Difficulty with probably an easy solution

genthusiast

I have a situation in my tree where my research conclusions are fairly important to pass along as to why I am linking a particular parent or next generation. Am I supposed to enter my research conclusions from the past 20 years of off/on research on the family in NOTES in a particular way so that those viewing can understand my reasoning - and forgive me if it is determined my reasoning is shown to be incorrect? OR do I just not enter my best guess as to family relation and store it another 20 years on a local tree database where it may never be found. Unfortunately - not knowing the history of the locality better - this is the best research conclusion I can make at this time. I try to educate myself on the localities as best I can - but I still may come to an incorrect conclusion.

I know the Tree presents me with the opportunity to give a reason for attachment of a record to a person during that attachment process. But if I don't enter my reasoning is there a way to go back and edit that reason and also state 'this record plus this record plus to the best of my research capability' leads me to this relationship conclusion - it may be likely but may not be correct.

@Julia Szent-Györgyi Thank you. Yes I cannot recall the location/method to edit the reasons statements - I'll have to fiddle around and locate it again I guess. But I just need to be sure I explain my reasoning so those that follow can understand - because unless they look at this record, and this assumption, etc, etc they won't know why I attached the person/relationship in the Tree.

JJLAN

Hello @genthusiast 1

We looked in the Help Center (that ? icon in a circle, in the upper right of the page) using search terms "reason statement" and found an article that gives some tips and examples for editing or adding reason statements to attached sources: https://www.familysearch.org/help/helpcenter/article/what-are-reason-statements-in-family-tree

There's also the option of adding your research findings in Discussions: https://www.familysearch.org/help/helpcenter/article/what-is-the-discussions-feature-in-family-tree

As a user of the site, I appreciate it when other users post their viewpoints and findings about a common ancestor in Family Tree! Thanks for your consideration, in adding to what is known about the ancestor and history of the area in which they lived.

Julia Szent-Györgyi

People enter their reasoning in various places on Family Tree. I would guess that the intended location is the Collaborate tab, but I can never remember the difference between Notes and Discussions, so I don't know which one to recommend. (One of them is editable/deletable by anyone, the other only by the original contributor. I think.) Some people use the Life Sketch for their ruminations, and others use one or more reason boxes. There's also the option of uploading a document to Memories, and then either citing it as a source, or just tagging it to profiles. (The latter would be near-invisible unless you knew to go looking for it, though.)

Yes, you can generally go back and edit reason statements, as long as they're the kind that shows somewhere on the profile, not just in the change log. (I've never figured out a way to revise the reason on a merge, or when dismissing a hint.)

MNuttall

Hello @genthusiast 1

I concur with @Julia Szent-Györgyi 's comments. One of the most obvious places to put your research conclusions is in the Life Sketch. You would want to start the sketch statement with a question or title which would clearly encourage another user to select "more" in order to see the entire statement. I have used the Life Sketch to outline a chronology of recorded life events -- that is, the record of birth, appearance in each census, or other public record, record of marriage, immigration information, death record and so forth. This outline could include questions or comments about the accuracy of the records, what is missing, or what is in conflict and needs to be resolved.

I've also written entire narrative biographies and "research" papers and posted them in memories.

You can't really edit a reason statement in Latest Changes, but you can add or edit reason statements associated with attached sources. Keep in mind that the original statement still will show in the changes list.

It sounds as if you are a concerned family historian and genealogist -- and that's great! Going forward -- keep doing what you are doing and employ every feature on the person page of your ancestor that will help others understand your conclusions -- including the Life Sketch, Notes, Discussions and the reason statements associated with the editing that you do and the sources and memories that you attach.

Best wishes!

dontiknowyou

A heads-up: on the web interface the Collaborate tab links to Notes and Discussions. The way they work is quirky:

• Notes are visible on the mobile app; Discussions are not.
• Notes can be changed or deleted by others. Discussions cannot be changed by others and, except for some legacy notes, cannot be deleted by others.
• Notes do not permit comment and the displayed attribution is to the last contributor to edit it. Discussions allow others to comment, and attributions are fixed, so a dialog is possible.

So, my advice is to put in Reason statements and a Note (not the Life Sketch) a brief advisory to read a page Discussion on the web interface.

The Life Sketch may appear on the very public Ancestors export version of the person page, so is not an appropriate place for content that is not a life sketch.