This question is associated with the last question I just submitted.

MerilynGreen

An additional instruction says, "Note: You should expand abbreviations or correct mispellings when you can tell what the abbreviation stands for or what the correction should be to the spelling. Do not use outside resources to verify locality spellings."

I'm a bit confused here. Does this mean we should use our knowledge - if we possess it - to correct spellings, etc., but not refer to the internet? Just out of curiosity, if that is the case, what is the reasoning behind it?

If the location's name has an "St" in it, such as St Louis, should we type St or Saint?

erutherford

I would index Saint instead of St.

Julia Szent-Györgyi

There are arguments about whether "Saint Louis" is even correct as the name of the city. (It's what the USPS uses, because they use "St." for "Street", but the city is "St. Louis" everywhere else.)

As I wrote in answer to your other question, I'd much prefer an uncorrected placename to a "correction" based on misremembered or misunderstood information, but a correction based on verified information would be even better. I cannot fathom why the instructions try to disallow the best option. All I can think of is that they're attempting to limit corrections and expansions to just the "dead obvious" ones, such as "Mississippi" instead of "Missussippi" and "New York" instead of "NY". (It's a slippery slope, as I think they must have discovered partway through writing the instructions.)

barbaragailsmith1

I remember when the folks that worked at Family Search said that they look up place names to ensure the correct spellings and that was the norm. It makes no sense to me that they changed that.

Porterroz1

You will be surprised what they change without any explanation. Just change what is highlighted on the doc. If its not correct it will be sent out again

BraydenGraves

@Porterroz1 You seem to be talking about the quick name review, but the discussion is about indexing. The two are very different processes.

maryellenstevensbarnes1

Thank you, Brayden, that's exactly what I would have said and you did it so well 😎