Temple Names without real research
It seems every few weeks I hear about someone having hundreds if not thousands of temple names submitted or cleared. Worst of all when no real research was done, they just pulled information from Ancestral File (AF) or Pedigree Resource File (PRF) or someones online posts or other databases. (WorldTree, One World Tree, etc.) (See other posts on these)
While submitters using Temple Ready software are counseled to check the online International Genealogical Index (IGI) for more recently submitted work, many still neglect this process, particularly research companies.
Some do limited checking of the online IGI by using Ohana Softwares PAF Insight to do it for them. Some run it through once or a few times. What they fail to realize is that individual lookups still need to be done with various spellings not caught or handled properly by PAF Insight.
[Now in 2011 Temple Ready has been replaced by New Family Search, while this replaces much of the duplication, still some individuals are submitting names that are already done. While some of this is unintentional, still too much is not.]
An example we saw recently involved 539 name cards provided to a client by another research company. Utilizing PAF Insight on these names we located numerous duplicates or already completed work identifying several hundred of the individuals on the cards as already having had work submitted and completed. Additional individual lookups with variations in spelling and forms of given names and surnames resulted in only 75 names on cards not having been already completed. So over 80% had already been done.
The question might be asked why individuals don’t check them more thoroughly. Many answers to this question can be suggested. Ignoring the need to check online IGI. No knowledge of PAF Insight or other computer software checking programs. A lack of understanding of Temple Ready, Temple Update, and PAF Insights limitations. Or in some instances a deliberate avoidance of these extra procedures to save time, money, and have inflated results. To those who neglect these procedures knowingly we say shame. Multiple peoples time and effort go into seeing that staffing and this work is done. Some have estimated as much as 17 hours per submitted name. With that in mind doesn’t it make sense to work harder to check them and reduce the numbers to only those which haven’t been submitted and really should be.
If you’re having a hard time because someone doesn’t have the same spelling on the last name, or a different abbreviation or spelling on the given name, or the same birth but a different location, get over it. It’s the same person. Record it properly in your records and genealogy or family history software, record that it’s already done and move on.
We’ve seen instances of an individual having their work done 25-50 times. Why?, Why? Why?. If they have the same spouse, same children, or same parents, chances are its the same person. Familiarity with name variations will clear a few more duplicates. (ex. Johannes, Johann, Johan, John, Hans, Jan.) Depending on the original birth place and language all could refer to the same individual. Unfortunately many submit names for temple work from Census records without making an effort to located birth, death, burial, or marriage records for the same individuals. Thorough research takes time. Seldom are census records the only records available.
So do everyone a favor, spend more time in checking for duplicates. Individual lookups, learning name variations, spelling variations, nicknames (ex. Mary, Polly, Nancy) and many more exist. Don’t resubmit just because the date isn’t exact, or the exact location, if its the same person slight variations don’t require the work to be resubmitted.
[Now in 2011, New Family Search creates some of the duplicates from multiple submissions from Ancestral File and Pedigree Resource File. They failed to check the files and take the latest and most correct submissions so you have to do the corrections yourself in New Family Search. Also remember New Family Search is a collaboration program so when someone else uploads or submits something it keeps all submissions. That means that what you see may be a blending of your information with others and require you to do cleanup or your research company.]
And thanks for doing it right to all those who’ve learned this already.
That’s all for now from the inside, James.
