Suggestions to improve Record Hints

LegacyUser

Joel Lane Tapley said: Occasionally an “ancestor” file is sent to me by “RECORD HINTS” but was initially added to the FamilySearch database by another contributor unknown to me. Some of these “RECORD HINTS” ancestors I personally do not recognize as part of my “family tree.” Therefore, to accommodate the RECORD HINTS request for me to verify the attached source document I have to begin an investigation to determine whether they are part of my family tree. Some of these ancestral files are devoid of any source information which frequently compounds the amount of time to conduct an investigation. Since the RECORDS HINT file was sent to me I feel obligated to conduct the research of these “non-sourced” ancestors.
The following are a few suggestions to address the above problem which, if adopted by FamilySearch.org, could help to improve the verification process and get the RECORD HINTS files to a more correct patron.
1. Have the RECORD HINTS file sent only to the submitter. If the submitter is unable to respond, send the file to others identified as “past contributor(s).”
2. Do not allow any patron to submit the name and information about an ancestor to FamilySearch without attaching at least one primary or secondary source OR, inserting an explanation in the box titled, “Reason this Information is Correct” in the “Sources” section of an event relative to the deceased ancestor.
3. In the “Attach Historical Documents to Family Tree” of RECORD HINTS include a third choice titled “Cannot determine” with an explanation box that requires the patron to explain why he or she “cannot determine.” An explanation may help to further guidance for future inquiries.

LegacyUser

Tom Huber said: First, welcome to the community-powered feedback forum for FamilySearch. FamilySearch personnel read every discussion thread and may or may not respond as their time permits. We all share an active interest in using the resources of this site and as users, we have various levels of knowledge and experience and do our best to help each other with concerns, issues, and/or questions.

To me, and I'm a user just like you, but have over fifty years of experience, record hints are like the "leaves" for an Ancestry tree. They are sources for the person that have not been attached to their profile in the massive tree. It doesn't matter who created that profile or last edited it. (In the case of Ancestry, there is no universal tree for all mankind, only individual trees.)

The open-edit nature of the massive tree precludes any attempt to prevent a person from entering a person to the tree. At the present time and as far as I know, there is no movement to change this open-edit nature by FamilySearch.

If a record hint appears, there should always be sufficient information that will allow a user to determine if the hint applies (and attach it) or does not apply (and dismiss it). If the user cannot determine if the hint applies, then the user should leave it alone and not attach the source or dismiss the hint.

LegacyUser

Joel Lane Tapley said: Thanks, Tom, for your helpful response. You have clarified aspects of FamilySearch that I hadn't previously considered. I'll take your advice and dismiss those hints where there is insufficient information to make an accurate determination.

LegacyUser

Juli said: No, you should NOT dismiss it if there is insufficient information. You should leave the hint in place, in case more information turns up in the future.

(I guess Tom's last sentence could be misinterpreted, but it's clear to me that what he meant to say was "the user should leave it alone and neither attach the source nor dismiss the hint".)

LegacyUser

Paul said: Yes, you appear to have misunderstood Tom's last sentence, Joel.

LegacyUser

Jeff Wiseman said: Attaching a hint means that you've decided it is correct

Dismissing a hint means that you've decided it is wrong

Leaving a hint alone means that you don't know whether it is right or wrong.

Note that a hint left hanging will not exist forever. As additional sources are added the the record, the hints engine may decide from that additional information that the hint it suggested is not appropriate, and it will actually withdraw that hint (so the hint just disappears)

If after further sources and vitals are added to the record, someone else may came along a seeing the hint, will realize that the hint really DOES apply to this person. They can then attach it and provide reasons for attaching based on other sources that have been previously attached.

LegacyUser

Joel Lane Tapley said: Thanks to both Paul and Jeff for your comments. When I said I'd dismiss the record hint if I didn't know weather it applied, I meant that I would leave it alone

LegacyUser

Jeff Wiseman said: Ahh! I see. I'm used to the terminology where if you "Dismiss" a hint/help, it winds up in the "Dismissed Helps" list, out of sight, and making the hints engine think that it was a mistake:



Terminology can be pretty inconsistent across the site. in the above screen, "hints" are called "helps".