Indexing Tips

Do you know your "Magic Number"?

See last weeks post to find out now.

 

Handwriting Helps

As an Indexer it can sometimes be difficult to read the handwriting on your image. Below are some usefull sugestions that may help you.

• Adjust the brightness and sharpen the image. Get the best reading conditions possible.
• Increase the magnification.
• Use the handwriting icon on the worksheet to view the alphabets
• Study the handwriting on the full document. Look for similar names or letters in a name.
• Focus on the first few letters of a name. The computer can put a name in alpha order if it has just the first few letters.
• Use the Look-Up tables. Not all of the names may be in this table, but sometimes just putting in the first few, or last few letters you will suddenly realize what the name should be when you see the suggestions in the look-up list.
• A faint image may also be sharper if it is set at a smaller size of text.
• Try using the black/white icon that changes the background to black and the writing to white.
• Try using Google to see if anyone has that name, especially if it is a strange name to you.
• Index the names last. You will become more familiar with the handwriting and it may make the names easier to read.
• Be careful not to assume. Put in a "?" if you are unsure of one letter, or an asterisk "*" if there is more than one letter in question.
• It is ok to mark the field unreadable.
• There are two people indexing the same batch, and a third person arbitrates or reviews both batches and makes the final decision.

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