Protocol When Asking Your Questions at Genealogy Just Ask

Genealogy! Just Ask! is a strict genealogy group. We work to make sure that we keep our communications about research. We only ask questions or answer them. Join hundreds of people just like you who are finding their ancestors.

Would you like to ask questions or answer? We have several groups that are about discovering your family history. The groups can be found by going to Genealogy Just Ask Facebook Groups: www.genealogyjustask.com/home.

Genealogy! Just Ask! is one of the fastest growing genealogy groups. Each day you can find assistance with your research problems or offer your expertise to someone who is stuck.

Members helping:

· Understand the member’s question.

· Where have you looked?

· Be respectful or pass up the question.

· When helping, please be courteous. Many of our members are just beginning.

Members asking questions:

· Only ask one question at a time.

· Do not be too wordy.

· Ask your question on your own thread.

The purpose of this group is to assist members in researching ancestors and to learn about resources and techniques that will enhance that research. Our basic rules are (please read the full rules when joining):

1. No searching for or discussing living people

2. No selling goods or services (even if genealogy related)

3. Venting is discouraged.

4. Do not post your photos in this group.

5. Do not post downloaded newspaper images from subscription

sites. Post the URL/link instead. All downloaded newspaper

articles can get you blocked.

6. Use Find A Grave instead of the abbreviation. We do not want

to use any abbreviation that might be mistaken to mean

something outside of Find A Grave.

7. Please do not capitalize any part of your post. Capitalization

can make a member feel you have become angry or upset or

frustrated.

8. We cannot share familysearch.org as a member with LDS Access.

Understanding overcomes offenses in genealogy

We research our own ancestors and strive to learn about techniques and resources at our disposal. Everyone has started a unique way of learning as they go. If you have been involved for any length of time, you are probably aware of the topics that can get people a little hot under the collar. Views expressed can be taken without either party meaning for that to happen. People who do not understand become offended when someone points out an error or shares tips about technology, records, or best practices. Here are three challenges we commonly see:

Basing research on family trees without sources

Online family trees are the most popular accessed resources that people use in genealogy research today. However, that might make you cringe when you consider the fact that most trees are unsourced. Often, unseasoned researchers copy information from an existing tree or create sources with no proof of how they are related to the individual they add. What does the source consist of exactly? Here is an example of a source: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006. Original data: Thirteenth Census of the United States, 1910 (NARA microfilm publication T624, 1,178 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C. For details on the contents of the film numbers, visit the following NARA web page: NARA.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

This example cites a source from ancestry.com. The record used came from the 1910 census:

If you posted the image without the source, your family might not know how to find where you found the record. Let us say you are no longer around, and that descendant finds out a neighbor was related. Having the source there would be a significant help.

Using other people’s photos without permission

Of contention occurs as people download photos and share them online or in their publications without the owner’s permission. This leaves resentful feelings, and you need written permission for photos that you wish to use.

Remember, it can be against a company's copyright policy when you download, print, or share photos.