User refusing to follow indexing directions

f begly

How does a reviewer deal with and report a user who is willfully refusing to follow directions for indexing a particular project? I have reviewed over 42,000 entries for the New York Birth Index project. Contrary to the project directions, a user is assuming the sex of the child (often incorrectly) when it is not provided on the record. They are entering this and causing a great deal of work to correct it, especially since they do multiple batches a day. I have returned numerous batches to them with the instructions on how to correctly enter when no sex is provided, but now they IMMEDIATELY put the batches through AS-IS for review again. So now I am left with deleting the batch entries completely and returning the batch for re-indexing. How should I handle this situation? I do not want to see incorrect information being published.

Melissa S Himes

Thanks for the questions and allowing me to clarify a couple of points.

1) Correct. You are not returning that batch back to the original indexer. The Lab is an experiment that FamilySearch is trying out to see how they might help indexers and "frustrated" reviewers. It goes to a department within FS to help identify people who need more help. The indexer of the batch will never see your "instructions". If FS deems it worthy of contacting the indexer or reviewer to explain their error, they may do so.

2) Probably. I would say that if you used the Lab feature to send the batch back for reindexing, it was a fluke. The project is only 74% indexed and 75% reviewed. When the returned batch goes into the pool for reindexing, it should take a long time to resurface, unless this is a very tiny collection. Now, if you used RETURN BATCH and it went back to the reviewing pool, there may be a chance you got the same batch for the third review or it was one of the batches that they use for insuring that they system is working.

3) No. The reviewer may have to delete some data so the entry is perfect for publication. For instance, if the gender is not on the image and the indexer has assumed the gender, then the reviewer deletes the incorrect gender field entry.

I am guessing that it is considered a "non-critical" error when folks index the gender using given names. They are probably correct more than 99% of the time. Of course, reviewers should correct them according to the instructions and not hold up the progress. To paraphrase Churchill, don't let the desire for perfection be the enemy of progress. Just fix what you can.

LarryClark43

At the top of the page click on Help then on Labs. Then follow the instructions. This will give you the opportunity to report the issue.

After you refresh the page click on Batch then Reindex Batch and the form should come up.

Hope this helps.

Melissa S Himes

There is no way to "return(ed) numerous batches to them with the instructions on how to correctly enter when no sex is provided, but now they IMMEDIATELY put the batches through AS-IS for review again."

You can't provide instructions to an indexer or a fellow reviewer on how to correctly enter data. Keep in mind, if you are returning batches, they are going back into the reviewing pool. It is only when you use "Reindex Batch" that they will be returned to the Indexing pool to be reindexed. It is highly unlikely that the same indexer will get the batch back to reindex.

With 7 fields per entry form, having the sex indexed shouldn't be that big of a problem. You can globally delete the sex field for every record by inserting a <blank> on the first record and using the copy text forward icon. It takes less than 2 seconds to correct the problem. Returning them for reindexing only slows the project flow. Even if they make that consistent error and a few others in a batch, correcting the errors would most likely not meet the threshold for the program to send the batch on for a second review.

Sending a batch back for reindexing should be a rare event as outlined in this training article:

https://www.familysearch.org/en/help/helpcenter/article/the-batch-i-am-reviewing-needs-reindexing

There is no reason to delete the batch entries "completely" to return them for reindexing. You can return batches and leave the correct information intact so the next indexer doesn't have to waste time re-entering data.

FamilySearch does have the ability to know when an indexer, or a reviewer, is creating a mess worthy of further training, with or without it being reported.

Hope that helps.

maryellenstevensbarnes1

Thanks @Melissa S Himes you are always helpful & extra patient - hope you're having a great summer - it's 9pm here and still over 100F! Mary 😎

f begly

f begly

f begly

@LarryClark43 @Melissa S Himes

If I understand correctly:

1) using the Labs reindexing w/instructions feature does not return the batch to the original indexer, so they do not get the instructions. (I have used this feature many times for the above problem.)

2) getting the same batch back unchanged to review after using the Labs reindexing procedure was just a fluke.

2) the reviewer is to never delete any data.

f begly

@Melissa S Himes

Thank you for the clarification. I professionally performed precision data entry for over 20 years, so perfection has been my goal; however, I will do the best I can to keep things moving.

Melissa S Himes

I understand, @f begly. I also designed research projects and led teams of data entry folks during my career. It was medical research, so perfection was imperative or people could die. It took a long time to get use to the fact that data entry in FamilySearch doesn't have to be quite as stringent. Old habits die hard though.