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Citations (Evidence Style): Difference between revisions
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= The Basics = | = The Basics = | ||
One citation style used by genealogists in the United States is Mills style. Mills is an extension of the [[Citations (Chicago Style)|Chicago Manual of Style]] (CMS) bibliography/note system. CMS is adequate for most published sources, but doesn't include many sources and elements about sources that are important to genealogists. Mills style is named for Elizabeth Shown Mills and is explained in her books (''Evidence<ref> | One citation style used by genealogists in the United States is Mills style. Mills is an extension of the [[Citations (Chicago Style)|Chicago Manual of Style]] (CMS) bibliography/note system. CMS is adequate for most published sources, but doesn't include many sources and elements about sources that are important to genealogists. Mills style is named for Elizabeth Shown Mills and is explained in her books (''Evidence<ref>Elizabeth Shown Mills, ''Evidence! Citation and Analysis for the Family Historian'' (Genealogical Publishing Company: Baltimore, 1997).</ref> ''and ''Evidence Explained''<ref>Elizabeth Shown Mills, ''Evidence Explained: Citing History Sources from Artifacts to Cyberspace'' (Genealogical Publishing Company: Baltimore, 2007).</ref>) and QuickSheets. | ||
Contrary to the terminology used by [[PAF]] and other genealogy programs, a ''source'' is a person or artifact that supplies information. A ''citation'' is the entire textual reference to the source.<ref>Mills, ''Evidence Explained,'' | Contrary to the terminology used by [[PAF]] and other genealogy programs, a ''source'' is a person or artifact that supplies information. A ''citation'' is the entire textual reference to the source.<ref>Mills, ''Evidence Explained,'' 820, 828. Also note this quote from p. 42: "The term ''citation'' is obviously not synonymous with the term ''source,'' and the two should not be used interchangeably."</ref> | ||
In the CMS/Mills style, there are four types of citations: | In the CMS/Mills style, there are four types of citations: | ||
#'''Source list'''. CMS calls this a ''bibliography''. Each citation—called a ''source list entry''— is punctuated as if it were a paragraph and each citation element were a sentence. Published works are sorted by the last name of the author. To effectively organize the source list, Mills gives considerable latitude in the treatment of unpublished works. Examples here and in her books often illustrate ordering unpublished works geographically. However, elements of the source list entry can be reordered to effect other organizations when appropriate. One source list entry can apply to multiple reference notes and excludes the detailed citation elements present in the notes. For example, page numbers would be present in notes but not the source list entry.<ref>Mills, ''Evidence Explained,'' | #'''Source list'''. CMS calls this a ''bibliography''. Each citation—called a ''source list entry''— is punctuated as if it were a paragraph and each citation element were a sentence. Published works are sorted by the last name of the author. To effectively organize the source list, Mills gives considerable latitude in the treatment of unpublished works. Examples here and in her books often illustrate ordering unpublished works geographically. However, elements of the source list entry can be reordered to effect other organizations when appropriate. One source list entry can apply to multiple reference notes and excludes the detailed citation elements present in the notes. For example, page numbers would be present in notes but not the source list entry.<ref>Mills, ''Evidence Explained,'' 43, 60-1, 67-71.</ref> | ||
#'''First reference note. '''CMS/Mills allows either footnotes or endnotes and uses the term ''reference notes, ''or simply ''notes ''to speak of both. Each note is punctuated as if it were a sentence containing a list of citation elements. As with any list, use commas to separate the elements. If commas within elements make the list ambiguous, then use semicolons to separate the elements.<ref>Mills, ''Evidence Explained,'' | #'''First reference note. '''CMS/Mills allows either footnotes or endnotes and uses the term ''reference notes, ''or simply ''notes ''to speak of both. Each note is punctuated as if it were a sentence containing a list of citation elements. As with any list, use commas to separate the elements. If commas within elements make the list ambiguous, then use semicolons to separate the elements.<ref>Mills, ''Evidence Explained,'' 43, 46, 60, 77, 86-7.</ref><br> | ||
#'''Subsequent note. '''When publishing a compiled genealogy, after the first reference to a source, it is not necessary to duplicate a complete citation in subsequent notes. In fact, abbreviating subsequent citations in a published work makes notes more understandable and signals source reuse. The abbreviated style of subsequent notes should be applied only at the time of publication since the order of notes can change along the way. Always enter complete citations into your genealogical records. If you never publish, you can safely ignore this type of citation.<ref>Mills, ''Evidence Explained,'' add</ref><br> | #'''Subsequent note. '''When publishing a compiled genealogy, after the first reference to a source, it is not necessary to duplicate a complete citation in subsequent notes. In fact, abbreviating subsequent citations in a published work makes notes more understandable and signals source reuse. The abbreviated style of subsequent notes should be applied only at the time of publication since the order of notes can change along the way. Always enter complete citations into your genealogical records. If you never publish, you can safely ignore this type of citation.<ref>Mills, ''Evidence Explained,'' add</ref><br> | ||
#'''Source label. '''This is the citation that should appear on the front of all photocopies and prints of original records, transcriptions, and abstracts. Mills does not specify whether this citation type should be punctuated like a paragraph or like a sentence. Suffice it to say that the citation should be complete in case the page is shared independently of other documents.<ref>Mills, ''Evidence Explained,'' add</ref><br> | #'''Source label. '''This is the citation that should appear on the front of all photocopies and prints of original records, transcriptions, and abstracts. Mills does not specify whether this citation type should be punctuated like a paragraph or like a sentence. Suffice it to say that the citation should be complete in case the page is shared independently of other documents.<ref>Mills, ''Evidence Explained,'' add</ref><br> | ||
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*Mills italicizes series titles if it "is considered a formal title for [the] set of materials."<ref>Mills, ''Evidence Explained,'' 716.</ref> If "the name of the series is not self explanatory," the title is not italicized.<ref>Mills, ''Evidence Explained,'' 718,721-2.</ref> CMS never italicizes a series title.<ref>''CMS'' 15th ed., 669.</ref> | *Mills italicizes series titles if it "is considered a formal title for [the] set of materials."<ref>Mills, ''Evidence Explained,'' 716.</ref> If "the name of the series is not self explanatory," the title is not italicized.<ref>Mills, ''Evidence Explained,'' 718,721-2.</ref> CMS never italicizes a series title.<ref>''CMS'' 15th ed., 669.</ref> | ||
*"''Evidence ''Style identifies [periodical] issues by their dates rather than issue numbers, because unrecognized typing errors are more common with numbers than with words."<ref>Mills, ''Evidence Explained,'' 794.</ref> CMS allows either, but recognizes that "although not all these elements may be required to locate an article, furnishing them all provides a hedge against possible error in one or another of them."<ref>''CMS'' 15th ed., 690.</ref><br> | *"''Evidence ''Style identifies [periodical] issues by their dates rather than issue numbers, because unrecognized typing errors are more common with numbers than with words."<ref>Mills, ''Evidence Explained,'' 794.</ref> CMS allows either, but recognizes that "although not all these elements may be required to locate an article, furnishing them all provides a hedge against possible error in one or another of them."<ref>''CMS'' 15th ed., 690.</ref><br> | ||
*"Because abbreviations rarely save a significant amount of space, the thoughtful writer avoids all but the truly obvious ones."<ref>Mills, ''Evidence Explained,'' p. 71.</ref> This includes state names when included in the place of publication.<ref>See "Cooperstown, New York" on p. 98 of ''Evidence Explained.''</ref> By contrast, CMS specifies, "If the city of publication may be unknown to readers or may be confused with another city of the same name, the abbreviation of the state, province, or (sometimes) country is added."<ref>''Chicago Manual of Style'' 15th ed., 672.</ref><br> | *"Because abbreviations rarely save a significant amount of space, the thoughtful writer avoids all but the truly obvious ones."<ref>Mills, ''Evidence Explained,'' p. 71.</ref> This includes state names when included in the place of publication.<ref>See "Cooperstown, New York" on p. 98 of ''Evidence Explained.''</ref> By contrast, CMS specifies, "If the city of publication may be unknown to readers or may be confused with another city of the same name, the abbreviation of the state, province, or (sometimes) country is added."<ref>''Chicago Manual of Style'' 15th ed., 672.</ref><br> | ||
*Mills allows an optional space after the colon separating volume and page numbers.<ref>Mills, ''Evidence Explained,'' p. 77.</ref> CMS, on the other hand, specifies that no space be present. "But when parenthetical information intervenes,"<ref>''CMS'' 15th ed., 692.</ref> such as "12 (Winter): 345" then a space after the colon is required. | |||
= Notes<br> = | = Notes<br> = | ||
<references /> | <references /> | ||