Where did that come from?

Repositories, Sources and Citations

Those of you who know me will know I have a bee in the bonnet about this but it is important.

If you wish that your work is taken seriously then your research should be supported by Citations and Sources. The way I do it is not difficult or too lengthy. You will see many vast tomes on the subject but I am going to try and make it simple. Others will say I am being over simplistic but the aim should be to let the reader know what you have found and where they might find the original themselves.

Repositories.

This is the place where the record is found. If you use a form like the one below then you need only write down the information once. First assign each repository a unique number.

If the source is a book then the repository will be the name of the library or record office.

You would record –

• The name of the library
  
• Its address
• It’s telephone number
• The email address
• The website (if they have one)
  
• 
  

If the source is on a website then the repository is the Website

You would record –

• The URL or Web Address
  
• 
  

If the source is verbal. (E.g. What mother told you) - This could be yourself!

You would record -

• Name
  
• Address
  
• Telephone number
• Email
  

It is possible for a source to have two or more repositories. For example, The Parish Register Fiche being held by Chorley Family History Research Centre was derived from the records being held by Lancashire Archives or the Lancashire Parish Records on Ancestry were derived from Lancashire Archives. So I would record both.

Source

This is the name of the book in a library or the name of the database being used on a web site. If you use a form like the one below then you need only write down the information once. First assign each Source a unique number.

If the Source was a book

You would record –

• Source Title – the book title
• Source Type – Book
• Author – Author(s)
• Publication Information – Publisher, Date of Publication, ISBN etc.
• Note – A relevant note e.g. No longer in print.
• The Repository Number

If the Source was on a website

You would record -

• Source Title – the database title e.g. Abstracts of Nottinghamshire marriage licences
• Source Type – Ancestry Database
• Author – Author e.g. Abstracts of Nottinghamshire marriage licences [database on-line]. Provo, UT: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005. Copied from Ancestry in this case
• Publication Information – e.g. Abstracts of Nottinghamshire marriage licences. London: British Record Society, 1930-1935. Copied from Ancestry in this case
• Note – A relevant note
• The Repository Number

If the Source was Verbal

You would record -

• Source Title – e.g. Talk with Jean Chapman about her school life
• Source Type – Verbal
• Author – Jean Chapman
• Publication Information – Date of interview Feb 1990
• Note – A relevant note
• The Repository Number

Citation

This is the detail of what you found. If you use a form like the one below then you need only write down the information once. First assign each Citation a unique number.

If the Source was a book

You would record –

• Citation - The Baptism of Fredrick Smith in St. James the Less, Bottleton, Anywhershire, 1600
• Where within Source – Page 19 Line 23
• Text from Source – 1600 MARCHE Fredrick filius Thomas Smith - 3
• Entry Date – The date you did the research
• Reliability Assessment – Devise your own system. In this case it is a book of transcribed records and not the original so I would describe it as secondary information, i.e. not primary
• The Source Number
  

If the Source was a Website database

You would record –

• Citation - The Marriage of John Smith and Elizabeth Nevill, St. Mary’s, Nottingham 1734/5
• Where within Source – Image 1065 (Ancestry) Page 344
• Text from Source – 1734/5 Feb. 11 John Smith, p. St. Mary’s Nottm., gent., 30, bac., & Elizabeth Nevill, p. St. Peter’s Nottm., 25, spr. ; at St. Peter’s. [Bond by Nathaniel Nevill, of Nottm., linnen-draper.]
• Entry Date – The date you did the research
• Reliability Assessment – Devise your own system. In this case it is a computer image of a book of transcribed records and not the original so I would describe it as secondary information, i.e. not primary
• The Source Number
  

If the Source was Verbal

You would record –

• Citation - e.g. Talk with Jean Chapman about her school life
• Where within Source –
• Text from Source – Key points of interview. Reference to any audio recording made or notes taken.
• Entry Date – The date you did the research
• Reliability Assessment – Devise your own system.
• The Source Number
  

Sample Repository Sheet

Repository Sheet

Source Sheet

Example Citation Sheet

Citation Sheet