I don't think /Evidence Explained /and /NGSQ/ differ on this point (or almost any point). There is a hard and fast rule, at least in scholarly venues, but it is often broken. The rule is "the story belongs in your narrative text, and your documentation belongs in your footnotes." This documentation includes source citations and comments about the cited sources. If an event is an important part of your story or the case you're building, you want it in your narrative ---- many readers will skip over your footnotes, and those who don't skip will be annoyed by having to read different parts of the story on two parts of the page. By implication, digressions --- events that are interesting but will interfere with your story or case study --- belong in other articles. Occasionally, however, digressions are so compelling that they will appear in footnotes, and the rule is more an ideal than a reality. For more specifics, see /The Chicago Manual of Style/, 16th edition, sections 14.34, 14.40, 14.51, and elsewhere. An early stage of the /NGSQ/ editing process is to move up to the text any needless narrative in footnotes or to cut it altogether. (I'd like to hear ----privately --- about the "lots of footnotes which contain explanations of reasoning for conclusions stated in the main body of the article" in /NGSQ/. As one of its editors, my sense is that many of its discursive notes provide information about the sources, not amplifications of the author's argument.) --- Tom Jones On 10/2/2012 3:18 PM, Harold Henderson wrote: > Greg -- > > Good question. So-called "discursive notes" go beyond discussing the > sources themselves (citation, provenance, evaluation of reliability) and > discuss the subject of the article. In _Evidence Explained_ (1st ed.), p. > 45, section 2.7, Elizabeth Shown Mills writes that discursive notes fall > short of the ideal. > > The point as I understand it is that what we have to say about the subject > is either important enough to be integrated into the text, or not. > Splitting the difference and putting uncertain bits into footnotes just > makes us sloppy and requires to reader to read all the fine print for stray > bits of the argument. In my experience, the commonest reason to do this is > trying to keep the story flowing and hiding the proof arguments elsewhere. > If the argument is important, I would make it a separate section or a > sidebar. So in your case I would explain the reasoning in the article and > discuss the source issues in the reference note. > > With Elizabeth on one side and NGSQ allegedly on the other I feel like a > quarterback about to be sacked -- nowhere to go! > > Sometimes there may be a gray area as to what pertains to the source and > what pertains to the subject. If you want to share an example, that would > be the best way to grapple with the situation. > > The wise writer will adapt (within reason) to the practices of the intended > editor. > > Harold > > On Tue, Oct 2, 2012 at 1:34 PM, Greg Lovelace <greglovelace@comcast.net>wrote: > >> Greetings. >> >> >> >> I have a question about footnotes. Is there a hard and fast rule about >> including explanations/discussions in footnotes instead of the main >> article? >> If I state that an ancestor in the late 1700s was accused of a crime and >> apparently fled the authorities and disappeared, would I explain my >> reasoning in the article? Or would I cite the arrest record and explain >> that no further records have been discovered to show the outcome of the >> case, and that it is assumed the accused fled? In this case, the court >> records were destroyed in a fire. Should this also be in a footnote? >> >> >> >> As you can see, I am confused. In the latest NGS Quarterly I see lots of >> footnotes which contain explanations of reasoning for conclusions stated in >> the main body of the article. Can someone give me some guidance on what >> goes where? >> >> >> >> Thanks. >> >> >> >> Peace, >> >> Part of the Tree, >> >> Greg >> >> The Transitional Genealogists List was created to provide a supportive >> environment for genealogists to learn best practices as they transition to >> professional level work. Please respect the kind intentions of this list. >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >> TRANSITIONAL-GENEALOGISTS-FORUM-request@rootsweb.com with the word >> 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message >> > >

I will say that as a reader -- /regardless of what I'm reading/ -- I prefer citations to be in endnotes, with footnotes reserved for useful but non-essential information (essentially a step beyond a parenthetical remark). When I read I feel compelled to look at footnotes, whereas an endnote is not something that is critical to understanding the narrative. Of course, on a second reading I might be interested in the endnotes, depending on the content and my reason for reading it. An example of a valid (to me) footnote would be an explanation of something someone says when being quoted -- perhaps a historical reference, or an explanation of the context of the quotation. A reference to another location in the same work ("see Chapter 35") is also acceptable. In the end, of course, the rule to follow is whatever the publisher says, be it the Chicago Manual of Style, (perish the thought) the APA Manual, or any other guide. If you're publishing your own work you set the rules, hopefully keeping the intended reader in mind. Dave Liesse

Dave wrote: > as a reader ... I prefer citations to be in endnotes, with footnotes reserved for useful but non-essential information. ... When I read I feel compelled to look at footnotes, whereas an endnote is not something that is critical to understanding the narrative. Of course, on a second reading I might be interested in the endnotes, depending on the content and my reason for reading it. Ah, Dave! This doesn't happen often, but right now our viewpoints are about 539 nautical miles apart! I can't imagine reading ANY genealogical essay without checking the reference note at each assertion to understand how the author supports the assertion! (And, yes, I know I just used three exclamation points in a professional forum. That means I feel very, very VERY strongly!) Elizabeth ---------------------------------------------- Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG, CGL, FASG www.HistoricPathways.com www.EvidenceExplained.com www.Facebook.com/EvidenceExplained

Well, I guess that's a matter of reading style. When I read something (such as in the NGS Quarterly) I want to read it once without worrying about the specific citations, because I want to concentrate on the technique and the flow of the narrative. The second time through I'll be more interested in the citations. Or, to put it in other words, the first time through is to read it, the second time is to study it. Naturally, I reserve the right to contradict myself when reading, say, a 700-page book as opposed to a 7-page article! Life's too short to read /War and Peace/ twice without a good reason. Dave Liesse On 10/2/2012 13:46, eshown wrote: > Ah, Dave! This doesn't happen often, but right now our viewpoints are > about 539 nautical miles apart! I can't imagine reading ANY > genealogical essay without checking the reference note at each > assertion to understand how the author supports the assertion! (And, > yes, I know I just used three exclamation points in a professional > forum. That means I feel very, very VERY strongly!)

Speaking of the NGSQ, I see the September issue is online at the NGS website. I haven't received mine yet. Has anyone? Thanks, Laurie Huey

No I haven't Chris Green -----Original Message----- From: Laurie Huey <flhueys@gmail.com> To: transitional-genealogists-forum <transitional-genealogists-forum@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tue, Oct 2, 2012 1:23 pm Subject: [TGF] NGSQ September issue Speaking of the NGSQ, I see the September issue is online at the NGS website. I haven't received mine yet. Has anyone? Thanks, Laurie Huey The Transitional Genealogists List was created to provide a supportive environment for genealogists to learn best practices as they transition to professional level work. Please respect the kind intentions of this list. ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to TRANSITIONAL-GENEALOGISTS-FORUM-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

It's always gratifying to hear that someone is looking forward to/NGSQ/'s next issue or misses seeing an issue. I believe the printer mailed the September issue yesterday --- not in September but close. Mailed (domestic) or shipped (international) from Hanover, Pennsylvania, they should arrive in mailboxes on different days in different parts of the country (and world) over the next week or so. Each issue typically appears online (in the members-only area of the NGS website) on or around the mail date, before the physical copy arrives in mailboxes. ---- Tom Jones On 10/2/2012 4:22 PM, Laurie Huey wrote: > Speaking of the NGSQ, I see the September issue is online at the NGS > website. I haven't received mine yet. Has anyone? > > Thanks, > Laurie Huey > The Transitional Genealogists List was created to provide a supportive environment for genealogists to learn best practices as they transition to professional level work. Please respect the kind intentions of this list. > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to TRANSITIONAL-GENEALOGISTS-FORUM-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Thank you, Tom. I do look forward to see it my mailbox. Laurie On 10/2/2012 4:39 PM, Tom wrote: > It's always gratifying to hear that someone is looking forward > to/NGSQ/'s next issue or misses seeing an issue. I believe the printer > mailed the September issue yesterday --- not in September but close. > Mailed (domestic) or shipped (international) from Hanover, Pennsylvania, > they should arrive in mailboxes on different days in different parts of > the country (and world) over the next week or so. Each issue typically > appears online (in the members-only area of the NGS website) on or > around the mail date, before the physical copy arrives in mailboxes. > ---- Tom Jones > > >