FreeREG: Quality Control

FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions - Quality Control

A Family History Society or County Record Office wants to know what we are doing about quality control. What can we say? This is always going to be awkward. But yes... We agree that quality control is extremely important. Furthermore, individual researchers need to know that all reasonable precautions have been made to ensure that the data is accurate.
Data which is not acceptable
We have already ruled out accepting data from any researcher's own family records, as other odd bits of data which were not from original registers could creep in.
Secondary sources (e.g. data entered into FreeREG from existing transcripts) are not acceptable, unless they are confirmed to have been a transcript which has been checked, and even then there are potential problems (see below).
Methods of checking
In an ideal world, double keying is preferable, (where two people independently enter the same data), but it is very time consuming with data of this type.
Second best is a check of the data against the original register by someone else. In an ideal world, this should be done with a print of the data, and discrepancies highlighted, with the correct wording/date added beside it. Then the print given to a third (experienced) person to check the highlighted entries, and finally the data changed in the computer file if necessary.
Uncertain data
I am more than happy to see an entry which has "----SOP" or "ALLSOP ?" as the entry, as long as there is a corresponding note in the "notes" section of that record, such as: "illegible", "faded", "perhaps BLENKINSOP", or whatever.
That clearly indicates a possibly incorrect transcription, which alerts the researcher to look for themselves at the original. Something they should always do anyway!
Sets of data found to be erroneous
We don't expect this to happen, but we have to make plans in case it does. We have set up the database with a "key" which links the transcriber to each individual record. In a very, very worse case scenario, all entries in the database from that one transcriber could be deleted.
Having the data double checked
In practical terms it may be difficult to sometimes ascertain that double checking has been done. A person entering data could say "my wife checked it very carefully". Nothing wrong with that. The alternative, and I am prepared for this to happen if absolutely necessary, is that the data goes to a member of the local FHS for checking.
The main problem is one of access to fiche of the original register. Let's say that the person entering data lives in Australia and obtains fiche from the LDS on loan, or from a different FHS, etc. (Some County Record Offices will sell fiche to any recognised FHS or to individuals). The checker(s) will also need access to the fiche. Essentially, that will usually mean a local person, unless the CRO or FHS is prepared to loan out a copy of the fiche to the checker. Some FHSs and CROs will do that, but some don't like the idea of having fiche released in this way.
This probably needs to be decided upon at a local level. What is the view of your county FHS and the CRO on this? Their decision will influence how, and by whom, checking is carried out, and we need to co-operate with them. Bear in mind that the FHS and CRO will want a copy of the data too.
Data from existing transcripts
Whilst on this topic, some FHSs have already given permission for the data from transcripts that they hold to be entered into the FreeREG database, (if that is agreeable to the transcriber and the CRO). The same might apply to other counties. If that happens, can we assume that such transcripts have already been double checked?
A secondary problem arises where the original transcript was type written and needs entering into a computer. There is room for errors to creep in here.
Accuracy of data
With the best will in the world, a transcriber will make mistakes. I know I have! I have now typed in well over a million entries into my computer from various registers. Sometimes the checker has spotted the mistake which I made, either a typo or a mis-interpretation, sometimes they haven't, and it has been spotted by someone else at a later date.
The important thing is that we do have a mechanism for re-checking, and altering the database, even if it is only to add a note explaining the query. That's one of the main reasons we have that "notes" field in the database. If there is any doubt, then that doubt should be noted.
The bottom line, as always, is that an individual researcher should never rely on any transcript, index, or data in a database as being 100% accurate. It is always recommended to obtain a copy of the original document. The FreeREG database is simply a "finding tool".
Rod Neep - Febuary 2000
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