Tools for using family tree/Search: Difference between revisions

If you click Get Help and then choose Learning Center you come to all the training videos, but then you have to search for Family Tree, Family Tree training, or Family Tree curriculum to get the videos.  Here is a wiki site that lists all of these.  It is easier to choose what you want to learn about.  

[https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Training_for_FamilySearch_Family_Tree familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Training_for_FamilySearch_Family_Tree] The following includes a link to the training Family Search Family Tree missionaries use.  It is maintained by one of those missionaries and is not an official church site.  

FamilySearch is a person centric system. Each person listed in the indexed historical records collections has their own unique persistant archial link (URL) or person source and hense thier own unique web page. Linking a person source, or page, from the historical records to a conclusion person in the Family Tree is the manner by which a researcher tells the system that the two people are the same. This system allows FamilySearch to account for each individual recorded in the records more accurately than does the ambiguous linking of images, which may contain many unspecified indivuals.  

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Each historical records person source is stored in the GedcomX data model which gives it deep internal awareness of it's person's data and relationships. It knows what vital data is present on the record and what that data means. It knows what relationships to other persons it's person has on the record and what those relationships mean. It knows what record (ex a census household record) it's person is found on, what image(s) that record is found on, and what collection the image is part of. In other words, if you link the person source in historical records to the Family Tree person you are simultaneously linking the record, the image, if available, and the collection since these are all associated with each other.&nbsp;

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Historically computing systems and data models could not support such internal knowledge and many genealogists are used to creating one source for a record or image and then attaching it to multiple individuals. &nbsp;Since one page might contain from five to one hundred people, many might have the same source. &nbsp;If that old process is still followed in today's advanced system the resaercher would be telling the system that the single person source in historical records is the same person as all the persons in Family Tree to which it is attached. That would represent the addition of incorrect information to the Family Tree and should not be done. Please attach each person in the records to the proper corresponding person in the Family Tree.<br>  

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This data model will enable the delivery of very helpful genealogical tools in the Family Search system.&nbsp;For example, with proper linking of persons in the records to persons in the Family Tree FamilySearch will be able to provide tools that:  

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The above explanation is true only for FamilySearch, or 3rd party records, that are encoded in the new GedcomX data standard. At present (Oct 17 2013) only FamilySearch uses this model, but there is significant interest from other record keeping organizations. Source links created to external images, documents, etc that are NOT encoded in GedcomX will not have any of the rich internal knowledge. They consist of largely a URL, whatever titles and citation infor the user provides and little more. These external sources may need to be linked to multiple persons in the old manner.&nbsp;

1. From the main page search form conduct a search of Records, or from the person page in Family Tree, click on the ''Search Records'' button. &nbsp;Choose a record from the search results. &nbsp;If there is only one name indexed in that source proceed as normal. &nbsp;(Click on ''Attach to My Tree'' and attach the record to your ancestor.) &nbsp;There may also be a father, mother, spouse, or child or other relative indexed in blue on the page. &nbsp;Click on the blue name link for one of those other people. &nbsp;Now the page will change to show the title of the person source with their name in it. &nbsp;Now click on ''Attach to My Tree'' and attach this record to the individual. &nbsp;So attach the father to the father, mother to mother, child to child, etc. &nbsp;Note that records for spouses can be attached to the marriage record which is a layer deeper than the person page, however this is not necessary for FamilySearch records since each person record knows about the persons present on it and what events it provides evidence for. &nbsp;If you need to attach non-FamilySearch reords to an event, click on ''Edit Couple'' to find this layer.  

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=== Assorted Good Ideas ===

==== How to Start a Tree without Using Living Relatives ====

there is nothing wrong with starting a tree with yourself or your parents. &nbsp;Noone but you will see any living people you enter into the tree. &nbsp;However if you prefer to start with members of your family who are deceased there is a way to do this. &nbsp;Go to the Person dropdown list and at the bottom is "Add unconnected Person". &nbsp;You could do this for each of your grandparents. Then bookmark the page where they come up. Once you have visited each page, they will come up in the person drop down list without your having to use your bookmarks. &nbsp;

 

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Save a copy of your FOR's. &nbsp;Then put them in folders by who you sent them to. &nbsp;Then when you know the work is complete, you can delete the file.  

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You can download this tool which&nbsp;allows sourcing from non-FS Internet sites, taking the information from books, Ancestry.com, the Pioneer Overland travel database, wikipedia, findagrave, and on and on. &nbsp;Visit the site below. &nbsp;Drag the applet to your bookmarks toolbar. &nbsp; When you find a site you want to connect, make sure FamilySearch is open and click the button. &nbsp; Tree Connect creates a Source template amd fills it in automatically.&nbsp;[http://recordseek.com/ http://recordseek.com/]  

Create a google doc to use wherever you have access to a computer. &nbsp;Use this to record what you have done researching an ancestor. &nbsp;You can include: where you have looked, what failed to yield results, what you found, what other places you should search, or what you need to do. &nbsp;You could organize your document using those titles or by surname. &nbsp;In fact, you might want to create a seperate document for each surname. &nbsp;You could then go to source box, and create a folder possibly named tools. &nbsp;Use the create a source to link your google doc to the source box in that folder. &nbsp;If you wanted you could then attach a page with a surname to a family. &nbsp;Then others would know what you have already tried.  

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Create another google doc that has links to sites you frequently use or that you don't have time to read now. &nbsp;Bookmarks would also do this. &nbsp;However google docs can be shared with other family members or even be made public to all users. &nbsp;&nbsp;

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=== '''&nbsp;Uses for Sourcebox'''  ===

In addtion you can create a folder and create sources for links to useful sites like findagrave.com, mocavo.com or createfan.com. By having these as source links in your sourcebox it acts like a favorites bar but the same favorites are on any computer you use as long as you are logged into Family Search and go to your sourcebox. &nbsp;

I create a source and keep it in my sourcebox for any "hard to find" place on FS <br>&nbsp;I added a folder "_Useful Links" (The underscore is so it sorts to the top of the folder list) <br>I generally open a tab in my browser that is my sourcebox because I have links to lots of tools, saved searches and a host of other things there. While I think having MY Cases in the place you stated is good having it in the sourcebox link has one advantage, it opens in a new window/tab

If you are having &nbsp;trouble remembering where you were or you find something you simply don't have time to complete you can create a source in your sourcebox and use the notes for to do items. Other uses of this same type are to record link to a microfilm description you may want to order. Or copy the link to a person who you may want to do some work on. (The history navigation works for this too but you might not remember who it was when you look at the list).  

Due to the open edit nature of sources &nbsp;that are created by users and even the notes fields on FamilySearch supplied sources it is probably good to make a copy of a source before you attach it to an ancestor because it is difficult to track when someone else may have made an edit to a source.&nbsp;Leave these clean copies unattached in a folder.  

==== Master Sources and Good Sourcing Ettiquette&nbsp; ====

See <u>FamilySearch Person Centric System introduces a Modern Linking Model.</u> above if all names on a source record are indexed. &nbsp;If all names are not indexed on the source you should keep a "Master" source unattached. &nbsp;Store it in your source box and copy it editing it for the individual person and then attach it to only one person or if the source is for a couple to the couple relationship. &nbsp;Be careful editing or using others sources. &nbsp;You should not copy a source and change the note to make it apply to your ancestor. &nbsp;notes on the source record apply to all individuals who have that source attached. &nbsp;The individual who created the source may not realize that you have changed the source on their ancestor to talk about your ancestor.  

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Due to the open edit nature of sources I find that using discussions for things can have a better effect because only a data admin or the originator of a discussion can remove them from a person and only a data admin or the poster of comments can edit any information in the individual comments. FamilySearch has stated that discussions were not meant to be permanent records and were expected to be removed over time however until such useful tools as research logs and other less open edit features can be added I see them as a good place to hold items that help back up Sources, etc. &nbsp;Here are some suggestions of discussions that I like to put on my ancestors by default.  

==== '''Attached Source Notes:'''&nbsp; ====

Post a description of the discussion as a way to record notes about sources that can not be inadvertantly removed by others edits. Then [bracket] the source name in a comment and add your notes here often giving even more detailed description. This also serves as a buffer against someone detaching a source and an indicator to look for it in the change log.&nbsp;

'''Stories''' Using Stories for some of the features of research logs or even for recording personal interviews (either formal or memories) are also a great way to document an ancestor. Future enhancements of FamilySearch will allow these stories to become sources as well.&nbsp;

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'''Photos/Documents'''<br>  

You can upload photos(or other images including documents) as further evidence of your ancestors. Future enhancements to these tools will allow you to separate photos from documents and create sources from them. You can even organize these images into albums and attach them to stories. &nbsp;If you have a document in a foreign language, you can upload a scanned copy as a photo. &nbsp;Then link the translation as a story.&nbsp;