Master Source Text

For “Source Text” in the Master Source text, media, etc. section of a Master Source, what type of information (if any) would one put in that field? I’m working with a photocopy of a 1901, City of New York, State of New York marriage certificate, and I’m assuming that any specific cited text for this source would be entered in any citation details, i.e. “father’s name given as Joe Smith”, but what types of sources would use the “Source Text” field and for what type of text. Would someone give me an example the use of this field.

For most users most of the time, I think the Source Text field would be left blank. As you said, specific cited text would go into the citation details rather than into the source fields. Usually that leaves nothing of value to enter into the Source Text field and there is no harm in leaving it blank.

One possible exception might be something to the effect that all the 1901, City of New York, State of New York marriage certificates would be on a single large roll of microfilm and you might like to enter some sort of descriptive text about the roll of microfilm as a whole into the Source Text field.

There is another possible exception that probably would not impact most users. That is, you can actually make a whole new source for each separate marriage certificate on that roll of microfilm. Most users don’t do it that way. But if you do it that way, then you would put what normally would be citation detail data into the source fields such as the Source Tex.

Thanks for the input, Jerry, and for taking the time to respond.