Create a link on each record source to "Search for other records originating from this source batch"
In my England research, I am able to find accurate family relationships by using the same source films over and over (as in doing a "batch search" or searching by an image group number) for the specific town my ancestors come from.
The mistakes I find made by other patrons is that they merge possible duplicates that are from a different town or parish.
My hope/idea is to make it easier for all patrons to find accurate family relationships by using the same source where they found their correct ancestor. To do this, the information at the bottom of each source (next to the citation) should include the film number, image group number, and the indexing project "batch" number. And next to the batch number, there could be a link to "Search for other records originating from this source batch".
Having this feature would make it much easier to use the batch search method without needing an explanation of what a batch search is, and without having to to hunt for numbers in FamilySearch wiki, or the library catalog. With this extra search option, newer patrons would find it much easier to discover accurate family relationships instead of mixing up families who have the same name but are from another parish.
In connection with this idea, I am wondering why the indexing project batch number, film number and image group number have been removed from the source citation area at the bottom of each record. (I know this information has been included in the past.) I feel that searching a batch doesn't need to be a hidden or "advanced" search tool. It should be a primary method for finding accurate family relationships.
Because of the wonderful work being accomplished with indexing, many accurate family relationships are at our fingertips. It seems that the next step is to use these location based records to create accurate family groups. However when a patron does a general search, all of these indexed records from one location get shuffled together with records from other towns. I realize that this is helpful when a patron doesn't know exactly where their ancestor came from, but there must be a better way to steer and help beginners to focus on location-based research instead of name-based research (putting in a name and assuming that everyone with that name in England is the same person.)
I have another idea concerning possible duplicates. I will create a new post for that idea called "Please Create Possible Duplicate Categories".
Comments
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If you open the record detail page, and expand the Document Information, the film (or image group or digital folder) number is usually a link to a Records search within that film. (The part of the world where my relatives lived does not have batch-numbered indexes on FS, so I don't know if those are likewise linked or not from the document info to Search.)
Note that, due to the absence/removal of specific placename information from many index entries, and its replacement with wrong information (by the autostandardization process) in many more, I do not consider placename-based searching to be currently functional on FamilySearch. I always try to use film numbers (or their digital descendants) instead.
Here's an example of both the unusable placename information and the Search link: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6NM6-Y49W.
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Julia,
Thank you for helping me to find the expand arrow next to "Document Information". At first glance "Document Information" looks like a heading for the information visible below, which led me to believe that the information I was looking for had been removed.
Susan
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There is a Suggestion I made over a year ago that the Document Information be unhidden. Perhaps you would like to upvote it. https://community.familysearch.org/en/discussion/119508/unhide-information
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I just did. Thank you.
Susan
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