Correcting mistakes - Middlesex Parish records
Hello,
I am reviewing Middlesex Parish records , batch no MSNZ-XFM. The records are from January and February 1892. A birth date is also recorded and in several instances the date is given as November or December 1892, which can't possibly be right. I am of the opinion that although we know this is incorrect, we have to type what is written and let the researcher work it out - is that correct? It would be helpful if there were some way we could indicate that we know it's wrong to alert people to the problem, but I don't think that's the case, is it?
I have reviewed lots and lots of these records and the the same mistake appears time and time again - that indexers are giving a surname to the child when none is mentioned - although it defintiely says in the little purple circle helps not to do this. I have got to the stage where I give a little cheer if someone has done it correctly! Tapping into another conversation that has been going on recently, I am concerned that when there is no feedback, these indexers will eventually have done enough records to become reviewers, but will presumably just keep on making this mistake as no one is able to tell them it's wrong. Shouldn't there be some kind of "test" before one is allowed to review? Quantity of records does not necessarily add up to quality!
Hilary.
Best Answer
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Correct, you index the information exactly as it is on the image. There is no way to indicate the information is incorrect. Just a heavy sigh on paragraph 2...even in the old days when there was arbitration and supposedly arbs were trained, there were lots and lots of errors made by them. A test would have been nice then, and now...
Here's the Help Center Article "How Should I Index Incorrect Records?"
https://www.familysearch.org/en/help/helpcenter/article/how-should-i-index-incorrect-records
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Answers
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Thanks, Melissa.
It's good to have my thoughts confirmed. I am a retired chartered librarian and we also had to write exactly what was written but the instruction was to write "sic" (thus) in a cataloguing record if there was something that looked obviously wrong, to indcate that that was actually what it said and was not a mistake on our part. It would be good to be able to do that here.
Just a thought!
Hilary.
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Most transcriptions sites do not want you to write (sic). They always suggest that you put that kind of information in the comments or notes section. But, no matter what the instructions say, there are still folks writing (sic). Drives.me.nuts.
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