This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/VUB.2ACE/586 Message Board Post: How do you attract attention to your query? It's not hard, here's the drill: 1. Be VERY specific. Most queries I have seen on the internet since 1992 seem to lack adequate specific information. They do name an ancestor, but 98% of them don't even have specific dates and counties/state involved in the life of their ancestor. Thus, if people don't post a serious query with ALOT of specific meaty info including what records they have searched, why should anyone post a serious answer and name their own sources? Here's what you need to attract attention: --Names: ALWAYS use, Given, middle, surname. You bet your bippy some of the greatest clues are in the middle names. BE CAREFUL WITH PRONOUNS. "He" should always be replaced with the name for exact clarity. It's frustrating to e-mail people in response to their ancestral query with, "who are you talking about?" --Dates: DO put ALL the dates you name for birth, marriage, death (it drives me crazy when I ask for marriage info and never get the county or state). --Place: DO list exact counties, townships where born, married, died. ALWAYS. --Sources: DO say what and where you have researched. If I think a person is seriously taking the time to look into the actual records outside the internet (where even the censuses are transcribed badly at times), I'll spend alot of time digging up info for them in my own database. Tell people who you are looking for, when and where they lived, records you have searched, any biographical information, possible hunches. 2. Many queries are written WAY before you have done your homework, and the reader knows it. The home survey comes BEFORE you ask others for in. You should have asked all your relatives several times who kept the family records, dug around in your parents info, and have sent for the birth, marriage, death records. You actually should also have consulted at least a census or two in the timeframe of your ancestor to at least reverify what others claim. You'd be surprised how often the information you get from others has errors. Do you recheck yourself? And, don't forget to consult estate records, and, and....and... 3. Many queries have info that is too contemporary, that is, info is listed for people who died not that long ago. Relationships to others in this time period will generally be with your first and second cousins, no one else will be related since your line doesn't go back far enough. The field of possible people working on your line widens with each generation you go back. I often get questions from people looking for "contemporary people" and the first question is, have you sent for the birth, marriage, death records? The answer is 99.99% "no". And guess what? Over the years in rechecking with these same people, they never did send for the birth, marriage, death info and STILL post queries everywhere. I guess they just wanted someone else to do their footwork for them... 4. "I live too far away from records" is not a legitimate excuse these days. For many years records have been available to you at your nearest FHC. Some FHC's have odd hours, that's for sure, but you can still get records on CD or send for them from a county courthouses or archives themselves. Back in 1965, all research was done by asking a court clerk for info unless you flew to Salt Lake. In the "olden" days of genealogy etiquette, if you asked for information via U.S. Mail of someone you ALWAYS (without fail) included not only a self-stamped return envelope, but you also included a pedgree chart and family group sheets of what you had. That was the minimum.In essence the sender was saying, "I know you are busy, but I'm willing to give you ALL this info if you will take the time to respond to my letter." Guess what? Genealogy etiquette still has impact. Hope this helps, D. Stoddard Nash Co UsGenweb