Citations on the Source

Amy Johnson Crow , "Citations on the Source ," OnBoard 5 (September 1999).

The past several years have seen a surge in the movement toward accurate source citations. Citing sources correctly and completely not only helps researchers avoid duplication of efforts, but also gives researchers another tool for reviewing the accuracy of conclusions.

While there are established formats for citing the source, there are numerous ways to cite on the source — recording the citation on the photocopy so that later the researcher will not wonder, "Was that the 1828 or 1832 tax list? Was it for Hopewell Township or Thorn Township?" This article will take a look at a few popular methods, with advantages and disadvantages for each.

Writing on the front:

Seemingly the simplest form of recording the citation on a photocopy, this form has its share of pros and cons.

Advantages:

• Ease of use — just write the citation somewhere on the front of the photocopy.
• The citation stays visible when the photocopy is copied again (for the researcher's file or to share with another researcher later).
• Other than a pen or pencil, no additional equipment is needed.

• If the document has little white space, the citation may become lost or, even worse, confused as being part of the document itself.
• Cramped space may cause the researcher to abbreviate portions of the citation, which can lead to confusion later.

Writing on the back:

Literally the flipside of writing on the front, recording the citation on the back of the photocopy shares some the advantages while introducing a new disadvantage.

Advantages:

• Ease of use — just write the citation somewhere on the back of the photocopy.
• Because the back of the photocopy is usually blank, there is plenty of space to record the citation.
• Other than a pen or pencil, no additional equipment is needed.

Disadvantages:

• The citation may be lost when the photocopy is copied again if the researcher or client does not copy the back. This could be due to neglecting to notice the citation on the back or not wishing to go to the effort and/or expense of making another photocopy.

Using a rubber stamp:

There are several companies that offer rubber stamps with a place for the document title, author, publisher, and other citation elements. Custom stamps can also be designed and ordered at most office supply stores and printers.

Advantages:

• It serves as a visual reminder of what needs to be recorded. When there is a line labeled, "City: Publisher, Year," you are less likely to forget to record that the book was published in 1872 rather than 1922.
• It can lead to more complete information being recorded.
• The stamp can include the researcher's name and address.

Disadvantages:

• More equipment is needed to purchase and carry — at the least, a rubber stamp. If the stamp is not self-inking, a stamp pad is also necessary.
• The ink can bleed through to the front of the document.
• Over time, the ink can fade, degrade the paper, or bleed so as not to be legible.
• The fields are inflexible on each stamp. One stamp may be more suitable for citing books but will not cover information needed to cite wills or deeds. (This can be overcome by designing a custom stamp that will cover more fields or by carrying multiple stamps.)
• Like writing the citation on the back, the citation can be lost on subsequent photocopies.

Using labels:

Many researchers have developed custom labels to use for their source citations. Similar to using a rubber stamp, these labels have lines for recording the document title, author, publisher, etc., where the researcher can write in the information.

Advantages:

• They serve as a visual reminder of the necessary information to record.
• It is easy to develop different labels for use on different types of documents.
• Labels can be placed on the front, being careful not to cover necessary information.
• If placed on the front, the citation stays visible when the photocopy is copied again.
• Unlike writing on the front, it is not necessary to have white space since the label can cover a non-pertinent portion of the page.
• The label can include the researcher's name and address.

Disadvantages:

• There is the need to design the label (which takes time) and to print the labels (which is a continuing expense).
• The label can fall off. When it does, the source citation goes with it.
• The adhesive can discolor the photocopy underneath. This is especially a problem when the label is put on the back of the photocopy. When the discoloration occurs, that portion of the document may become illegible.

Photocopying the title page:

This is a very common method for recording a citation.

Advantages:

• Because a photocopy is made, there is one less opportunity for a transcription error to occur.
  
• It is easy to do.

Disadvantages:

• There is added expense and effort required.
• The copy of the title page must be attached to the photocopy. Just like when a label falls off, when the copy of the title page gets separated from the photocopy, the citation is lost.
  
• It is easy to miss an important element of the citation. Some title pages do not include the publishing information if it is a reprint. Year of publication and revised-edition information are often included on the next page.
• This method will not work for wills, deeds, etc.

Conclusion:

All of the methods mentioned have similar problems, such as what to do about documents that go on for multiple pages. Do you record the citation on each page or just the first page (or just the last page)? Do you put an abbreviated citation on the subsequent pages? Do you use pencil or pen? Black ink? Blue ink? Red ink?

There is no single "perfect" method for recording a citation on a photocopy. What may work on one document for one researcher may not work on another document with another researcher. But all researchers should agree that the citation needs to be recorded somewhere on the photocopy — or else someone will have to take another trip to the archives to see if that tax list was from 1828 Hopewell Township or 1832 Thorn Township.

Amy Johnson Crow, CG

This article was originally published in OnBoard, BCG's educational newsletter and is protected by copyright. Individuals may download and print copies for their personal study. Educators are granted permission to provide copies to their students as long as BCG, OnBoard, and the appropriate author are credited as the source of the material. Republication elsewhere is not permitted.