General Indexing Tips for Volunteers 💡
🎯 Core Principles
| Principle | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| ✅ Quality over speed | Accuracy and completeness more important than finishing quickly |
| 📏 Stay consistent | Same formatting = easier searching later |
| ❓ Ask questions | Corrections are harder than getting it right the first time |
📋 Before You Start
!!! tip "Every Time" Read the instructions at the top of each form before you begin.
✍️ Formatting Consistency
| ✅ Do This | ❌ Not This |
|---|---|
03/07/1946 |
3/7/46 or March 7, 1946 |
Smith, John |
John Smith |
| Leave blank if unknown | "N/A" or "?" |
🤔 When to Ask
!!! question "Ask Before Guessing" - Something doesn't make sense? - Not sure about formatting? - Can't read handwriting? - Missing information?
**Archives staff are here to help you succeed!**
🙏 Thank You
!!! success "Your Work Matters" Neat, clear entries help future researchers use this information. Your care and attention now saves researchers hours of work later.