What instructional resources are available for Get Involved volunteer activities?
Much of the help is built into the Get Involved experience. Many of the changes and features were a result of patron feedback.
There are various volunteer activities you can do as part of Get Involved, including indexing and names review.
For names review, there is a Names Review video, but not project instructions, like indexing. Additionally, there are some videos and knowledge articles (KA) in the FamilySearch.org Help Center that you may find helpful:
Videos:
- An Introduction to Get Involved (English)
- Editing Records Through Get Involved (English)
- Names Review Volunteer Activity (English)
- Participa (Spanish and Portuguese support)
KAs:
- FAQ: Review Names - New!
- How do I review names on Get Involved?
- Where do I find project instructions for review names?
- Where can I see how many names I have indexed or reviewed?
- What is Get Involved?
- Where is indexing?
- How do I find stats for my participation in indexing and Get Involved?
- When will my language or homeland have more record opportunities?
Best Answer
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@genthusiast , I have similar questions. I had street names and also the name of a mine highlighted. I've been correcting them, but am unsure if I'm supposed to report them as errors.
Also, I wish I could see additional pages for context and handwriting examples. Some of the handwriting is pretty difficult to decipher.
Some info in the Help Center articles appears inaccurate or possibly out of date. For example, this article refers to Switch to Advanced Edit Mode and a tutorial I can supposedly watch for more instructions--but I can't find Switch to Advanced Edit Mode and there's no link to the tutorial from the article.
"Get Involved" definitely needs a better help experience :)
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Answers
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When we are reviewing these names and come across a name that was written as Thos and it is expanded to Thomas in the box, should we change it back to Thos? Why were the names expanded? Does a computer expand the names?
If the name is Thomas, Margaret D.etal or Thomas, Margaret D. et al and D.etal or D. et al is highlighted, and the box has D.et al or D.etal do we ignore et al and enter the D? Or should we enter Margaret D? (There was not an option to correct Margaret, only D.etal which was Detal.)
In other words, do we follow the General Indexing Guidelines of Indexing and not expand name abbreviations and ignore other types of legal abbreviations?
Thanks in advance!
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Apparently we are not following the general indexing guidelines (which in my opinion is confusing for experienced indexers). According to the knowledge article, we just confirm whether the computer read the words correctly. If not, we can edit the words to correct them.
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Thanks Norm. It would be nice to have a few examples. I really wanted to correct that record so it would have reflected that Margaret D was her given name and that D et al should have not been captured. Perhaps if we understood the point of the exercise, it would make more sense. Are we training computers, or are we creating quality, searchable text for end-users?
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I went to try it out and suddenly found I was doing live changes. Later on I found the (hidden) instructions. My experience as an indexer really hampered me. But I'm all for more clarity on function and purpose before unleashing the world on the records.
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Without further instruction on the abbreviations we are following the indexing guidelines. Until we have more detailed instruction we have to use our best judgement.
I did notice that the more I did the reviewing the better the computer was getting at indexing. These are real records.
As far as following indexing guidelines there is a rule of thumb. Priority list. 1. Field help 2. Project Instructions 3. General Indexing Guidelines.
Another thing I discovered is there is a back button if you change your mind. That I like very much.
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More knowledge articles (KA) have been added to the post above and are available in the FamilySearch Help Center.
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@annewandering , regarding abbreviations for the Get Involved name reviews activity, it is different than indexing. Expand the name to what the real name likely is—the name that someone might search for.
Note: The system keeps all edits made in the names review activity and makes them searchable.
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There needs to be detailed instructions for "Review Names"........ not for the obvious, simple corrections. For example: when the computer indexes "City" as in Kansas City as a name, I assume we are to click on "transcription error" and then select the box "not a name" and click submit. However, the box with error still shows on the screen. Do we just click "accept" or do we blank out the box and then click "accept"?
#2.... Three match boxes pop up and each box has: JrBrown Az Jopnson. In the single box that we get to correct errors do we enter: Brown A Johnson? Does that fix the three computer indexing errors.
What throws me off is when two, three, four match boxes pop up but we only have one box to make the needed corrections. I'm not 100% sure I'm taking the correct action.
John, Atlanta
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It would really be helpful to have a few basic instructions. I did learn that it is ok that the computer enlarges name abbreviations, such as typing William for Wm. But there is nothing that instructs us to leave or delete periods after initials or to move them over when the computer has left a space. I have indexed for years so these are hard habits to break. I am on the family history committee in our ward and would like to have some answers for people or instructions to point them to. "It really doesn't matter" because the original entry stays does not cut it with me. Think I will stick with indexing.
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Wondering if reporting (total names reviewed & contributors by Ward/Stake) added to the Review Names system...?
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What if the 'name' highlighted is a proper name - for example a place or business (I actually got a record naming mines)? Are we supposed to review them as 'names' - or indicate 'not a name' under transcription error?
For incomplete segments - there isn't a way to resize to correct that (or at least I cannot on the web app) - so just mark transcription error> 'incomplete'?
Also if the location I selected to review doesn't match the record(s) displayed - transcription error> Other: Wrong place? There is not really a place entry for the ones I have reviewed - I just noticed they don't match though...
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WHERE ARE THE HIDDEN INSTRUCTIONS FOR REVIEWING AI?
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Go to the Help button in the top right corner of the screen. It is a circle with the ? in the center. Click on Help then type in your keywords. Or ask here.
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genthusiast, I would suggest clicking a proper name in a business as a correct indexing. Otherwise the computer might get confused since it really is a person's name. You could go to the transcription error page and click other then explain in the comment why it is not a person. Then submit the name.
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I feel strongly that we need someone in authority to decide how some of the non-obvious problems are to be handled. Then, there needs to be a way for me, as a volunteer, to access that information. I have felt very frustrated trying to edit the names without more guidance. Perhaps there could be a list of common problems and ways to deal with them.
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Thank you for your feedback. We are working on compiling an FAQ (frequently asked questions) knowledge article (KA) that will be available in the FamilySearch Help Center for the Names Review volunteer activity.
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You can find instructions for the Get Involved volunteer activities such as Names Review, including videos and knowledge articles (KA), at the beginning of this post or in the FamilySearch Help Center. Click the question mark with the circle around it at the top right of this page.
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Thank you for your feedback, @genthusiast .
- If the name highlighted is a place name or business, mark it as Not-a-name in the transcription-error menu.
- Regarding incomplete segments, do you have an example? It sounds like you are referring to names where only a part of the name is highlighted? Is that correct? If so, enter the entire correct name that is highlighted, and click Submit.
- If the location selected to review does not match the record displayed, click Transcription Error, click Other, and enter the description in the text field. (See screen.)
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Thank you for your question. The Review Names activity is different than indexing and will be counted separately. The teams are working on how this will be reflected in the ward/stake reports. We appreciate your patience.
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Thank you for your feedback, @McLeanLinda17. We are working on adding additional KAs, including an FAQ (frequently asked questions) knowledge article (KA) to the FamilySearch Help Center to answer some of these questions.
You are correct that you should expand abbreviations to your best educated guess. See KA 17149 where it mentions abbreviations: https://www.familysearch.org/en/help/helpcenter/article/where-do-i-find-project-instructions-for-review-names.
It is not necessary to leave a space if the computer does, unless it is applicable to the name. For example: Mary Ann or Anne Marie. Include the period with initials, such as A.J.
We are working to additional KAs, including an FAQ in the FamilySearch Help Center. Thank you for your service on the family history committee and sharing family history activities with others.
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Thank you for your feedback. We are working to additional KAs, including an FAQ in the FamilySearch Help Center that should be helpful for examples that you shared and others that have appeared. For now, any corrections or issues that you are unsure of, click Unsure.
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Thank you for your feedback. As previously shared, we are working on additional knowledge articles (KA) in the FamilySearch Help Center, including an FAQ.
· If the name highlighted is a place name or business (or mine), mark it as Not-a-name in the transcription-error menu.
· At the current time, we are not able to show multiple pages. You can click the Handwriting Help icon at the trop right of the page to see multiple letter examples.
· Regarding the KA that you believe to be outdated, please share the KA title or number (below the title) so we can review or update, if needed.
· The Names Review activity is only a few weeks old. We recognize there is room for improvement and appreciate constructive feedback that is being shared to improve the help resources and experience. Thank you for your patience.
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Thank you for your feedback. Names Review is a different activity than indexing. As the knowledge article (KA) #17149 (Where do I find project instructions for review names?) in the FamilySearch Help Center indicates, it is recommended to expand abbreviated names. This is different than the indexing instructions. We are working on additional KAs, including an FAQ (frequently asked questions) document. This experience is only a few weeks old and will continue to improve over time and based on feedback, such as what you have shared.
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The FAQ that has been mentioned is really needed, and right now. There is no consensus at all into how we should handle various situations.
For example, when a page is separated into columns with names in each column. Let's suppose column 1 has James Smith and column 2 and John Jones, and it comes back and places the blue box over "Smith John". What should the correct response be. Certainly, it has scanned the names correctly, but the blue box is not covering names in a way someone would try to search for them. So maybe the correct response is to hit transcription error and say "Not a name"
Other times, the blue box is over half a name. Should be include the full name? What if we could drag the edge of the blue box and make it long enough to cover the entire name?
Sometimes the blue box interferes with reading the name in the box. It would be nice to be able to hide the blue box for a moment to see what it is hiding.
Sometimes the blue box is offset vertically and includes half the name above it and half the name below it. What do we do then?
The correction box is sometimes in the way. Would be nice to drag it out of the way. I have discovered that if I scroll up or down far enough, the correction box will move, but this is not something everyone finds on their own.
When I choose Transcription Error, there is a default choice filled in. If I pick a different choice, the default remains, and I sometimes forget to uncheck it. Would be more friendly to not fill in a default.
There should be two different colored boxes used. One color would be for a name that is to be checked for accuracy such as "Robert". And another check done separately on the last name such as "Young". And the second color should be for something that is to be searchable name such as the different colored box surrounding "Robert Young"
I am really concerned that as we attempt to use this right now that the rules are so nebulous that what we get from it is going to be almost unusable. This has to be fixed immediately!!!
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@HerrJamesAlan1 , thank you for your feedback and helpful suggestions. The FAQ should be published this week and will address many of the questions that have been asked. The engineers and product teams are reviewing feedback and will continue improving the review tool and the overall experience.
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A new Names Review FAQ (frequently asked questions) knowledge article (KA) has been added to the initial post above. You can also access the FAQ in the FamilySearch Help Center here. Thank you for your efforts in reviewing names enabling others to discover their ancestors in historical records!
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Just want to make sure I am doing this right.
First I see: "John H Canfield" outlined and I select "Match"
Second, "John H" is outlined, and I picked "Transcription Error" and "Incomplete"
Third, "Canfield" is outlined, and I picked "Transcription Error" and "Incomplete"
Sometimes the order of these are different so that I see "John H" outlined, so I edit and complete it as "John H Canfield"
Then I get "Canfield", so I picked "Transcription Error" and "Incomplete"
Finally, I get "John H Canfield" outlined, but I have already that name outlined, so I picked "Transcription Error" and "Incomplete".
The new FAQ's (Mar 30th) just are not complete enough and it is not clear how to deal with how this is working.
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Started on the 1950 census with Oregon. There are many lines that have "vacant" or "not at home". I am selecting "Transcription Error". The problem is that this choice can take a long time to respond, sometimes many minutes.
The other choices "Match", "Edit" and "Unsure" happen quickly.
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Many people are experiencing this lag.
The main task is to make sure the computer indexed what was highlighted. And that is usually done correctly, but not always.
You may see parts of a name and then the entire name. So you should not pick incomplete and transcription error as described above. All those that you described were matches.
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