Cousins: The following was posted in April 1998 on the NORTHEAST-ROOTS mail list. It was posted by Larry V. Stephens of Indiana University, owner of the list. Perhaps some of you will recall having seen it before. All of it certainly doesn't apply to all of us, but some of it applies to some of us, and it expresses very well several of the guidelines for internet research which should guide us all no matter which list we use. It also touches a little bit on the "Rules of Netiquette." I'm sure that all of us can benefit from Larry's advice. ***** GENEALOGICAL SUICIDE I believe the thrust here is the rush to get INFORMATION, somehow equating that with accuracy and knowledge. I've seen it, too; I've commented on it. We saw a similar argument over sources. THESE LISTS ARE A TOOL. Just because you read it here doesn't make it gospel. Every piece of genealogical information you didn't witness with your own eyes is suspect, even written documentation such as official records. I'm 99%+ sure Dad was Dad and Grandpa was Grandpa, but who knows what secrets lay hidden before then? Don't look for the quick fix. Ask questions. Record what you find, but make it clear what it is based upon. One of the worst genealogical crimes is to send someone down the wrong path because you said something was TRUE when you really didn't know that. Give sources. Make sure everyone knows what your findings are based upon, then we won't have genealogical suicide. And don't be lazy. I know, some people can't get out of the home for various reasons, many have limited financial resources. Those limitations are not what I'm talking about. The posts that bother me are, "Where is Monroe County, Indiana?" Don't expect the quick fix from email lists, don't expect everything handed to you on a platter. Part of the fun of genealogy is digging for the information, so get out and have some fun (and pay a few bucks for a road atlas so you can find cities and counties yourself). ========== The other is private versus list mail. There are no hard and fast rules. All I ever ask is to think before you send. For example, some lists have people quoting - verbatim - obituaries of people I've never heard of. Doing this on a family list is one thing, but I'm not sure why the 1919 obituary of Emma Dudley in Gnawbone, Wisconsin is really of interest to all the hundreds of people on the MI-WI list (and I'm making up this example). Have I missed something? If you think you have something to say that most people would like to read, post it! If not, send it privately. WHEN YOU RESPOND TO A MESSAGE VIA THE LIST, please cut out what isn't necessary. It's rare the entire post needs repeated. As a thread gets longer the things get so hard to read you can't even figure out what they are about. *****