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/AmJBAIB/7363 Message Board Post: Dear Stewart Board Users: To get the best results from using any of the Rootsweb/Ancestry boards, please take time to read the FAQ, RULES, HELP and Links & Announcements as shown on every board page. The L&A will be different on each board and will also provide the Board Admin's contact information. PLEASE do not create subject lines that are "Location + Surname" only... as in "seeking all Stewarts from Timbuktu". They create a mishmosh of totally unrelated posts and actually are better posted to the LOCATION Board, rather than the SURNAME board. And, frankly, it creates lots of work for the Admin(s) who must "maintain the integrity of the boards" and disentangle such items and provide more clear subject lines that reflect the content of the message. It also better serves your research to create a new post for your common forename "Alexander", "Walter", "Mary", etc. rather than reply to another message that contains them, UNLESS there is more of a connection. If the forename is the only match to the data in the other post, it should be a stand alone post instead of a reply on one that actually is unrelated to your line of research. Make use of the SURNAMES BOX. It can greatly enhance your experience and rate of reply. It is what drives the Advanced Search engine. Per the RULES: ..................... Surname Box: Only surnames (last names) should be listed in the Surname Box, and each should be separated by a comma. The Surname Box is used to index the surnames in your message and is not to be used for listing surnames not included in the message text. ......................... Many posters get confused and think the surnames box is to put all the names they are interested in or researching in it. ONLY the surnnames that are in the body of your message should be inserted in this box. Otherwise searchers will get false positive results when they type in the surname they are seeking. Also -- this enables you to post ONE copy of a message to those boards where there may be multiple spellings/variations, instead of copying your post to other boards. Multiposts, as they are called, will be deleted when discovered. So... pick the preferred variation of your surname of interest [Stewart vs Stuart vs Steward, etc.] So long as you have the variant spelling in the body of your message and include it in the surname box, it will not matter which board the researcher is viewing. If they use the Advanced Search Engine and search by surname, they will find your post in their results. I adopted this board after it had been established for several years. I manage fairly well to spot items "needing fixing" on the newer posts. However, if in your use of the board and reseach you spot things that could stand some attention from the Admin, please do use the "Report Abuse" link and let me know! If it is a surname box that has not been properly used and needs "clean up", you merely need state "surnames box" and I will look to see what is needed. However, I will also add here, that Admins are not required to insert surnames in the surname boxes that have been left blank. That is a ton of work. And although I would prefer all the posts to have other than blank boxes, I do not have time to go fill in the box for those who did not either know to or choose to. Chatty posts are best suited to the lists. Board rules are less flexible than that of the lists and the culture requires more straightforward genealogy and data be posted. If you want to thank someone that is great... consider doing it in private. By clicking on "Author" you will see the email address of the person who posted the message you are reading. Go ahead and write to them off the board. Be considerate in your posting that all that posts here is "gatewayed" to the Stewart List and some 1000 subscribers [census count changes daily and fluctuates]. Consider subscribing to the Stewart list if this is your current area of interest. If this is a fleeting interest, consider that you can search the archives of the list to supplement your research without having to subscribe to the list. And to the Stewart DNA List, if DNA and genetic genealogy are part of your research tool box. Most of all, have fun! Yours Aye, Lauren M. Boyd, FSA Scot Stewart Board & List Admin