When I use information from FindAGrave, whether it comes from the "memorial" tab or the "photos" tab makes a difference. I analyze the information differently. If the image of the stone is clear, then I conclude that it's representing to be the stone it claims to be--especially if the inscription can be read. It's always possible that the picture of a stone is placed in the wrong virtual cemetery on FindAGrave, but unless I have information on the burial location that is inconsistent with FindAGrave, I will conclude that the stone is where it claims to be.
The memorial is different. That information sometimes cannot be compared to the stone. It often does not even from the stone and the "source" of the information in the memorial is not often given by the compiler. For that reason, one has to take caution in using the information from the "memorial."
I think it's important to make the distinction when using FindAGrave information to include whether the information came from the "memorial" or the "photo." If the source of your photo of a stone is the "photo page" on FindAGrave, then you should so state.
We'll work on crafting some citations and post those in the next several days.
Showing posts with label findagrave. Show all posts
Showing posts with label findagrave. Show all posts
08 July 2013
Thinking About FindaGrave Again & Are There Better Pictures?
I'm still working on a discussion of suggestions for citation and information analysis of images and other information located on Find A Grave.
Users of Find A Grave should be aware that sometimes (not always) it may be possible to get a better picture than the one that is on Find A Grave. In some cases, a better picture will not provide any additional information, especially if the stone is relatively modern or easy to read. In other cases it may be that a picture taken from a different angle, at a different time of day, or at a different time of year may result in a picture with additional clarity. Picture takers are human. The type of camera may also make a difference as well. Some stones are difficult to photograph and a "better" image may simply not be possible. There are times when actually being in the cemetery viewing the stone allows for the best reading of the stone to take place and there may be nuances that no picture will catch.
Astronauts say the real thing doesn't compare to pictures. I'm not certain we can compare looking at tombstones with looking at Earth from outer space, but hopefully you get the idea.
I prefer to transcribe the stone from the picture if at all possible.
And all of us should be thankful for the information that is available on Find A Grave. This is not meant to be a negative criticism of the site, but to serve as a reminder to those of us who use the site for our own research.
Users of Find A Grave should be aware that sometimes (not always) it may be possible to get a better picture than the one that is on Find A Grave. In some cases, a better picture will not provide any additional information, especially if the stone is relatively modern or easy to read. In other cases it may be that a picture taken from a different angle, at a different time of day, or at a different time of year may result in a picture with additional clarity. Picture takers are human. The type of camera may also make a difference as well. Some stones are difficult to photograph and a "better" image may simply not be possible. There are times when actually being in the cemetery viewing the stone allows for the best reading of the stone to take place and there may be nuances that no picture will catch.
Astronauts say the real thing doesn't compare to pictures. I'm not certain we can compare looking at tombstones with looking at Earth from outer space, but hopefully you get the idea.
I prefer to transcribe the stone from the picture if at all possible.
And all of us should be thankful for the information that is available on Find A Grave. This is not meant to be a negative criticism of the site, but to serve as a reminder to those of us who use the site for our own research.
08 May 2013
Thinking Out Loud About Citing FindaGrave
I'm still working on a comfortable framework for citing material I find on FindAGrave.
It seems to me that there are really two types of material on FindAGrave and that it might be worth my while to make some distinction between the photographs I find there and the textual material I find on the site. Keep in mind, I may revise this viewpoint.
Photographs are fairly self explanatory and if they are high quality I can make a transcription myself from the picture--although my citation must clearly indicate that I viewed a picture and not the actual stone. We will assume that the stone is listed on FindAGrave in the right cemetery, although occasionally there are issues with that as well.
The textual material on FindAGrave memorials varies from simple statements that the person is buried there, to an actual transcription of the stone, to additional information on the individual that is not on the stone at all and is secondary in nature. The difficulty with the textual material is that if there is not a photograph of the stone as a part of the memorial, I do not know if the transcription is accurate. If the textual material is lengthy, I might not know where the transcription ends and something else begins. The extra information is helpful (I want to make that clear), at least as a clue or as a lead, but if my goal is to cite what is on the stone (using FindAGrave) it muddies that water. My citation to any textual material on FindAGrave must indicate that that textual information came from the site and not the stone.
Stay tuned...
It seems to me that there are really two types of material on FindAGrave and that it might be worth my while to make some distinction between the photographs I find there and the textual material I find on the site. Keep in mind, I may revise this viewpoint.
Photographs are fairly self explanatory and if they are high quality I can make a transcription myself from the picture--although my citation must clearly indicate that I viewed a picture and not the actual stone. We will assume that the stone is listed on FindAGrave in the right cemetery, although occasionally there are issues with that as well.
The textual material on FindAGrave memorials varies from simple statements that the person is buried there, to an actual transcription of the stone, to additional information on the individual that is not on the stone at all and is secondary in nature. The difficulty with the textual material is that if there is not a photograph of the stone as a part of the memorial, I do not know if the transcription is accurate. If the textual material is lengthy, I might not know where the transcription ends and something else begins. The extra information is helpful (I want to make that clear), at least as a clue or as a lead, but if my goal is to cite what is on the stone (using FindAGrave) it muddies that water. My citation to any textual material on FindAGrave must indicate that that textual information came from the site and not the stone.
Stay tuned...
04 May 2013
Citing the Stone or the Site
I get a lot of use out of FindaGrave. But one needs to be careful how one cites information obtained from this source.
Do you clearly make a distinction of what was on the stone (your transcription) versus other biographical information provided on the site?
If you view the stone's picture on FindaGrave and transcribe that, then your citation should indicate that you saw the picture of the stone on FindaGrave. If you use additional information from the webpage--information that is not on the stone--then your should simply cite the site and not the stone. You do not want to indicate the stone provides information that it does not.
The FindaGrave page for one female ancestor lists her with her maiden name and her married name in the page title. The maiden name is not on her stone, which only contains her married name at death and her age. My transcription of the stone should indicate that I saw a photograph of her gravestone on FindaGrave, along with the name of the cemetery and the date. My transcription should use the name given for her on her stone, not the page title which includes the maiden name. This is because the maiden name is not on the stone.
If I want to use the FindaGrave page as a "source" for her maiden name (which I personally would not do), then I should cite the page at FindaGrave as that is where that information is located, not the stone.
And if you use the FindaGrave transcription instead of your own, you should cite the FindaGrave transcription, making it clear you did not read the stone yourself.
We will look at creating a set of example citations and posting them in a future blog post.
Do you clearly make a distinction of what was on the stone (your transcription) versus other biographical information provided on the site?
If you view the stone's picture on FindaGrave and transcribe that, then your citation should indicate that you saw the picture of the stone on FindaGrave. If you use additional information from the webpage--information that is not on the stone--then your should simply cite the site and not the stone. You do not want to indicate the stone provides information that it does not.
The FindaGrave page for one female ancestor lists her with her maiden name and her married name in the page title. The maiden name is not on her stone, which only contains her married name at death and her age. My transcription of the stone should indicate that I saw a photograph of her gravestone on FindaGrave, along with the name of the cemetery and the date. My transcription should use the name given for her on her stone, not the page title which includes the maiden name. This is because the maiden name is not on the stone.
If I want to use the FindaGrave page as a "source" for her maiden name (which I personally would not do), then I should cite the page at FindaGrave as that is where that information is located, not the stone.
And if you use the FindaGrave transcription instead of your own, you should cite the FindaGrave transcription, making it clear you did not read the stone yourself.
We will look at creating a set of example citations and posting them in a future blog post.
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