is to ask: “Have I made a good case as to how this information helps someone find, use, or analyze genealogical records?”