Is there a way to correct errors found in an indexed record?
Hi all, sometimes while indexing people can misspell a name or a date. What can be done when we find one of such a records? Is there any way to tag it for further checking and/or suggesting the correct spelling?
I've just bumped into one record that is about one of the members of my family, but there are several mistakes, including the name of his mother (used one letter instead of another) and the year of birth, which is now 1883 and should be 1882.
I've tried and searched but didn't find any direction.
Thank you!
Federico
Best Answer
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First, let me clarify. It is sometimes possible to "edit" and correct the information as indexed, For example, the "Hary" on the typed Record Information sheet, and you personally know it should be "Mary." If there is a small blue word "edit" next to "Hary" you will be able to offer a correction.
Here is a link to some instructions for doing this for computer indexed records: https://www.familysearch.org/en/help/helpcenter/article/how-do-i-edit-data-that-was-indexed-by-the-computer
The "edit" option does not appear on every record information page.
The actual original record (usually handwritten) is what it is. It is the record. We do not alter the images.
Hope this helps.
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Answers
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@FedericoAlbertini, just an additional note. It is always best, when one is reporting these kind of problems, to also provide a URL to the record, so that it can be examined.
Sometimes we find that the index is not owned by FamilySearch, but was provided by the owner of the record or a partner site. In these cases we would be able provide that information and, more importantly, who/where you might contact to report the error. Often they would be able to correct the error.
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Dear Karen and Mike,
thank you for your answers.
I didn't provide a link because I wanted a general answer, rather than focusing in a particular example, plus it is in Italian so not immediately clear to everyone. But it's a good point because there might be some info (like the owner of the record) that I can't find.
This is the record: Ernesto Agostino Pasquale-Brocca, "Italy, Torino, Torino, Civil Registration (Tribunale), 1866-1899" • FamilySearch
There are multiple errors, that I'm listing here (the image is what it is, as Karen states, but it appears that the errors come not only from the quality of the handwriting - that is actually not too bad - but I think from distraction:
Birth Date: 31 Dec 1883 (wrong) Correct is: 31 Dec 1882 (the deed is dated 2 Jan 1883 and they state that the birth took place on the 31 "of the past month at hours 1:20 AM", so the night between 30th and 31st of Dec, already in the 31st of December, but of the year before)
Mother's Name: Meniga Edrige (wrong) Correct: Meliga Edvige (the L in the surname is quite visible and the V in the name, might be misinterpreted for an R as in small, hand writing they are similar, but Edvige - Edwige - is a thing, while Edrige is not)
The mother's name is recorded in many other documents related to other siblings of Ernesto. So errors happen, is normal: I help indexing too and sometimes I might misread a name or a place. But when an error is found, is there a way to tag it so that someone may correct it?
Thank you!
Federico
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Your explanation was very helpful. I see the problems. @Mike357 likely knows more about how familysearch is trying to address these issues than I do.
I think we may have already posted these articles:
1) Why can't I fix indexing or transcription errors, https://www.familysearch.org/en/help/helpcenter/article/why-cant-i-fix-indexing-or-transcription-errors
2) How do I correct indexing errors in historical records?
My limited understanding is that FamilySearch is exploring more ways that they can provide opportunities to improve record transcription. As mentioned before, documenting in the comments is often the best we can do.
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When index correction is not available, the best we can do is to console ourselves that despite the errors, the index served its purpose: we found the record.
The other thing we can do is to include a correct transcription in the Notes/Description field of the source citation in Family Tree, or in whatever similar field is available in other family tree software or websites that we use. For example, see my great-great-grandmother's brother's baptism source citation (the first one on his Sources tab: https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/sources/LDSH-JXS). The Slovakia Church Books index is not correctable, so the creative reinterpretation of the father's title (Tisztelendő = "Reverend") as some sort of new Fitz- surname cannot be fixed, but I've added a full transcription in the Notes section, and revised the source title to alert to the indexing error.
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