Talk:FamilySearch Indexing: Passenger Lists, Project Updates

Abbreviation of USA:
''Arbitrating - Regarding country of nationality: When "U S A" is shown on the manifest, key A uses U S A and key B uses United States. The look-up list does not show U S A, but instructions say to use what is written. Which is correct?''

Answer- this is one of those grey areas that doesn't matter to the researcher, but seems to matter a great deal to the indexer who the arbitrator decides to ding. These projects say to index the field as written, so the expanded version is wrong, but if the two indexers differ on USA vs U S A then -- I arbitrate if the as follows: When U.S.A. (with periods) as U S A. When the writer clearly separated U S A or clearly joined up the USA, I go with the indexer that most closely matched the recorded version -- unless both indexers chose to do the exact same version, then I leave it as entered (although if they both expanded it to United States, the arbitrator should correct it to USA or U S A).

ASRS field?
I've had two batches so far that have a "ASRS" field, which looks like it could be the age. Could we get someone to research and give an official response on what that field means? If it is the age, we really should be indexing it I think.

I had learned that ASRS is probably some kind of score assigned to the personnel, and it is probably not an age. If we don't know for sure, then I understand that we should not index it.

'What to do when passenger names aren't listed?
I've discovered that a large portion of the batches here have no names, given or surnames, for the individuals. However, they do list a relative or friend that they're planning to stay with. Historically, I've just made the field blank, because that's the literal way to interpret it. However, I know at least one of the partially indexed batches I've received had the names of the relatives/friends typed out in the surname and given names fields. What are we supposed to do?

Answer-- those are the second page of a manifest, and should be marked as NED according to the directions.

What to do when record has has strikeout, or line through it?
What is to be done when an entire record has a line drawn through it?

Answer: You should do your best to record the information that was crossed off according to the Basic indexing guidelines. Often the names are also given at the end of the page, so you can decipher and distinguish letters, for example, an e from an o (since the line goes thru the letter).

confusion cleared somewhat
your latest claification with the manifest project was most helpful. I have been doing some of it wrong. I don't think we had good enough directions to start. I think we need be to at ease feeling that we have to write all the names down so their people can find them. We need to trust that you will make sure all the names appear somewhere. I am arbitrating a manifest that lists Nationality or Race. I am arbitrating it to the Nationality. Hope that's right, I can find no definite instructions. Will folks get to look at the actual document? Thanks for your help. Also have a question about the manifests that don't have a name of a ship or a date. They do if I download 10 at a time, but when I index one and don't get to see the others, there is no date on some. What is the point of a list of names if there is no date?

Jackie

often there are notations with a date that can help clarify a year. -- but for this project, I do believe the images will be accessible, and that researchers will be able to page forward and back - and find more information, especially from what will be the second page.

Chinese Aliases
(Records question) Your instructions on Project Updates for Indexing Passenger Lists say to list the first name of a Chinese alias as a given name. In Chinese, aren't surnames given first, so wouldn't the first name be the family name, not the given name?

Aircraft Passenger Lists
There seems to be confusion about aircraft passenger lists. The Project Updates specifically state: "This document has no ship’s name. Do not index the airplane identification in the Ship’s Name field." Yet, for some reason, an arbitrator or arbitrators keeps adding the aircraft identification number in the Ship's Name field after I submit the batches. Please let us indexers (and arbitrators) know if we should follow the instructions as given in the Project Updates, or not.

Indexing Chinese Alias Names
There are 6 examples shown. Of those 6, 2 surnames are incorrectly indexed. This is not a very helpful example for other indexers. The surname indexed Sun was clearly typed Shun in the record and the surname indexed as Thomas was clearly Tomas in the image. Double check examples intended to be the standard for indexers before posting please.

Confusing directions and guidance
I am indexing New York Passenger Lists 1942-1957. When I did a chat help with someone online yesterday I was told to only index actual passengers and not others such as next of kin or immigrant inspector.

I looked at my completed batch and the arbitrator had corrected my entry and added the immigrant inspector's name (but not next of kin).

I called today and was told conflicting information and when I asked to clarify was put on hold while he asked around. His final word was on Part B we should index any name at all listed whether they were a passenger, kin, inspector, or anything. He said on Part E We should index only actual passengers and not even crew. He said parts A, C, and D are new and it was "unknown" how to do those but to check the guidelines.

I checked the project instructions for each part and it states: "In this project, all documents that contain names will be indexed, including passenger lists, crew lists, affidavits, and so on" So that contradicts the information that I was given on the phone today.

Please help me figure out which it is. Do I index only passengers, all passengers, crew, etc. on board, or any name at all that appears even the people filling out the forms, inspectors, and next of kin?

Thank you!!