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Archiver > TMG > 2004-02 > 1075645961


From: Terry Reigel <>
Subject: Re: [TMG] Source and Source of Source
Date: Sun, 1 Feb 2004 09:32:41 -0500
In-Reply-To: <000001c3e792$a010e890$6401a8c0@GatewayLaptop>


On Fri, 30 Jan 2004 19:38:57 -0500, Laurie Jones Williams wrote:

> I have received a copy of a "pension file". Included in
> the file are the application for pension, a certified
> copy of the marriage certificate and several letters and
> affidavits. Do I cite the source as the document or the
> file? Is this what source of source is for? For
> example, to cite the marriage certificate and then cite
> the source of the marriage certificate as the pension
> file with the Archives as the repository?

The "Source of a Source" is intended to be used the other way around
-- you have a source, say a book or someone's genealogy report, that
cites a source for its information. However, as currently implemented,
it really doesn't work very well for that purpose. First, the current
"source of a source" applies to the whole source -- useful only if
your source gives only a general reference to its sources, say in a
bibliography. There is no provision to relate the cited sources to
specific data. Worse, it cannot be included in any output, so your
readers will never see it. If you had such a case, I would add the
citation to the "source of this source" in the Comments field so it
can be included in the output.

But in the case you describe, I think you have two methods available,
and it's not clear to me that one is better than the other:

1. Create one Source, for the pension file. I would probably add a
note in comments describing generally what it contained, and add the
[COMMENTS] source element to the output template for the full footnote
template if it's not already there. Then, when you cite something like
the marriage certificate, mention that in the Citation Detail, so you
and your readers will know just where it came from.

2. Create separate Sources for each noteworthy document found in the
file, such as the marriage certificate. Describe in Comments where the
document was found -- the pension file. Make sure the [COMMENTS]
source element is in the full footnote, adding it if necessary. Then
cite each of these sources individually. You may also want to create a
Source for the pension file itself if it contains other material you
don't want to treat as individual sources.

Terry Reigel


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