Appreciate your description of HOW TO POST A QUERY ----- Original Message ----- From: Linda Kralman-Lambert <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, September 13, 2000 7:52 AM Subject: [ILEFFING-L] Just a reminder.....from the listmom..... > We have a lot of new members on our list, so I thought I'd run this again > for them as well as for a reminder for us who have been here a while. > > HOW TO POST A QUERY: > > All of us post queries from time to time. But do we "really" know how to > write one? Do we know how to write a query that gets answers? Here is a > format that would be appropriate anywhere. > > First, pick one surname (last name) for your query. Then proceed as follows: > > SUBJECT LINE:- should contain three items.... > Who (the surname, in all caps) > Where (location) > When (date). If you don't know the exact date, use an > approximate date. > > BODY OF QUERY - keep it brief and to the point. State the full name, being > sure that the surname is in all caps. If you have a middle initial, use it. > Try to keep the word count down. (The wordier you are, the less likely you > are to get a response.) > > State the specific information that you are looking for. Are you looking > for parents, children/wife of an ancestor? Don't make a statement such as > "Looking for information on Joe Doe". That is unacceptable. Don't expect > someone to read between the lines. Be as specific as possible. State > exactly what you know and what you are seeking (birth, death, marriage, > military). Don't give too much information....in this case, "less is more". > > Narrow your query down to a specific location or region (especially > important if the surname you are researching is a common one). But, if you > have some origin and migration information you should consider including > it. For example, "John Smith who arrived in Massachusetts from England in > 1810 and migrated to Effingham County, Illinois in 1830" might be better > than just "John Smith of Effingham County, Illinois". > > It is very important that you do not use any abbreviations in your query. > Not everyone understands genealogy buzz words. Be sure to spell out the > state names...do not use the two-letter abbreviations. > > In a separate paragraph at the end, mention any other surnames that are > considered "immediate family" to your primary surname. Do NOT put these > surnames in all caps. Remember, you are concentrating on your primary > surname. Do not list every family surname that you are researching because > this makes your query ineffective. > > Make sure your name and e-mail address are at the bottom of your query. > Yes, I know it is listed at the beginning of the e-mail, but repeat it at > the bottom since some mail servers can actually show incorrect information > as to the sender's e-mail address. This is an excellent idea for all your > e-mail. > > Last, but *very* important...... remember to proofread your query before > you send it. You will not get an answer if you are submitting incorrect > information because of a typing error or oversight. If your query is not > clear and concise, now is the time to rewrite it. Remember, the only > surname that should be in all caps is the primary surname. > > Hope this helps..... > > Linda (the listmom) >