Beginning batches nearly done before they appear
I always have my eye out for beginning batches for the beginners in our ward. On occasion I see that there is a beginning batch that has almost been completed, However, the batch never initially appeared in my search. Can anyone comment on why I am missing these beginning batches only to find they are almost done. I check daily and did not see them, but next day they appear nearly complete.
Thanks.
Comments
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It could depend on how many batches are included in the Project. Maybe Project Admin tests the waters ... I would assume the recent one must not have had many batches or else there is a large group of Indexers looking for beginning batches (good job finishing the Project). I would say try an Intermediate or Advanced batch...
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The last couple of Project [Parts] were small--with the one released a week or so ago, having only about 12,000 batches. Plus, allowing 10 batches at a time, that goes really fast when you consider how many volunteers FS has.
I don't usually disagree with genthusiast, but I do when it comes to suggesting someone looking for Beginner projects try Intermediate or Advanced projects.
Some Intermediate projects have relatively simple batches within them if the project instructions, sample forms, and field helps are followed. However, overall, project instructions are not covering all the forms that usually appear in the more advanced projects.
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@MinnWisRoots I can understand your disagreeing. Yes, following instructions is important - but I tend to err on the side of allowing for growth and 'doing my best' over nitpicky rules that ... ooops, that's indexed wrong - rule # paragraph ___ , return for reindex. That's no better than the old arbitration/indexer education scheme ... without the education. I'm an Indexer - doing my best - not a computer - and not a Reviewer whose job it is to do their best - according to the rules as they understand them (room for some interpretation). If they change more than 20% it can go to another reviewer to change back or 'do their best' ... It would be interesting to know statistics on how many batches get more than 20% change and whether subsequent reviews decrease in % (likely) or increase (how many agree with the original indexer or how many just disagree).
Or hey ... just AI index everything, compare with previous indexes, and then let's sort through with correcting/editing ... it's pretty much the same difference one way or the other it seems. If the index allows a researcher to find a record - that's good enough for me (yes I realize it may be an unconventional position).
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It's certainly more difficult to teach someone interested in getting started with indexing when there are NO BEGINNER level projects to start on!
Maybe I'm not seeing them? Please direct me to something simple so I can help our newly called indexers to get started.
Thank you.
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Records are assessed on their difficulty and it depends when new records are made available to us to index. We know that it is a common request at present from people who do indexing, some just are not beginner records. Thank you and everyone who works on indexing, be patient, it is a great work and so helpful to others.
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Yes I understand all that. I’m requesting more beginner level indexing records because we’ve been asked to teach the youth, and others how to index. When there is literally nothing they can get started on but intermediate level records, including those with cursive writing, it is very frustrating for them. And us, as consultants.
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More reason to push FamilySearch to make a good tutorial that shows how to use the indexing software and includes samples of typed, printed, and cursive writing entries before volunteers begin indexing, and for teachers to teach indexing. There are older videos on YouTube and some instructions as part of RootTech seminars, but expecting beginners to know what to do with the sample available now is frustrating for them, for reviewers, and the Indexing Help Community who gets the same questions over and over. Most of the time those questions could be answered if the person asking knew how to use the software, where to find the project instructions and field helps, and the project samples.
Plus, in this past year I have seen several several beginner projects bumped up to advanced level. it seems that some projects are often tested in small quantities at one level, and if there seems to be a high error/reindex rate, they may bumped up to a higher difficulty level. I know by reviewing some of those projects, it was pretty obvious, the Project Instructions had not been read--and example(s) not been looked at--by a lot of people. More reason for basic training to increase efficiency and volunteerism.
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