ROOTSWEB REVIEW
1. News and Notes: ------------------
1a. Using WorldConnect Effectively.
First-time visitors to RootsWeb https://sites.rootsweb.com/ usually begin a search by typing their ancestor's surname (last name) or surname and given (first) name into the search box (metasearch) on the Home Page and proceed from there to check the various databases found in those search results.

This is an excellent way to begin. However, it should be only the beginning -- not the end -- of searching at RootsWeb. Another treasure chest to investigate is what is now the combined RootsWeb WorldConnect/ Ancestry World Tree. It currently totals more than 232 million names.

The main WorldConnect page http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/ has a simple search box for easy access to its Global Search. Type in a name and click for a "one-step" easy search option that is much like the metasearch box on the main RootsWeb page, but with the added capability that supports International characters (umlauts, diacritical marks, etc.). Use the more advanced search options by clicking on SEARCH ALL DATABASES or by going directly to the WorldConnect Global Search at: http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi

You can search all the databases in WorldConnect using only a surname or even part of a surname, or search on a field other than the surname field -- perhaps a "date only" or a "place only" search. Search on any one field or more than one field. Of course, the fewer fields searched, the greater number of matches. Searching many fields at once yields fewer and more specific matches.

For surnames searches, there is a drop-down menu offering the option for an exact spelling of the name, or a Soundex, or a Metaphone search. WorldConnect's Global Search allows trailing wildcard matches with a minimum of three letters followed by an asterisk.

Understanding Soundex, Metaphone, Fuzzy, Special, and Specific Searches: --SOUNDEX. This produces a four-character code beginning with the first letter of a surname followed by three numbers assigned according to the Soundex Coding Guide. Soundex keeps together names with the same and similar sounds, regardless of spelling. For a detailed explanation of Soundex, see RootsWeb's Guide To Tracing Family Trees: http://rwguide.rootsweb.com/lesson9.htm

--METAPHONE. This is an algorithm to code English words phonetically by reducing them to 16 consonant sounds. It is similar in concept and purpose to Soundex, but more comprehensive in its approach. --FUZZY SEARCHES. These are available also. "Fuzzy" in geek-speak means "not exact." A fuzzy search will find variant spellings by applying the rules of Soundex (usually reserved for surname searches) to all WorldConnect fields -- excluding birth and death years.

--SPECIAL SEARCHES. If you are searching for a Native American name, slave name, royal or nobility names, or other instances where only a given (first) name is used, you can do such a search in WorldConnect. Likely you will want to narrow down any "given name only" searches by including additional known information in your search terms.

--SPECIFIC DATABASES. You can limit your advanced search to a specific database by starting within it and clicking on the ADVANCED SEARCH link. Or, if you know the user code for a particular database you wish to search, enter the user code into the JUMP TO box on the main WorldConnect page. A user code is a unique file name, such as jcrane4 -- selected by the submitter. It can be comprised of a combination of numbers, letters, dashes, and/or underscores. To find the user code look in the search results under the right-hand column, which is labeled DATABASE. you also will find user codes at the end of the URL (Web address) of the file (db=user_code). Obtain the user codes for your own WorldConnect files from Password Central: http://passwordcentral.rootsweb.com/

Refine a search that yields too many results by including more information -- add a given name, or place of birth and/or death (using town, county, state, and/or country as your search term). Birth and death place searches support recognition of two-letter U.S. state abbreviations and the state's full name -- KS or Kansas. Birth year and death year are searchable with a drop-down menu with the selections of exact, plus or minus 1, 2, 5, 10 or 20 years. This gives a range to the searches of a maximum of 40 years -- 20 years in either direction from the year you are using as your starting point. Also, you may use a wildcard with an exact date search. For example, put 187* in the birth year field to search all years from 1870 through 1879.

Christening dates and/or places will be used automatically if birth dates and/or places are missing; burial dates and/or places are substituted in the absence of death dates and/or places. Another option for searches is on the names of the father, mother, and/or spouse.

You can eliminate matches that contain no data in the birth, death, and/ or marriage place fields when doing a search. Check the boxes marked "omit blanks." You can check off the boxes for "Has Descendants," "Has Notes," and/or "Has Sources" to limit searches to individuals with these fields of information included. But, remember that the more you narrow the search by adding criteria to match, the greater the chance that you might exclude a record of interest because it's not an exact match.

It is possible to exclude specific databases from your search (yours or anyone else's) by entering the user code(s) of the database(s) to be excluded in the SKIP DATABASE box. Exclude multiple databases by skipping a single space (no commas or other punctuation) between each user code.

Use the UPDATED WITHIN drop-down menu to limit your search to databases that have been uploaded or updated since you last performed a search (the FOREVER selection is used to search all databases). Check back often as new databases are added all the time, and old records are updated daily. Caution: If you are using SKIP DATABASE to skip someone else's database you might miss updates to their file.

Answers to your brick-wall problems, clues to family mysteries, and valuable information about your ancestors may be waiting for you at WorldConnect. All you have to do is find it.

Previously published in RootsWeb Review: Vol. 5, No. 44, 30 October 2002.

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ROOTSWEB REVIEW
1a. WORLDCONNECT.
When using WorldConnect's Global Search to search all databases:
http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi the results page listing the matches for your search criteria shows the number of matches as well as which of those matches you are currently viewing at the top of each page.

There are up to 25 entries, listed alphabetically, included per page in a chart format. The individual fields or columns for each matching name in the chart provide you with the following information:
NAME: This column lists all records that match the search criteria you entered. If you entered John Smith, the results will include all records where John is either the given or middle name and Smith the surname. In addition to every John Smith in WorldConnect/Ancestry World Tree, the results would include Aaron John Smith, Zebulon John Smith, and everything in between. Each name provides a clickable link to the individual matching entry within a specific family tree. After you click on the name to access this individual's entry within a family tree, you can navigate to other individuals within that database as well.

BIRTH/CHRISTENING NAME AND PLACE: Entries for birth date and place will be included if present for the individual record. Christening date and place (labeled as such) will automatically be listed as an alternative should the birth date and place not be listed in the file.

DEATH/BURIAL NAME AND PLACE: Death and or burial date and place will be listed if included in the database and will be appropriately labeled.

DATABASE: The entry in this field is the user code (the unique name chosen by the submitter for the specific family tree). Clicking on this link takes you to the main page for the database that includes the individual in the left-hand NAME column opposite this entry.

ICON FIELD: There are five icons that can appear in this field; each pertains to the individual in the NAME column associated with it.
---Search Ancestry icon (a blue magnifying glass) is present when there are matches for the name at Ancestry.com, and clicking on this link takes you to an index listing the matches in both the free and the subscription databases.
---Pedigree icon (a burnt-orange pedigree chart) appears where there is pedigree information for the individual in the specific WorldConnect database. Click on this link to go to the pedigree which starts with the individual in the name column.
---Notes (sheet of paper and pencil) or Sources (open book). These two icons are displayed when those fields are present for the individual in the database. These two are not clickable and are for informational purposes only to let you know at a glance what data is or isn't included in this individual's record.
---Descendants icon (a blue head silhouette) indicates that the individual in the name column has descendants. It is clickable and takes you to a descendant outline starting with the individual in the NAME column.

FATHER, MOTHER, SPOUSE: Results will be included for this information if present in the database. The entries pertain to the individual listed in the Name column on the left. Links for each of these entries take you to the individual record for the father, mother or spouse.

Beneath the chart are navigation links to the previous and/or next pages of the chart, plus links taking you to a specific numbered page of the chart (for quicker navigation) where there are a sufficient number of results to require multiple pages -- 1 2 3 4 5. All numbered pages are blue clickable underscored links except for the page you are currently viewing, which is in black and is not underscored. At the bottom of each page is an advanced search box where you may request a new search, or refine your present search by including more or fewer details to be matched in the results.

As you view the search results, keep in mind that WorldConnect/Ancestry World Tree is not one huge master database but rather is a collection of individual family trees that must remain separate and cannot be merged, because each file belongs to the person who submitted it. The files are the work of many thousands of individuals -- independently researching their family histories.

As a result you will find some duplicates. When doing a search use as many of the advanced search features as possible to help eliminate same- name individuals who are not actually the individual you wish to locate. If you have done that and still find duplication it means that multiple submitters have the individual you are looking for in their files. That's good news because it means that any or all of them might have discovered information you do not have.

RootsWeb does not have a staff that checks, verifies, or judges the accuracy of the trees found at WorldConnect/Ancestry World Tree. This information is provided by individual submitters. Evaluation of the information is left to the discretion of researchers. You may add Post- em notes (user-entered notes) with comments if you find discrepancies or have additional information. You might discover names of some living family members and/or genealogical data that appears to duplicate research that you have compiled, but remember all files are the property of the submitter and he or she is the one responsible for it. Contact the submitter at the e-mail address (included on each page of the family tree) if you have any questions or comments about the material. While RootsWeb discourages the inclusion of living individuals in these files, it will not intervene in matters involving the display of public and uncopyrightable information such as names, dates, and places.

Facts, like ancestors, do not belong to only some of us -- they may be freely included in anyone's data. You can compile a family tree about any family -- being related to that family is not a requirement. Information found at the WorldConnect/Ancestry Family Tree, like any genealogical material acquired from Internet sources, books, or via hundreds of other ways, only provides clues and contacts, not proof.

Previously published in RootsWeb Review: Vol. 5, No. 45, 6 November 2002.

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