World Archives Project: Alabama Reference Name Files

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About this project This collection consists of  Reference Name file cards for births, marriages, deaths, burials, and other events. The project difficulty level is set for Easy as the cards are legible and event type determination is clear.

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General Keying Standards
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Project-specific sample images and form field help:

Choose a sample image from below to see the corresponding form field examples.
Index Card

Index Card

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This form type is for all index card images that contain names. Index cards that do not contain names should be marked as "Cover Page, Section Header, etc.  

Prefix

Key any titles before the Given name, such as "Dr", "Rev", "Mr" or "Mrs", using the drop-down list for assistance. Key the prefix as seen, validating with f7 if necessary. Do not expand abbreviations, or correct spelling or typographical errors. Do not key periods (full stops). then key the prefix as seen. On birth and death records "stillborn", "child", "unknown", or "not stated" may appear. Key these as prefixes. If "child of Peter Pan" appears, key "child of" as a prefix then key the father name as Peter Pan.
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Given

Key the first name or initial and any middle names of the primary person to whom the record pertains using the drop-down list if provided for assistance. Key the name as seen, validating with f7 if necessary. Do not expand abbreviations, or correct spelling or typographical errors. Do not key periods (full stops).
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Surname

The Surname is the last name of the primary person to whom the record applies. Capture the Surname using the drop-down list provided for assistance. Key the name as seen, validating with f7 if necessary. Do not expand abbreviations, or correct spelling or typographical errors. Do not key periods (full stops).
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Suffix

Key all titles, such as "Jr" or "III", following the surname of the primary person to whom the record applies using the drop-down list provided for assistance. Key the suffix as seen, validating with f7 if necessary. Do not expand abbreviations, or correct spelling or typographical errors. Do not key periods (full stops).
See Example

Event Type 1

Determine the correct Event Type for the date following the guidelines below. Then, select the correct Event Type from the drop-down list. To activate the list key the first letter of the event type. Select ONLY an option from the list, do not create a custom event type. All cards need to have an Event Type entered.

Birth Event Type: Choose when a birth date is on the card. Add parents' names, if given, on same line in appropriate spaces.

Marriage Event Type: Choose when "married" appears on the card. For example: "Aaron, Mary married Elias Collins, November 22nd 1852". Add spouse's or parents' names, if given, on same line in appropriate spaces. Do not key names of ministers.

Death Event Type: Choose when the card has a Death Date.

Burial Event Type: Choose when card has a Burial Date.

Will/Court Event Type: Choose when a card refers to any will or court event.  Key all names on a Will/Court event type as separate unique records (a line for each one).

Other Event Type: Choose when there is no clear indication that card is either birth, marriage, burial, death, or will/court. Key all names on an Other event type as separate unique records (a line for each one).

When multiple events occur for the same person, use event type 2 and event type 3 fields as appropriate. Do not create multiple lines for the same person. All cards will have at least one event.

Note: there are very many fields, -more than can be displayed on the screen simultaneously - so you will have to keep tabbing to see the columns for spouse, parents and extra events.

See Example

Event 1 Month

Using the provided drop-down list, capture the month from the date of Event 1. Key the full month, or select from the drop-down list. Do not use dates which are part of source citations.
See Example

Event 1 Day

Capture the day from the Event Type 1 date.  Do not use leading zeros. Do not use dates which are part of source citations. 
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Event 1 Year

Capture the year from the Event Type 1 date.  Do not use dates which are part of source citations.
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Event 1 Location

Capture the location of Event Type 1 using the provided drop-down list. Key as seen, do not expand abbreviations, correct spelling or typographical errors; conversely, do not abbreviate when written out in full on the card, nor use an abbreviation other than the one used on the document. However, do not key periods(full stops). If necessary, press f7 to validate. Be sure to key county if given, there is a difference between Montgomery and Montgomery County for instance. Key the state if given, as seen. Key multiple locations as seen. Do not key cemetery names as part of locations.

See Example

Event Type 2

Follow instructions for Event Type 1.
See Example

Event 2 Month

Follow instructions for Event 1 Month.
See Example

Event 2 Day

Follow instructions for Event 1 Day.
See Example

Event 2 Year

Follow instructions for Event 1 Year.
See Example

Event 2 Location

Follow instructions for Event 1 Location.
See Example

Event Type 3

Follow instructions for Event Type 1.
See Example

Event 3 Month

Follow instructions for Event 1 Month.
See Example

Event 3 Day

Follow instructions for Event 1 Day.
See Example

Event 3 Year

Follow instructions for Event 1 Year.
See Example

Event 3 Location

Follow instructions for Event 1 Location.
See Example

Father Given

The Father Given is the first name or initial with any middle names or initials of the father of the primary person to whom the record pertains. Using the drop-down list provided capture the Father Given. Key the name as seen, validating with f7 if necessary. Do not expand abbreviations, or correct spelling or typographical errors. Do not key periods (full stops).
See Example

Father Surname

The Father Surname is the last name of the father of the primary person to whom the record pertains. Capture the Father Surname using the drop-down list provided. Key the name as seen, validating with f7 if necessary. Do not expand abbreviations, or correct spelling or typographical errors. Do not key periods (full stops).
See Example

Mother Given

The Mother Given is the first name or initial with any middle names or initials of the mother of the primary person to whom the record pertains. Using the drop-down list provided capture the Mother Given. Key the name as seen, validating with f7 if necessary. Do not expand abbreviations, or correct spelling or typographical errors. Do not key periods (full stops).
See Example

Mother Surname

The Mother Surname is the last name of the mother of the primary person to whom the record pertains. Capture the Mother Surname using the drop-down list provided for assistance. Key the name as seen, validating with f7 if necessary. Do not expand abbreviations, or correct spelling or typographical errors. Do not key periods (full stops).
See Example

Spouse Given

The Spouse Given is the first name or initial and any middle names of the spouse of the primary person to whom the record applies. Key the Spouse Given name using the drop-down list provided for assistance. Key the name as seen, validating with f7 if necessary. Do not expand abbreviations, or correct spelling or typographical errors. Do not key periods (full stops).
See Example

Spouse Surname

The Spouse Surname is the last name of the spouse of the primary person to whom the record pertains. Key the name as seen, validating with f7 if necessary. Do not expand abbreviations, or correct spelling or typographical errors. Do not key periods (full stops).
See Example

Age at Death or Burial

Capture the Age of the primary person at the time of their death or burial. The primary person is the one to whom the record pertains. Key the Age as seen. Including words such as days, months, or years is acceptable if found on the record. Key only if actually written on the card. Do not obtain this figure by calculation.
See Example

Cover pages and Duplicates

Only class an image as duplicate if:

• It is a true and complete copy of another image. Not merely because it contains similar data.
• The other copy is in the same set.

Only class an image as a cover page if:

• The image is not an index card but has relevant information. Undated cards are not by themselves a cover page.