City directories, punctuation question
I seem to remember that periods are NOT typed after titles or abbreviated names (i.e.
Dr. is typed as Dr, Wm. is typed as W).
Is that incorrect?
Answers
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Punctuation is used in indexing, so Dr. or Wm. are indexed with the period.
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Before web indexing, the general indexing rule was to not include punctuation. After web indexing, they said that it wasn't necessary but it was okay to include it. We old timer indexers always deleted them when indexers put them in because that's what we were used to. But it didn't matter and either way didn't count as an error if the reviewer changed it. Now, there is no general indexing rule about it at all because it just doesn't matter. The only time it's necessary is if the specific project instructions say to, but it's rare to see that instruction given. The only projects I can recall requiring it are the military projects because the military units, companies had so many abbreviations.
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I was told punctuation was required in web indexing.
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When web indexing first came out, rules said specifically not to include periods, then they changed it to periods don't matter. And the only punctuation that they said is required is commas between localities in place name fields and apostrophes and hyphens when they're actually part of a name, as in O'Hara. I've never heard that periods are now required, and it doesn't count as an error if changed in review. Also, if you go into Family Search, entering abbreviations (like W. J. Smith) for a search, you'll get that name with periods and without. So it doesn't matter in the end. But even then changing it in review won't count as an error.
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Periods, commas and extra spaces between names/places aren't counted as errors in indexing.
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