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WeRelate Conventions - A Style Guide

WeRelate has a number of conventions that contributors are encouraged to follow to make WeRelate:

  • more functional and thus more effective as a research database
  • more consistent and thus easier to read and understand
  • more focused and thus easier for readers to find relevant information
  • more pleasing to the eye so that the reader is not unnecessarily distracted

By defining conventions for WeRelate, it is hoped that collaborators can focus on interpreting research rather than on deciding what convention to use.

Quick references

What follows is a quick reference for each set of conventions, with links to further information.

Person names

The primary name is normally the name at birth (which means maiden name for women). Once a page is added, alternate names can be added for nicknames, alternate spellings, aliases, etc. Each name has up to 4 components: prefix, given name(s), surname and suffix; however, when adding a Person page, you can only enter the given name(s) and surname. Once the page is added, you can add a prefix and/or suffix.

For further information, see name conventions.

Dates

Enter dates as d mmm yyyy. If appropriate, add a modifier (bef, aft, bet/and, from/to, cal, abt, est). Case doesn't matter - WeRelate automatically transforms dates to standard mixed-case format. WeRelate supports dual dating - if you are entering dates prior to 1752 and aren't familiar with dual dating (d Mmm yyyy/yy), please read Month number and dual dating.

Enter proxy dates (e.g., christening date as proxy for birth date, or burial date as proxy for death date) in their own events (not as birth or death date). When a proxy date is used, do not enter a birth or death date that can be derived from the proxy date (e.g., Bef christening date).

Source citations should give the date supported by the source in case the date in the date field is changed. If a non-trivial conversion is required, the source citation should include both the date as expressed in the source and the converted date (e.g., 6 (6) 66 [6 Aug 1666]).

For further information, see date conventions.

Person page titles

The person page title is formatted as "Person:Firstname Lastname (index number)", based on the person's primary name. It never includes middle name/initial, prefixes (such as Dr or Capt) or suffixes (such as Jr). The index number is automatically generated by WeRelate, and should never be entered manually when renaming a page.

For further information, see Person page title conventions.

Family page titles

Source page titles

Place page titles