QuickSheet: Citing Online Historical Resources (Revised)

Elizabeth Shown Mills is well known in genealogy circles for a number of reasons. One of those reasons is her excellent book, Evidence! Citation & Analysis for the Family Historian. This book is the definitive guide about how to cite sources in any genealogy work. I wrote a review of this book when it first appeared ten years ago, and I was very impressed with it. I have used it often ever since.

Almost two years ago, Elizabeth produced a condensed QuickSheet that is equally valuable. It consists of four laminated pages. It focuses on online sources, a subject that has grown in importance since her book "Evidence!" was published. A lot of information is crammed into these four pages. A revised edition of the QuickSheet is now available.

QuickSheet: Citing Online Historical Resources provides a template for citing historical sources on the Internet. It also lays down rules to help you judge the reliability of these sources. The QuickSheet contains a series of sample citations, showing the correct way to identify online sources such as databases, census images, and digital books and articles.

The QuickSheet is based on the premise that online sources are publications that have the same characteristics as printed publications. It provides rules and models for common record types such as passenger lists, vital records, and newspapers. The QuickSheet shows you how to cite the author/creator/owner of a website, title of the website, place (URL), date posted, and so forth. The QuickSheet doesn't replace the earlier Evidence! Citation & Analysis for the Family Historian. It is much more of a supplement to the earlier book.

Best of all, the QuickSheet sells for a modest price: $5.95 plus shipping. It is available directly from Genealogical Publishing Corporation at http://tinyurl.com/2ebfl3.

This tiny QuickSheet is a "must have" for all genealogists. I kept the original version next to my computer for nearly two years, and I referred to it often. I have now replaced the previous version with the revised edition and expect to use the new one often in the future.

You can also read my review of the earlier Evidence! Citation & Analysis for the Family Historian in the archives of this newsletter at http://www.eogn.com/archives/news9737.htm.

Comments

[Mark Tucker]

Missing from your post is an indication of what has changed. Are there 10 new items on the sheet? Are there only minor corrections? Also, any indication when Elizabeth's new book will be out? Looking forward to your review of that.

[Gail Rich Nestor]

I believe Ms. Mills has indicated that her book will be available August 2007. What I want to know is, "Can we pre-order?!!" I can't wait to get my hands on a copy!

[Dino (all Dino, All the Time)]

Here's a second vote for letting us know what has been revised.

[Terry Smith]

Did you see the cost of mailing 4 pages? $6.00. More than the item cost. Is there another source that is more reasonable?

[Joan Armistead]

If you are ordering other items from Amazon and the total is over $25- postage is free

[Cindy Rowzee]

I have usually found that the cost of items and shipping is cheaper when I get things from www.whollygenes.com. They also, it seems like a couple of times a year, have free shipping for a couple of weeks. It is only $4.50 there but I am not positive on what the shipping would be.

[Marilyn Gardner]

I was quoted $30 for postage to the UK. Is there an alternative source, and, perhaps more importantly, is this a relevant document for us Brits?

[Michael Fearn]

In the UK the book is available from http://www.langtoninfo.co.uk/showitem.asp?isbn=0806315431

That supplier might be able to get the reference sheet on request?

[R Rose]

www.whollygenes.com has it @25% off $4.50 with shipping by US Mail for $2.47

[Pat]

I found the bookshop LangtonInfo to be unreliable as regards to delivery time