Genealoger

Family History and Genealogy Services

Genealogy Resources

Publishing, Transcriptions
 and Abstracts

See also: Methodology

Publishing

  • 10 Big Myths About Copyright Explained.
     
  • About.com Genealogy and Copyright.

  • Alzo, Lisa A. "Thought of Self-Publishing? Seven Secrets for Success."  Association of Professional Genealogists Quarterly 25,3 (September 2010): 143-146.
     
  • Carmack, Sharon DeBartolo.  Carmack's Guide to Copyright and Contracts: A Primer for Genealogists, Writers and Researchers. Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2005.
     
  • Carmack, Sharon DeBartolo.  You Can Write Your Family History. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003, reprinted 2008.
     
  • Computing with Accents, Symbols & Foreign Scripts. From Penn State University.
     
  • Copyright Basics. From U.S. Copyright Office.
     
  • Copyright Term and the Public Domain in the United States.
     
  • Curran, Joan Ferris, Madilyn Coen Crane, and John H. Wray. Numbering Your Genealogy: Basic Systems, Complex Families, and International Kin. Arlington, Virginia: National Genealogical Society, 2000. The complete NGS Quarterly Numbering System together with the Register System, Henry System, and Sosa Stradonitz System for descending and ascending genealogies. Simple solutions you need for adoptions, cousin marriages, step kin and more complex family relationships.
     
  • Cyndi's List - Magazines, Journals, Columns & Newsletters,
     
  • Fishman, Stephen. The Copyright Handbook: How to Protect & Use Written Works. 5th edition. Nolo Press, 2005.
     
  • Fishman, Stephen. The Public Domain: How to Find and Use Copyright-Free Writings, Music, Art and More. 2nd edition. Nolo Press, 2004.
     
  • Floyd, Elaine. Creating Family Newsletters. Cincinnati, Ohio: Betterway Books, 1998.
     
  • Franco, Carol and Kent Lineback. The Legacy Guide. Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 2007. It outlines a simple, intuitive, and highly flexible framework for turning a personal history into a published work.
     
  • Frequently Asked Questions About Copyright.  From U.S. Copyright Office.
     
  • Goad, Mike. U.S. Copyright and Genealogy.
     
  • Hatcher, Patricia Law. Producing a Quality Family History. Salt Lake City: Ancestry, 1996. Covers formats, typefaces. layouts, indexes, and publishing process.
     
  • Hatcher, Patricia Law, and John V. Wylie. Indexing Family Histories: Simple Steps for a Quality Product. Arlington, Virginia: National Genealogical Society, 1994. Leads the genealogist step-by-step through the planning and production of a thorough and systematic index that will enhance all types of family histories.

  • Hoff, Henry, editor. Genealogical Writing in the 21st Century: A Guide to Register Style and More. Boston: NEHGS, 2002.
     
  • Howells, Cyndi. Planting Your Family Tree Online: How To Create Your Own Family History Web Site. Nashville, Tennessee: Rutledge Hill Press, 2003. This book is designed to walk you through the process of creating your own genealogy web site. A well planned genealogy site can be an invaluable aid in your daily research. Having your own site makes it easy for you to find long-lost cousins and fellow family historians who can help you further in your research. Creating a genealogy web site can be as simple or as complex as you like, so newbies and veterans alike can benefit from this book. The book focuses on making a quality genealogy web site that will be the best research tool possible.
     
  • Intellectual Property Guide: Other Countries.
     
  • Jassin, Lloyd J. and Steven C. Schechter. The Copyright Permission and Libel Handbook: A Step-by-Step Guide for Writers, Editors, and Publishers. Wiley and Sons, 1998.
     
  • Johnson, Jennifer H. and Holly T. Hansen. Publishing Family Histories, Large and Small -- Let's Cook Up a Book. My Ancestors, 2005. Is a down-to-earth guide for creating a book of which you can be proud.

  • King, Carla. "The Pitfalls of Using Self-Publishing Book Packages." Mediashift 25 March 2010.
     
  • Leclerc, Michael J. and Henry B. Hoff. Genealogical Writing in the 21st Century: A Guide to Register Style and More. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2006. An essential manual for anyone planning to write for a genealogical periodical or Web site, or publish a family history.

  • Loughran, Rob. "I Don't Think We're in Kansas Anymore: A Self-Publishing Primer." Writer's Journal 29, 2 (March-April 2010): 19-24.
     
  • McClure, Rhonda R. Digitizing Your Family History. Cincinnati, Ohio: Family Tree Books, 2004.
     
  • Mills, Elizabeth Shown. Evidence Explained: Citing History Sources from Artifacts to Cyberspace. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, Inc., 2007. Will help you cite correctly the sources used in writing a family history.
     
  • Mulvany, Nancy C. Indexing Books. 2nd edition. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2005. A practical approach to book indexing. For the beginner and professional.
     
  • Olin and Uris Libraries, Cornell University. Five Criteria for Evaluating Web Pages.
  • Rich, Jason R. Self-Publishing for Dummies. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Publishing Inc., 2006.
  • Ross, Marilyn and Sue Collier. The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing. 5th edition. Writer's Digest Books, 2010.

  • Simmons, Jerry D. What Writers Need to Know About Publishing. Simmons, 2005.
     
  • Stim, Richard. Getting Permission: How to License and Clear Copyrighted Materials Online & Off.  2nd edition. Nolo Press, 2004.
     
  • Sturdevant, Katherine Scott. Bringing Your Family History to Life Through Social History. Cincinnati, Ohio: Betterway Books, 2000. Excellent guide for putting ancestors in historical context.
     
  • Templeton, Brad. 10 Big Myths About Copyright Explained.
     
  • U.S. Copyright Office.
     
  • Virginia Tech University Libraries. Bibliography on Evaluating Web Information.
     
  • Wilson, Lee. The Copyright Guide: A Friendly Handbook to Protecting and Profiting from Copyright. 3rd edition. Allworth Press.

  • Wyss, Wallace. "Be Proactive in Promoting Your Writing." Writer's Journal 29,2 (March-April 2010): 44-45.
     

Transcribing & Abstracting

A transcription is a word-for-word copy in which all spelling and punctuation is exactly as found in the original. Transcriptions keep abbreviations, superscripts, and diacritical marks if there. Transcriptions leave out punctuation, diacritical marks, or words if missing in the original. Transcriptions keep spelling and grammar as they are found without corrections. In transcriptions, place a question mark within brackets just before a word can't be read with certainty.

  • The BCG Standards Manual. Washington, D.C.: Board for Certificaiton of Genealogists, 2000. Standard 11, pages 9-10.

  • Bell, Mary McCampbell. "Transcripts and Abstracts." in Professional Genealogy: A Manual for Researchers, Writers, Editors, Lecturers, and Librarians. Elizabeth Shown Mills, editor. Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogy Publishing Co., 2001. pages 291-326.
     
  • Geiger, Linda Woodward. "Transcribing & Abstracting." NGS News Magazine. 32,3 (July/August/September 2006): 14-17.
     
  • Greenwood, Val D. "Abstracting Wills and Deeds." The Researcher's Guide to American Genealogy. 3d edition. Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2000.
     
  • Leary, Helen F.M. "Abstracting." In North Carolina Research: Genealogy and Local History. Helen F.M. Leary, editor. Raleigh, North Carolina: North Carolina Genealogical Society, 1996.