Download Situating Chemistry, 1760-1840 Database: User Manual

SituatingChemistry,1760-1840
Database:UserManual
Contents
1.Thedatabase
1.1Aims
1.2Structure
1.3TechnicalInformation
1.4Hosting
1.5Modificationstothedatabase
2.Management,AccessandSecurity
2.1ManagementoftheDatabase
2.1.1Strategicmanagement
2.1.2Day-to-daymanagement
2.2AccesstotheDatabase
2.2.1Anonymoususers
2.2.2DataEntry
2.2.3AuthorizedUsers
2.2.4Databaseeditors
2.2.5Administrators
2.3Security
2.3.1Personaldetails
2.3.2SecurityofRecordsinthedatabase(seealsoEditing)
2.3.3Systemback-up
2.3.4ControlofRecords
2.3.5DeletingRecords
3.Navigatingthedatabase
3.1WorldMap
3.2ParticularClassesofRecord
3.3AllRecords
3.4Searchingforindividualrecordsusingkeywords
3.5FollowingRecordlinkages
3.6FindingrelatedRecords
4.ContactingotherUsers
5.DataEntry
5.1General
5.1.1ThestatusofaRecord
5.1.2CreatingaRecord
5.1.3Recordlinkages
5.1.4FindinganexistingRecord
5.1.5Language
5.1.6Abbreviations
5.1.7Diacriticalmarksnon-Latinscripts
5.1.8Drop-downlists
5.1.9Expandingorhidingsectionsofatable
1
5.2HowtocreateaRecord
5.2.1Findingtherightdata-entryform 5.2.2RequiredFields
5.2.3RecordName
5.2.4EnteringData
5.2.5Creatingatestrecord
5.2.6DeletingaRecord
5.3EditingRecords
5.3.1Editedbythecreatoroftherecord
5.3.2Editedbyanotheruser
6-20CreatingaRecordTablebyTable
6.Collections
7.Courses
8.Documents
9.Events
10.Images
11.Letters
12.Objects
13.Organisations
14.People
15.PrimarySources
16.ProcessesandTechniques
17.Repositories
18.SecondarySources
19.Sites
20.Substances
21.ImportingandExportingData
22.RunningQueries
23.Visualisation
Thenextphaseindesigningthedatabaseistodevelopthesefunctions.
1.Thedatabase
1.1Aims
Thedatabasehasbeensetup:
1.Toenablemembersofthenetworktostoreandshareinformationinastandardised,but
notoverlyrestrictive,format.
2.Tosupportcomparativestudies.
3.Toprovidemembersofthenetworkwithtoolstoanalyseboththeirowndataandallthe
restoftheinformationinthedatabase.
2
4.Toprovidearesourceforhistoriansofchemistryworkingonotherperiods,historiansof
othersciencesandhistoriansmoregenerally.
5.Toprovideapubliclyaccessibleresourceforanyoneinterestedinthehistoryof
chemistry.
6.Tobeabletogenerateinteractivemaps,bothhistoricalandcurrent,onwhichthe
developmentofchemistrycanbecharted.
Thedatabasehasbeendesignedsothatitisnotspecifictoourcurrentprojectnortotheperiod
1760-1840,andsothatitcouldbereadilyadaptedforusebyotherhistoriansofchemistry(and
alchemy)andhistoriansofothersciences.
1.2Structure
Thedatabaseisorganisedaround15tables.Tenoftheserecordhistoricaldata,thereststore
informationonthesourcesofthatdata.Thesefifteentablesarelinkedbyapproximately200joining
tablesthatconstitutetherelationalfunctionsofthedatabase.
Thehistoricaltablesare:
Collections
Courses
Events
Letters
Objects
Organisations
People
Processes&Techniques
Sites
Substances
Theothersare:
Documents
Images
PrimarySources
Repositories
SecondarySources
1.3TechnicalInformation
Situatingchemistry.orgisaphp-basedwebsitebuiltfromaCartaroinstallationoftheDrupalcontent
managementsystem.Drupalhasoneofthelargestuserbasesofanycontentmanagementsystem
providingextensivetestingandsupportforthecorecode.TheCartaroinstallationisafree,openaccesspackageofGISmodulesthatextendthecorefunctionalityofDrupal.CartarousesDrupalas
anextremelymalleableuser-interface,aPostGISdatabasetoorganizeandstoreourdata,
OpenLayerstomapthedata,andGeoServertointeractwiththelargerGISdatacommunity.
3
ThefunctionalityofoursitecanbecustomizedthroughDrupal’slibraryofover15,500modules.We
areusingacombinationofdatabase,bibliographic,andvisualizationmodulestobuildourtablesand
provideanalyticaltoolstypicalofhistoricalnetworkresearch.
1.4Hosting
Thewww.situatingchemistry.orgwebsiteiscurrentlybeinghostedthroughacommercialservice
calledWebfaction.Webfactionwasoneofthefewhostingservicesthatprovidedsupportforthe
threetechnicalneedsofourGISenabledwebsite.
1. SupportforthecoreDrupalCMS.
2. AconnectiontoGeoServer,whichallowsustobothimportandexportmapsanddatatothe
largerGIScommunity.
3. APostGIS(subsetofPostgreSQL)databasewhichservesasthefoundationforthewebsite
anditsdata.
Webfactionisaparticularlyusefulserviceforadevelopingprojectlikeoursbecauseitoffersscalable
resources.Wearecurrentlyusing1028mbofRAMtorunthesiteandwehave100GBofstorage
forboththesoftware(about1GB)andourdata.RAMisneededtoadddatatothedatabaseand
runqueries.Itisalsoneededtobuildandmodifymaps.Thetextinthedatabasedoesnotrequire
significantamountsofstorage,butimagesandpdfsthatwecanuploadwillrequireincreasing
amountsofstoragememory.Bothoftheseparameterscanbeincreasedasneededifthesite
generatesasmuchtrafficanddataaswehopeitmay.
Thesituatingchemistry.orgwebsitecanbetransferredinacompressedstoragefile(tarball)fromthis
commercialhosttoeitheradifferentcommercialserviceoraninstitutionalhostifdesired.Itcan
alsobereplicatedandthenmodifiedforresearchersworkingonotherperiodsorotherscientific
disciplines.Itcouldalsoberunfromapersonalcomputer(runningMAMP,WAMP,orLAMP),if
someonewishedtouseitasaprivatedatabasetool.
Inthelonger-termwearelookingforamorepermanentinstitutionalhostforthewebsite.A
numberofpossibilitiesarebeingconsideredandwehopetohaveahostingagreementwithan
institutionbytheendof2015oncethedesign,developmentandtestingphasesarecomplete.
1.5ModificationstotheDatabase
Thedatabasehasbeendesignedwithamodularstructureusingopen-sourcesoftwareanditis
thereforepossibletomakesomechangestothedatabase,especiallyaddingfields,inthefuture.
ProposalsformodificationsshouldbesenttoJohnPerkins,[email protected],andJohn
Stewart,johnstewart@ou.edu.Iftheyaretechnicallyfeasibletheywillbediscussedwithother
usersbeforeanydecisiononimplementationistaken.
2.Management,AccessandSecurity
2.1ManagementoftheDatabase
2.1.1Strategicmanagement
Thestrategicmanagementofthedatabasewillbeinthehandsofasmalleditorialboardmadeupof
thetwodesignersandthreeorfourotherusers.Whenapermanentinstitutionalhostisfoundtwo
membersfromthehostinginstitutionwillbeaddedtothisboard.Theboardisresponsibleforthe
4
long-termdevelopmentofthedatabaseincludingdecisionsonproposalsformodifications,for
approvingnewusersandfordecisionsconcerninganymisuseofthedatabase.
2.1.2Day-to-daymanagement
Theadministrator(s)oftheprojectwilltakecareoftheday-to-daymanagementofthewebsiteand
database.Ifyou,asauser,havequestionsorneedhelp,pleasereferfirsttothisuserguide.You
canalsocontactJohnStewart,JohnPerkins,andotherexperiencedusersforassistance.
2.2AccesstotheDatabase
Therearecurrentlyfivelevelsofaccesstothedatabase:
1. Anonymoususer
2. DataEntry
3. AuthenticatedUser
4. DatabaseEditor
5. Administrator
2.2.1AnonymousUsers
Thecategoryofanonymoususersincludeseveryonewhovisitsthewebsitebutdoesnothavean
account.Theseuserswillbeabletoseeinformationabouttheprojectonthehomepageandthe
Abouttabs.TheywillalsobeabletoaccesstheWorldMapandthegenericreports/tablesunderthe
recordsmenu.Theywillnotbeabletoadd/modify/ordeletedata,orseedatathathasnotbeen
“published.”
2.2.2DataEntry
Peoplewithdataentryaccountswillbeabletoaddandmodifytheirowndata.However,theywill
notbeabletomodifyanyoneelse’sdata.Thisaccountprofileisintendedforundergraduateand
graduateassistantswhoareenteringdataatthebehestofanauthenticateduser.
2.2.3AuthenticatedUsers
AuthenticatedUserswillhavealloftheaccesspossibilitiesoftheanonymoususeranddataentry
users.Theywillalsobeabletocreaterevisionsofotherusers’data(seesection5.3.2)andrequest
customreports(seesection22).Thisisthedefaultclassofusersandisintendedforallresearchers
activelyusingthedatabase.
2.2.4DatabaseEditors
DatabaseEditorshaveallofthepermissionsofanauthenticateduser,andtheycanalsoviewand
edittheunderlyingstructureofthetablesandlinkagesthatmakeupthedatabase.Thisrole
requirestrainingintheDrupalContentManagementSystem.Ifyouareinterestedinparticipatingin
theprojectatthislevel,pleasecontactamemberoftheproject’seditorialboard.
2.2.5Administrator
Administratorswilltypicallynotbecontentexperts.Theywillhaveprivilegesthatallowforthe
addition,modification,ordeletionofdata,butwillonlyusethesetoassistresearchersormake
requiredchangestothesystem.Theadministratorisresponsibleformaintenanceofthewebsiteas
5
awholeincludingthedatabase,staticpages,coding,underlyingserversystems,backups,and
maintenance.Technicalexpertsatthehostinginstitutionwilllikelyfillthisroleinthefuture.
2.3Security
2.3.1Personaldetails
Youremailaddresswillnotbevisibletousersofthesystem.Rather,ifyouactivatethecontactform
inyourprofilesettings,userswhoareloggedintothesystemwillbeabletosendyouanemail
throughacontactformthatobscuresyouremailaddress.Anyotherinformationthatyouaddto
yourprofile(pictures,institutionalaffiliation,websites,andresearchinterests)willbevisibleonlyto
userswhoareloggedintothesystem.Thereisnoreasontokeepanyotherpersonaldatainour
system.Ifwedohaveasecuritybreach,thehackerwillonlybeabletoseeinformationreadily
availableonmostofourUniversityprofilepages.
2.3.2SecurityofRecordsinthedatabase(seealsoEditing)
Thoserecordsthathavebeensavedas“published”willbevisibletoallusers.Userswhoarelogged
intothesystemwillbeabletousesearchfeaturesandreportsthatwillhelptoidentifyrelevant
records,whilevisitorstothesitewillonlyseetherecentlypublishedrecordsandthosethatthey
comeacrossintheWorldMapandpublicpages.
Thedefaultsettingasyouareaddingarecordtothedatabaseis“published.”However,ifyouwould
liketokeeptherecordprivateforyourownuseorasadraft,youcanchangethe“Publishing
Options”atthebottomoftherecord.Simplydeselectthe“Published”tickboxtopreventothers
fromseeingtherecord.Youcanalsodeselectthe“Promotedtofrontpage”tickboxtopreventit
frombeingreadilyaccessibletothepublic.
2.3.3Systembackup
Thesystemisbackedupnightly.Oneweek’sworthofbackupsarekeptforthesystemsettingsand
onemonth’sworthofbackupsarekeptforthedatawithinthesystem.Thedataisstoredboth
behindafirewallontheprimaryserverandincopiesinotherofflinelocations.Inthecaseofa
systemcrash,thepreviousday’sdatawillberestored,soitispossiblethatoneday’sworthofdata
couldbelost.Whenthesystemisupdated,anadhocbackupwillbegeneratedtoinsurenorecent
dataislost.
Retrievingdatathatisaccidentallydeletedorincorrectlymodifiedispossible.However,thisisa
time-consumingprocess(moresothanre-enteringasinglerecord),sowewouldaskthatyouuse
thisoptiononlyasalastresort.
2.3.4ControlofRecords
Authorizedusers(generallyresearcherswhohaverequestedaccesstothedatabase)willhavethe
databasepermissionstomodify(butnotdelete)otherusers’records.However,ifyouwouldliketo
modifyanotheruser’sdata,weaskthatyoufollowafewstepstoinsuretheintegrityofthe
informationandtherespectfulcooperationneededforthisopen-notesproject:
1. Contacttheoriginaluserusingeitherthesite’scontactformsorothermeansof
communicationtoaskpermission
6
2. Beforemakinganychangestotheoriginalrecord,scrolltothebottomoftherecordinthe
editscreenandclickonthe“RevisionInformation”tab.Thereyouwilltickaboxthatreads,
“Createnewrevision,”andleaveamessageintheRevisionlogmessageboxexplainingyour
revision.Thisprocesswillpromptthesystemtokeepboththeoriginalformoftherecord
andthenewrevisedversionoftherecord.Multiplerevisionscanbekeptbythesystem,or
theoriginalcontributorcanchoosewhichversion(theoriginalorarevision)toultimately
keepforthesystem.
2.3.5 DeletingRecords
Authorizeduserswillhavetheabilitytobothaddanddeletetheirownrecords.Todeletearecord,
simplyscrolltothebottomoftherecordandclickthedeletebutton.Ifyouwouldliketodeleteall
recordsthatyouhaveenteredintothesystem,pleasecontactJohnStewartortheeditorialboard.
3.Navigatingthedatabase
Thedatabaseoperatesintwomodes:Viewthroughwhichyoucanconsultanypubliclyavailable
recordsinthesystemandthroughwhichyouwillbeabletoanalysedatainthesystem;andAdd
Data.Viewisusedfornavigatingaroundthedatabase.
3.1WorldMap
AmajorfeatureofthedatabaseistheWorldMaponwhicharelocatedalltherecordsofphysical
sitesheldinthesystem.Eachsiteisidentifiedwithaflagwhichlists:
TheRecordName[Seebelow5.2.3fordetailsonRecordNames];
StartandEndDatesforthesite(ifrecorded);
Thecategory(ies)towhichthesitebelongs
Thesearehighlightedinblue.Clickingonanyhighlightedcategorywill
generateafulllistofallthesiteswithinthiscategory; ‘View’highlightedinblue.Clickingon‘view’willgeneratethefullrecordforthesite.
Youcanalsofilterforthosesiteswhichareoneormoreof:SitesofAlchemy;SitesofChemistry;
Laboratories;andTeachingRooms.
Usethecursorandthezoombaronthelefttonavigatearoundthemap.Itispossibletozoominto
thelevelofindividualbuildings.NBsomeflagsarelocatedinthemiddleofemptyspacesorin
water—thedatabaseusesaconventionoflocatingflagsofsiteswherethelocationisonlyvery
approximatelyknowninsuchemptyspaces[See#19Sites:‘Location’belowfortheconventionsfor
locatingthepositionofasiteonthemap].
3.2ParticularclassesofRecord(e.gPeople,Courses,Objects,Organisations)
AlltherecordswithinsomeoftheclassesarecurrentlyavailableviatheHomePage.Moveyour
cursoroverthe‘Records’tabonthetoprightoftheHomePage.Thisrevealsadropdownlistthat
currentlycontains
Courses
HistoricalFigures
Sites
7
Events
Eventuallyalltheclassesofrecordswillbelistedinthisway.
Clickingononeofthesewillbringupthefulllistofalltherecordsinthatclasswiththerecordname
ofeachrecordandasummaryofsomeofitscontentandlinkages.Clickingontherecordname,i.e.
‘Title’intheleft-handcolumn,takesyoutothefullrecord.
FiltersareavailableinthecasesofCourses,EventsandSites.
TheseRecordsaresimpleexamplesofthetypesofreportthatthesystemcangenerate.Thenext
stageofthedevelopmentofthedatabasewillgiveguidanceonhowtocreateawidevarietyof
reports.
3.3AllRecords
AllrecordsinthesystemareavailableviatheHomePage.Clickingdirectlyonthe‘Records’tabon
thetopleftoftheHomePage[notonthedropdownmenubelowit—asin3.2above]bringsupalist
ofallrecordsinthesysteminthechronologicalorderinwhichtheywerecreated.Thiscanbe
changedintoalphabeticalorder(eitherA-ZorZ-A)byclickingonTITLEattheheadoftheleft-hand
column.Thelistcanberefinedbygoingtothebox‘SHOWONLYITEMSWHERE’andthedrop-down
listnextto‘type’.Thislistsallthetablesinthedatabase.Inthedrop-downlist,clickonthetypeof
record(i.e.theTable)thatyouareinterestedin.Makesurethatthedrop-downlistnextto‘status’
issetto‘any’andclickon‘Filter’.YoucanchangetheorderofthelistingbyclickingonTITLEatthe
headoftheleft-handcolumn.Clickingonthe‘Undo’or‘Restore’buttonsresetsthe‘type’dropdownlist.
Becausethesemethodsproducelonglistsofrecordstheyarenotsuitedtofindingindividual
records.
3.4SearchingforindividualRecordsusingkeywords
OntheHomepageandonmanyotherpages[thecurrentexceptionsarethosepageswhereyoucan
adddata]thereisaSearchboxontheright-handsideofthepage.Enteroneormoresearch
terms/keywordsintotheboxandclickonSearch.ThistakesyoutoaSearchpagewhichlistsallthe
recordsinwhichthesearchterms/keywordsyouhaveenteredappear.Movingthecursorovera
recordnamechangesittored.Clickontherecordnameandtherecordwillbedisplayed.
Youcanrefineyoursearcheitherbytypinginadditionalsearchtermsorbyclickingon‘advanced
search’
3.5FollowingRecordlinkages
Whenyouareviewinganindividualrecordthelinkagesbetweenitandotherrecordsareidentified
byarecordnamewithinagrey/bluehighlight.Movingthecursoroveritchangesthetypetored
andclickingonitenablesyoutofollowthelink.
3.6FindingrelatedRecords
Withineachrecordtherewillbeanumberofentrieshighlightedinblue.Thesehaveoneoftwo
functions:
8
Iftheyaresetwithinthetopmarginofabox,clickingontheword/phrasewillcontractor
expandthebox.
Iftheyarefree-standing,e.g.‘Chemistry’under‘CourseSeries’inaCourserecord,or
‘Apothecaryshops’under‘SiteSeries’inaSiterecord,clickingonthemwilltakeyoutoalist
ofallChemistrycoursesorallApothecaryshops.
4.ContactingotherUsers
Whenyoulogin,anadditionalitem,‘Users’,willappearinthedrop-downlistunder‘About’onthe
toprightoftheHomePage.Thislistsalltheauthorisedusersofthedatabasebytheirusername
(left-handcolumn)andgivestheiremailaddresseswhichcanbeusedtocontactthem.The
usernameofthepersonwhofirstcreatedarecordisgivenimmediatelybelowtheRecordNameina
record.
Ifyouintendtoeditarecordcreatedbysomeoneelseyoushouldcontactthembeforedoingso.
NB.Whenarecordiseditedbysomeoneotherthantheoriginalcreator,theoriginalisstoredand
canbereadilyaccessed[see5.3.2].
5.DataEntry
5.1General
5.1.1ThestatusofaRecord
Thedefaultsettingasyouareaddingarecordtothedatabaseis“published.”Thoserecordsthat
havebeensavedas“published”willbevisibletoallusers.However,ifyouwouldliketokeepthe
recordprivateforyourownuseorasadraft,youcanchangethe“PublishingOptions”atthebottom
oftherecord.Simplydeselectthe“Published”tickboxtopreventothersfromseeingtherecord.
Youcanalsodeselectthe“Promotedtofrontpage”tickboxtopreventitfrombeingreadily
accessibletothepublic.
Underthe‘NotesandSources’sectioneachTablehasafield‘PrivateNotes’anydata,suchas
workingnotesthatyouenterherewillbevisibleonlytoyou.
5.1.2CreatingaRecord.
Dataisenteredbycreatingarecordinatableviaadata-entryform[See5.2.1].Inmostinstances
youwillwanttolinkyourrecordtootherrecordsinothertables.Thiscaninvolvealotofmoving
aroundthesystem:creatinganewrecord;partialentryintoit;savingit;enteringdatainanother
tabletowhichitistobelinked;savingthat;openingandenteringfurtherdataintotheoriginal
record,etc.Thiscanbetime-consuming.Timecanbesavedif,whenyourarecreatinganewSite,
Event,Course,etc.record,youbeginbycreatingrecords(iftheydonotalreadyexist)forthePeople
andSourcesyouwillbelinkingto.I.e.startwithtablestowhichtherewillbefewlinkages.
5.1.3Recordlinkages.
9
IneveryTablethereareanumberoffieldswhichallowyoutocreatealinkwithanotherrecordin
thedatabase.Thesefieldsareintheformofashorttextboxwithacircleatitsright-handend.As
youstarttypingintheboxacrosswillfillthecircleandthecorrespondingrecordnamesalreadyin
thesystemwillbelisted.Youwillneedtoknowtherecordnameoftherecordyouwishtolinkto.
Thisiseasyifitisarecordyouhavecreated,otherwiseyouwillneedtodeterminewhetherornotit
isalreadyinthedatabase.
5.1.4FindinganexistingRecord.
RecordsareindexedbyauniqueRecordName.WiththreeexceptionsRecordNameshaveasuffix
whichidentifiesthetypeofrecordtheyare,i.e.Courses,Events,Objects,Sitesetc.Therearealso
protocolsfornamingrecordstomakeiteasiertoidentifythem[See5.2.3‘RecordName’inthe
section‘HowtoCreateaRecord’(below)].
TosearchforarecordusetheSearchboxontheright-handsideofmanypages.NBthisboxisnot
currentlyavailableonDataEntryforms.Enteroneormoresearchterms/keywordsintotheboxand
clickonSearch.ThistakesyoutoaSearchpagewhichlistsalltherecordsinwhichthesearch
terms/keywordsyouhaveenteredappear.Movingthecursoroverarecordnamechangesittored.
Clickontherecordnameandtherecordwillbedisplayed.
Youcanrefineyoursearcheitherbytypinginadditionalsearchtermsorbyclickingon‘advanced
search’
5.1.5Language.
BasicdatashouldbeinEnglish,butyoucanuseotherlanguagesinthedatayouenterintotextfields
suchas‘Notes’.Usetheoriginallanguagewhereatranslationmightnotcapturethehistorical
meaning.
5.1.6Abbreviations.
Tosavetimeitisoktouseabbreviations,e.g.exptforexperiment,Pbchforleadchamber,
especiallyin‘Notes’fields,buttheyshouldeitherbeincommonusageortheirmeaningapparent
fromthecontext.
5.1.7Diacriticalmarksandnon-Latinscripts
Useyourbrowser’sfacilitiestoenterdiacriticalmarksortousenon-Latinscripts.
5.1.8Drop-downlists.
Anumberoftableshavefieldsthatincludedrop-downlists.Youcanchooseoneoptionfromthelist
byclickingonit.Youcanchoosemultipleoptionsfromthelist
OnaPC,byholdingtheCtrlkeydownwhileclickingontheoptionsyouwant;
OnaMac,byholdingtheCommandkeydownwhileclickingontheoptionsyouwant.
Toremoveanoptionthatyouhavealreadychosen(whichwillbehighlightedinblue):holddownthe
Ctrlkeyandclickonthehighlightedoption.
5.1.9Expandingorhidingsectionsofatable
10
InanumberofTables,withinthetopmarginsofboxesthatgrouprelatedpiecesofdata,thereare
headingsinblue,e.g.‘GeneralInformation’,‘SocialHistory’,and‘Family’inthetablePeople.Clicking
ontheseheadingswillexpandorhidethem.
5.2HowtocreateaRecord
5.2.1Findingtherightdata-entryform
OntheHomepageclickontheAddDatatabonthetop-rightofthepage.ThistakesyoutotheAdd
Contentpage.Fromthelistoftablesclickontheonewhereyouwanttocreatearecord.Thistakes
youtoadata-entryformheaded‘CreateEvent,Person,etc.’Enteringdataintooneormorefieldsin
theformandthensavingitcreatesauniquerecordinthesystem.TheSavebuttonisatthebottom
ofthedata-entryform.
5.2.2RequiredFields
Wehavedesignedthesystemsothatthereareaminimalnumberofrequiredfieldsmarkedby*(in
everycasetheRecordNameisrequired:theonlyotherrequiredfieldis‘LastName’inthePeople
table).Thismeansthatarecord,anditslinkstootherrecords,canbecreatedquickly,enabling
userstogetanimmediatesenseofhowthesystemhandlestherelationsbetweentheirdata.Fuller
datacanbeaddedtothenewrecordlaterbyusingthe‘Edit’button.
5.2.3RecordName
EveryRecordmusthaveauniquerecordname.Protocolsfornamingeachdifferenttypeofrecord
aregivenattheheadoftheinstructionsforeachTable.Theseprotocolsmayproducenamesthat
seemlong,butthisisnecessaryinordertobeabletomanageadatabasethatwillbeabletocontain
hundredsofthousandsofrecords.
Inordertomakeiteasiertoidentifyotherrecordsthatyouwishtolinktowhenyouareentering
data,eachrecordisgivenathree-lettersuffix(CRS,EVT,IMA,etc.)whichidentifiesthetypeof
recordconcerned—COURSE,EVENT,IMAGE.Therearethreeexceptions.TheRecordNamefora
persondoesnothaveasuffixsincetherewillbefarmorerecordsofpeoplethananyothercategory.
TheRecordNamesofPrimaryandSecondarySourcesdonotneedsuffixessincetheycanonlybe
linkedtothroughspecificfieldsineachTable.Thesuffixesare:
Collection
COL
Course CRS
Document
DOC Event EVT
Letter LET
Image IMA
Object OBJ
Organisation ORG
People PrimarySource
ProcessorTechnique PRC
Repository
REP
11
SecondarySource
Site
Substance
SIT
SUB
Fortestrecordsuse
TST
SpecificinstructionsfornamingeachtypeofrecordaregivenbelowundereachTable.
ThesystemwillnotallowyoutosaveaRecordNameifitalreadyexistsinthedatabase.Ifyoutryto
savearecordwitharecordnamethatalreadyexistsinthesystemyouwillreceivetheerror
message:The Record Name field requires a unique value, and the specified value is already used.
Matches are found in the following content. The existing record name will be displayed.
5.2.4CreatingaRecordlinkage
Tocreatealinktoarecordthatalreadyexistsinthesystem.Identifytherecordname[See5.1.3]
andtypeitintotheappropriatebox[See5.1.2].
Iftherecordyouwanttolinktodoesnotexistyouwillhavetosavetherecordyouareworkingon;
createtherecordyouwanttolinkto;saveit;re-openyouroriginalrecordandtypeinthenew
recordname.
N.B.Alinkyoucreatebetweentworecordsbyenteringthelinkinonetablewillbeestablished
automaticallyintheothertable.
5.2.5CreatingatestRecord
ChooseaData-Entryform[5.2.1above].Inthefirstinstance,untilyouarefamiliarwiththesystem,
itisprobablysensibletogiveitarecordnamewhichindicatesthatitisatestaswellasthesuffix
TST.Enterdata,eitherrealorimaginary,includinglinkstoneworexistingrecordsifyouwish.Ifyou
areusingrealdatayoucanchangetherecordnameatalaterdateasyoubecomefamiliarwiththe
system,ordeletetherecord.
5.2.6DeletingaRecord
Onlytheoriginalcreatorofarecordcandeleteit.Todoso:calluptherecord;clickon‘edit’;clickon
‘delete’atthebottomofthepage.Youwillbeasked‘Areyousureyouwanttodeletexxx?’and
thenremindedthatthisactioncannotbeundone.Ifyouwishtogoaheadclick‘delete.’
5.3EditingRecords
5.3.1EditedbythecreatoroftheRecord
Calluptherecord.Clickonedit.Edittherecordandclickonsave.
5.3.2Editedbyanotheruser
12
Authorizedusers(generallyresearcherswhohaverequestedaccesstothedatabase)willhavethe
databasepermissionstomodify(butnotdelete)otherusers’records.However,ifyouwouldliketo
modifyanotheruser’sdata,weaskthatyoufollowafewstepstoinsuretheintegrityofthe
informationandtherespectfulcooperationneededforthisopen-notesproject:
1. Contacttheoriginalcontributorofthedatausingeitherthesite’scontactformsorother
meansofcommunicationtoaskpermission
2. Beforemakinganychangestotheoriginalrecord,scrolltothebottomoftherecordinthe
editscreenandclickonthe“RevisionInformation”tab.Thereyouwilltickaboxthatreads,
“Createnewrevision,”andleaveamessageintheRevisionlogmessageboxexplainingyour
revision.Thisprocesswillpromptthesystemtokeepboththeoriginalformoftherecord
andthenewrevisedversionoftherecord.Multiplerevisionscanbekeptbythesystem,or
theoriginalcontributorcanchoosewhichversion(theoriginalorarevision)toultimately
keepforthesystem.
6-20CreatingaRecordTablebyTable
Whennamingarecord,PLEASEUSETHEAPPROPRIATESUFFIX,and,ifpossible,USETHENAMING
PROTOCOL.Ifnotthesystemwillbecomeoverwhelmedwithrecordsthatarenotreadily
identifiablewhenyouorotherswishtocreatelinkages.
N.B. Ifyouwishtocreatearecordwhichissimilartoonethatalreadyexistsusethe‘Clone
Record’functionontheexistingrecord(inViewmode).Itistobefoundimmediately
underneaththeRecordName.
EveryTablecontainsafield‘PrivateNotes’.Anyrecordsthatyouenterinthisfield,suchasyour
workingnotes,willbevisibleonlytoyou.
6.COLLECTIONS
Thistablerecordshistoricalcollectionsofmaterialobjects,instruments,mineralogicalspecimens,
books,etc.“Collections”isusedintwosenses:
1.objects,etc.assembledintoanorganisedcollection,e.g.anaturalhistorycabinetora
library;
2.moreloosely,thoseobjects,substances,etc.foundinaparticularsiteaspartofits
everydayactivity.
Informationonthemwouldtypicallybefoundin:theinventoryofalaboratorydrawnupafterthe
deathofitsowner;awill;thepricelistofasupplierofchemicals;aninventoryofachemicalfactory
drawnupaspartofacontractorastheresultofbankruptcy.
Thistableshouldnotbeusedtorecordcontemporarycollectionsheldinmuseumstoday,although
itcanrecordwherematerialfromhistoricalcollectionscannowbefound.
Fields
RecordName
13
1.Suffix
COL
2.Namingprotocol
Therecordnameshouldbemadeupof
Theindividualororganisation
Thesite(indicative,notfullname)
Thedatethecollectionwasinventoried
Suffix
e.g.RouelleGFrueJacob1770COL
#RecordInformation
Description
Provideashortdescriptionhere.FurtherdetailscanbeenteredeitherintheNotesfield,or
iftheinformationisextensivebycreatingaDocumentRecordforitinthetableDocuments.
RelatedSite
#Inventories
Inventorytype
Inthe‘InventoryType’box
1.Ignoretheoption‘-None-‘.Itisimposedbythesoftwareweareusing.
2.Youcanselectmultipleoptionsfromthelist
OnaPC,byholdingtheCtrlkeydownwhileclickingontheoptionsyou
want;OnaMac,byholdingtheCommandkeydownwhileclickingonthe
optionsyouwant.
Toremoveanoptionthatyouhavealreadychosen(whichwillbehighlightedin
blue):holddowntheCtrlkeyandclickonthehighlightedoption.
DateofInventory
#Contents
Contentsof
Inthe‘Contentsof’box
1.Ignoretheoption‘-None-‘.Itisimposedbythesoftwareweareusing.
2.Youcanselectmultipleoptionsfromthelist
OnaPC,byholdingtheCtrlkeydownwhileclickingontheoptionsyou
want;onaMac,byholdingtheCommandkeydownwhileclickingonthe
optionsyouwant.
Toremoveanoptionthatyouhavealreadychosen(whichwillbe
highlightedinblue):holddowntheCtrlkeyandclickonthehighlighted
option.
Apparatus
Books
Chemicals
Instruments
14
Minerals
#AssociatedRecords
Thiscollectionisrelatedto
UsethisfieldtolinktootherrecordsinthedatabaseexceptDocuments,ImagesandSites
whichhavetheirownfieldsinthistable.
AssociatedDocumentsandImages
#CurrentLocationofCollection(ifany)
Details
InRepository
Onlymakeentrieshereifsomeoralloftheobjectsinventoriedarecurrentlyheldinoneor
morerepositories.Ifso,youwillneedtocreaterecordsfortherepositoriesinthe
Repositoriestable,unlesstheyarealreadyinthesystem,andlinktothemviathe‘In
Repository’field.
#NotesandSources
PrivateNotes
Anyinformationyouenterherewillbevisibleonlytoyou.
Notes
Keywords
WebResource
PrimarySources
SecondarySources
InbothofthesefieldsthetopboxisusedtolinktoarecordinthePrimarySourcesand
SecondarySourcestableswhichgivegeneralbibliographicinformationonthesource.
Specificinformation,e.g.volumeandpagenumbersofajournal,dateofanewspaper,title
andcallnumberofamanuscript,foreachsourceareenteredinthefield‘Detailed
Reference’.
FurtherinstructionsarefoundinthePrimarySourcesandSecondarySourcestables.
7.COURSES
Itisimportanttorecordchemistrycoursesnotinisolationbutinthewidercontextofcoursesin
othersciencesandrelatedsubjects.Inaddition,coursesinothersciences,e.g.mineralogy,
experimentalphysics,physiology,materiamedicaandpharmacy,oftenincludedsignificantamounts
ofchemistry.Recordsofcourseswillthereforebeenteredundersubjectandtherewillbeafield
whichcanbeusedtospecifywhetherornotthecoursehadasignificantchemistrycontent.
Fields
RecordName
1.Suffix
CRS
2.Namingprotocol
Therecordnameshouldbemadeupof:
15
Thenameofthelecturer(or,iftherearetwoormorelecturers,ofoneofthem)
Thenameofthesiteororganisation(iftherecouldbeconfusion)
Thesubject
Thedatethecoursestarted
Suffix
e.g.
BucquetChem1778NovCRS
BucquetEcolesdeMedecinePharmacy1775CRS
#RecordInformation
RelatedEvents
TitleofCourse
Thisshouldbethehistoricaltitle.Itshouldbeintheoriginallanguage,withatranslationif
thelanguageisotherthanEnglish,French,German,ItalianorSpanish.
Relatedindividuals
Usethisfieldtolinktotherecordsofthepeoplewhowereinvolvedinteachingthecourse,
eitheraslecturersorassistants,includingassistantlecturers,demonstrators,préparateurs,
laboratoryassistants.
Organisationsinvolved
Site
HistoricalTown
HistoricalCountry
CourseSeries
Thisdrop-downlistenablesthedatabasetorecordcoursesthatwereotherthanchemistry,
bothintheirownrightandinordertoprovideinformationonthewidercontextinwhich
chemistrywastaught.Under‘CourseContent’(below)youcanrecordwhetherornota
coursehadchemistrycontent.
Inthe‘CourseSeries’box
1.Ignoretheoption‘-None-‘.Itisimposedbythesoftwareweareusing.
2.Youcanselectmultipleoptionsfromthelist
OnaPC,byholdingtheCtrlkeydownwhileclickingontheoptionsyou
want;onaMac,byholdingtheCommandkeydownwhileclickingonthe
optionsyouwant.
Toremoveanoptionthatyouhavealreadychosen(whichwillbe
highlightedinblue):holddowntheCtrlkeyandclickonthehighlighted
option.
Coursestatus
Usethisfieldtospecifyifthecoursewasgivenprivately,orbyaninstitutionorifthereisno
informationavailable.Clicking‘None’meansthatnoentrywillappearinViewmode.
#CourseContent
Practicalinstruction
Usethisfieldtospecifyifthecourseincludedpracticalinstructionforthestudents(rather
thanjustdemonstrationsbythelecturer).Clicking‘None’meansthatnoentrywillappearin
Viewmode.
16
ChemistryContent
IndustrialContent
AgriculturalContent
Usethesethreefieldstospecifywhetherthecourseincludedchemistry(select‘Yes’evenif
thecoursehaschemistryinthetitle)andincludedindustrialoragriculturalcontent.Clicking
‘None’meansthatnoentrywillappearinViewmode.
Noteoncontent
CourseInformationobtainedfrom
Tickoneormoreoftheboxesheretoindicatethesourceofinformationonthecontentof
thecourse.FullerdetailsonanyofthesecanbeenteredunderSources.
Publicity
Tickoneormoreoftheboxesheretoindicatehowthecoursewaspublicised.Fullerdetails
onanyofthesecanbeenteredunderSources.
#Time
StartDate
EndDate
MeetingDays
Meetingtime
Startingandendingtimes(ifavailable)shouldberecordedusingthe24-hourclock
Numberoflectures
Thisisatextratherthananumberfieldsothatitcanrecordapproximateorimprecisedata.
#Finance
FundingandCosts
Usethisboxforinformationonthefundingandthecostsofthecourse.
Fee
Usethisfieldtospecifywhetherornotafeewaschargedforthecourse.Clicking‘None’
meansthatnoentrywillappearinViewmode.
FeeAmount
Thisisatextratherthananumberfieldsothatitcanrecordapproximateorimprecisedata.
#Audience
AudienceType
Thisfieldisintendedtocapturewhetherornotthecoursewaswhollyorinpartopentothe
public(i.e.aGeneralaudience)orwhetheritwasrestrictedtoonlystudentswhohad
formallyenrolled,usuallyaspartofawiderprogrammeofstudy.Itwillenableustotrack
thismajorchangeintheaudienceforchemistrycoursesandtheinstitutionalisationof
chemistryteaching.
Thecompositionoftheaudiencecanberecordedinmoredetailinthe‘Audience
Composition’field.
SizeofAudience
Thisisatextratherthananumberfieldsothatitcanrecordapproximateorimprecisedata.
17
AudienceComposition
Namedstudents
#NotesandSources
PrivateNotes
Anyinformationyouenterherewillbevisibleonlytoyou.
RelatedMaterials
UsethisfieldtolinktorelatedCollections,Objects,ProcessesandSubstances.
AssociatedDocumentsandImages
Notes
Keywords
WebResource
PrimarySources
SecondarySources
InbothofthesefieldsthetopboxisusedtolinktoarecordinthePrimarySourcesand
SecondarySourcestableswhichgivegeneralbibliographicinformationonthesource.
Specificinformation,e.g.volumeandpagenumbersofajournal,dateofanewspaper,title
andcallnumberofamanuscript,foreachsourceareenteredinthefield‘Detailed
Reference’.
FurtherinstructionsarefoundinthePrimarySourcesandSecondarySourcestables.
8.DOCUMENTS
Thistableisforstoringdocuments,exceptforletterswhicharestoredintheLetterstable.Where
copyrightissuesmeanthattheycannotbeuploadedtothesite,itprovideslinkstowheretheycan
befound.
RecordName
1.Suffix
DOC
2.Namingprotocol
Sincetherangeofpossibledocumentsthatcanbeuploadedissowidetherearenostrict
protocols.Wesuggest:
Thenameofapersonororganisationthatisthesubjectorauthorofthedocument
Anindicationofthenatureofthedocument,e.g.letter,report,memoire,inventory
Thedatethedocumentwasproduced
Suffix
E.g.
CourtanvauxColombesinventory1781DOC
#RecordInformation
DocumentsandImagesSeries
18
Ifthedocumentispartofaseriesthenfirstcheckwhetherornottheseriesisalreadyinthe
system:
Clickingintheboxbringsupthelistofalltheseriesinthesystem.
Clickontheappropriateentry.
NB.Youcanentermultipleseriesbyclickingonfurtherentries.
Iftheseriesisnotinthesystemthenyouwillneedtocreateit:
Typethenameoftheseriesintothebox—seebelowforthenamingprotocol.When
yousavetherecord,thenameoftheserieswillbeheldinthesystemandaddedto
thelistofexistingserieseventhoughtheoriginalrecordmaybedeleted
subsequently.
ThereisnoparticularnamingprotocolforDocumentSeries.
Author
Iftheauthorisalreadyinthedatabaseitwillcreatealinktotheappropriaterecord.Ifthe
authorisnotinthedatabaseitwilljustrecordthename.
Title
UploadDocument
WebLocation(ifany)
Subject
UsethisfieldtolinktheDocumenttootherrecordsinthedatabase
#NotesandSources
PrivateNotes
Anyinformationyouenterherewillbevisibleonlytoyou.
Notes
Keywords
WebResource
PrimarySources
SecondarySources
InbothofthesefieldsthetopboxisusedtolinktoarecordinthePrimarySourcesand
SecondarySourcestableswhichgivegeneralbibliographicinformationonthesource.
Specificinformation,e.g.volumeandpagenumbersofajournal,dateofanewspaper,title
andcallnumberofamanuscript,foreachsourceareenteredinthefield‘Detailed
Reference’.
FurtherinstructionsarefoundinthePrimarySourcesandSecondarySourcestables.
19
9.EVENTS
Thistableallowsindividualeventstoberecorded,butitsmainpurposeistoallowchronologiesof
relatedeventstobetobeconstructed,e.g:thelifeandcareerofanindividual,e.g.HumphryDavy;
visitorstoBoultonandWattinBirmingham;thehistoryofthenewchemicalnomenclature;
ceremonialoccasions(e.g.eloges,prize-givings,lectures);thehistoryofasiteororganisation;the
developmentofturkey-reddyeingorofthemanufactureofsulphuricacidandsoda;thehistoryofa
substanceoraninstrument.ThisisdonethroughthefieldEventSeries.Multipleentriescanbe
madeinthisfieldwhichmeansthatitispossibletorecordthefactthataneventbelongstomore
thanoneseries.ForexampletheeventSCAN1788Mar/AprEVTbelongstotwoseries:the
biographyoftheinstrumentmakerScanegattiandthehistoryofthedevelopmentofchlorine
bleaching.
Itwillbepossibletosearchthedataacrossalleventsbydate,byphysicallocationandsite,by
personsandorganisationsinvolved,etc.,aswellasbyseries.
RecordName
1.Suffix
EVT
2.Namingprotocols
Individualevents.Forindividualeventsthatarenotpartofaseries:
Thenameofanindividual,organisation,siteorplace
Anindicationofthenatureoftheevent
Adate
Suffix
e.g. Grenellepoudrerieexplosion1794EVT
N.B.Itispossibleatalaterdatetoredefineanindividualeventaspartofoneormoreseries.
Relatedevents.Whenthetableisusedtorecordaseriesofrelatedevents,e.g.the
biographyofanindividual,orthedevelopmentofaprocess,orthehistoryofasite,
substanceororganisation,thefieldEventSeriesispopulatedandthenamingprotocolfor
theindividualeventis:
Abbreviatednameoftheindividual,process,substanceororganisation
Date,aspreciseasnecessarysoastoavoidambiguity
Wherethedatecannotbeunambiguous,e.g.thereismorethanoneevent
onthesameday,oronlytheyearormonthisknownforseveralevents,
thenuse(1),(2),(3)etc.
Becausetherecordispartofanamedseriesofeventsthereisnoneedtoincludean
indicationofthenatureoftheeventintheRecordName.
E.g.forthebiographyoftheinstrumentmakerScanegatti:
20
Scan1777JulEVT
Scan1777Jul19EVT
Scan1776(1)EVT
Scan1776(2)EVT
#RecordInformation
EventSeries
Ifthisisafree-standing,one-offevententer‘None’.
Ifitispartofaseriesthenfirstcheckwhetherornottheseriesisalreadyinthesystem:
ClickingintheboxbringsupthelistofalltheEventSeriesinthesystem.
Clickontheappropriateentry.
NB.Youcanentermultipleeventseriesbyclickingonfurtherentries.
Iftheseriesisnotinthesystemthenyouwillneedtocreateit:
Typethenameoftheseriesintothebox—seebelowforthenamingprotocol.Whenyou
savetherecord,thenameoftheeventserieswillbeheldinthesystemandaddedtothelist
ofexistingeventserieseventhoughtheoriginalrecordmaybedeletedsubsequently.
NamingprotocolforEventSeries
Forabiography:
Nameoftheindividual
Biography
Forthehistoryofasiteororganisation:
Nameofsiteororganisation
History
Historyofasubstance,process,object
Nameofsubstance,processorobject
History
Otherseries,e.g.
NewnomenclatureFrance
Boulton&Wattvisitors
ExactDateofEvent
ApproximateDateofEvent
Description
Youneednotgivealotofdetailhere.Detailedinformation,e.g.alistofthenamesofall
thoseparticipatinginalargemeeting,canbeenteredinthe‘Notes’under‘Whowas
involved’.
21
#Location
Site(s)ofEvent
HistoricalTown
HistoricalCountry
#Whowasinvolved?
PeopleInvolved
OrganisationsInvolved
Notes
#AssociatedRecords
RelatedEvents
RelatedMaterials
AssociatedDocumentsorImages
#Notes&Sources
PrivateNotes
Anyinformationyouenterherewillbevisibleonlytoyou.
Notes
Keywords
WebResource
PrimarySources
SecondarySources
InbothofthesefieldsthetopboxisusedtolinktoarecordinthePrimarySourcesand
SecondarySourcestableswhichgivegeneralbibliographicinformationonthesource.
Specificinformation,e.g.volumeandpagenumbersofajournal,dateofanewspaper,title
andcallnumberofamanuscript,foreachsourceareenteredinthefield‘Detailed
Reference’.
FurtherinstructionsarefoundinthePrimarySourcesandSecondarySourcestables.
10.IMAGES
ThistableisforstoringImages.Wherecopyrightissuesmeanthattheycannotbeuploadedtothe
site,itcanprovidelinkstowheretheycanbefound.
RecordName
1.Suffix
IMA
2.Namingprotocol
Therecordnameshould:
Identifythesubjectoftheimage
Givethedatetheimagerefersto
e.g.
ScanegattiPorteGuillaume-Lion1781(1)IMA 22
AffinitytableCollegedePharmacieca1780IMA
#RecordInformation
DocumentsandImagesSeries
Iftheimageispartofaseriesthenfirstcheckwhetherornottheseriesisalreadyinthe
system:
Clickingintheboxbringsupthelistofalltheseriesinthesystem.
Clickontheappropriateentry.
NB.Youcanentermultipleseriesbyclickingonfurtherentries.
Iftheseriesisnotinthesystemthenyouwillneedtocreateit:
Typethenameoftheseriesintothebox—seebelowforthenamingprotocol.When
yousavetherecord,thenameoftheserieswillbeheldinthesystemandaddedto
thelistofexistingserieseventhoughtheoriginalrecordmaybedeleted
subsequently.
ThereisnoparticularnamingprotocolforImageSeries.
TitleofImage
CreatorofImage
NatureofImage
Inthe‘NatureofImage’box
1.Ignoretheoption‘-None-‘.Itisimposedbythesoftwareweareusing.
2.Youcanselectmultipleoptionsfromthelist
OnaPC,byholdingtheCtrlkeydownwhileclickingontheoptionsyou
want;onaMac,byholdingtheCommandkeydownwhileclickingonthe
optionsyouwant.
Toremoveanoptionthatyouhavealreadychosen(whichwillbe
highlightedinblue):holddowntheCtrlkeyandclickonthehighlighted
option.
DateRepresented
DateProduced
Subjects
OtherSubjects
IstheImageinCopyright?
Itisimportanttofillinthisfieldbeforeuploadinganyimage.
#Uploads
UploadImage
UploadImage(PDF)
WebLocation
#NotesandSources
PrivateNotes
23
Anyinformationyouenterherewillbevisibleonlytoyou.
Notes
Keywords
WebResource
PrimarySources
SecondarySources
InbothofthesefieldsthetopboxisusedtolinktoarecordinthePrimarySourcesand
SecondarySourcestableswhichgivegeneralbibliographicinformationonthesource.
Specificinformation,e.g.volumeandpagenumbersofajournal,dateofanewspaper,title
andcallnumberofamanuscript,foreachsourceareenteredinthefield‘Detailed
Reference’.
FurtherinstructionsarefoundinthePrimarySourcesandSecondarySourcestables.
11.LETTERS
Thistablecanbeusedtorecordindividuallettersandalsotorecordaseriesoflettersthatmakeup
acorrespondence.
RecordName
1.Suffix
LET
2.Namingprotocol
Therecordnameshouldbemadeupof:
Thenameofthewriter
Thenameoftherecipient
Datetheletterwassent
E.g.Macquer/Ducd’Ayen1772Mar1LET
#RecordInformation
LetterSeries
Iftheletterispartofaseriesfirstcheckwhetherornottheseriesisalreadyinthesystem:
Clickingintheboxbringsupthelistofalltheseriesinthesystem.
Clickontheappropriateentry.
NB.Youcanentermultipleseriesbyclickingonfurtherentries.
Iftheseriesisnotinthesystemthenyouwillneedtocreateit:
Typethenameoftheseriesintothebox—seebelowforthenamingprotocol.When
yousavetherecord,thenameoftheserieswillbeheldinthesystemandaddedto
thelistofexistingserieseventhoughtheoriginalrecordmaybedeleted
subsequently.
24
NamingProtocol
Thenameofthesender
Letters
E.g. MacquerLetters
Ducd’AyenLetters
BothletterstoandfromMacquerwouldberecordedintheseriesMacquerLetters.
Iftherearemanylettersbetweentwoindividualsyoucantreattheseasoneseries.
E.g. Macquer/GuytondeMorveauLetters
Macquer/BergmanLetters
N.B.Inprincipalanyletterbelongstotwoseries,althoughinpracticeyoumaywishtoonlyenter
oneoftheseintothesystem,especiallywherethereisonlyoneorafewlettersfromoneofthe
correspondents.
InRepository
Onlymakeanentryhereifasignificantnumberoflettersintheseriesareheldina
particularrepository.Wherethisisnotthecase,thelocationofthelettercanbeidentified
throughthefieldsPrimarySourcesandSecondarySources.
WriterofLetter
AddressofWriter
DateofLetter
Recipient
AddressofRecipient
#Contents
SummaryofContents
LetterText
Usethisfieldtogivethetextoftheletter.Thiscanbedoneeitherbytypingdirectly,orby
cuttingandpasting,orbycopyingdocanddocxfiles.Alternatively,youcanuploadcopiesof
thetextoftheletterviathefieldsUploadLetterbelow.
Lettermentions/refersto/discusses
Usethisfieldtolinkwithotherrecordsinthedatabase.
Uploadletter
UploadLetter(PDF)
#NotesandSources
PrivateNotes
Anyinformationyouenterherewillbevisibleonlytoyou.
Notes
Keywords
WebResource
PrimarySources
SecondarySources
25
InbothofthesefieldsthetopboxisusedtolinktoarecordinthePrimarySourcesand
SecondarySourcestableswhichgivegeneralbibliographicinformationonthesource.
Specificinformation,e.g.volumeandpagenumbersofajournal,dateofanewspaper,title
andcallnumberofamanuscript,foreachsourceareenteredinthefield‘Detailed
Reference’.
FurtherinstructionsarefoundinthePrimarySourcesandSecondarySourcestables.
12.OBJECTS
Thistableisforman-madeobjects.Substances,whethernaturallyoccurringorartificial,are
recordedinthetableSubstances.TheObjectstablerecordsinformationongeneralclassesof
object,forexamplefurnaces,balances,instruments,namedapparatus,industrialplant(lead
chambers,Gay-Lussactowers,...),modelsandvisualmaterialssuchasaffinitytables,andthesites
wheretheywereused.
Thefocusisonobjectswithinaparticularcategoryandwhere,historically,thesewereused.Itisnot
designedtorecorddetailedinformationonindividualphysicalobjects.Howeveritcanrecordwhere
suchindividualobjectsareheldincontemporaryrepositories—Museums,etc.
Thetableisnotintendedforrecordingthedetailedhistoryofobjects.Thiscanbedoneinthe
Eventstable.
RecordName
1.Suffix
OBJ
2.Namingprotocol
Therecordnameshould
Identifytheseriestheobjectbelongsto(Seebelow)
Date(optional)
Suffix
E.g.
Macquer’sFurnaceOBJ
LeadChamberOBJ
#RecordInformation
RelatedEventSeries
IfthereisahistoryofthisobjectintheEventstablegivethenameoftheEventSeries.
Variantnames
Usethismultiple-entryfieldtorecordthename(s)bywhichtheobjectisknown.
Classofobject
Apparatus
Balances
Furnaces
IndustrialPlant
26
Instruments
Other
VisualAids
Objectseries
Thesearecategorieswithinthegeneralclassesofobjectslistedabove,e.g.assaybalances,
portablefurnaces,Woulfeapparatus,leadchambers,Gay-Lussactowers,affinitytables.
Iftheobjectispartofaseriesfirstcheckwhetherornottheseriesisalreadyinthesystem:
Clickingintheboxbringsupthelistofalltheseriesinthesystem.
Clickontheappropriateentry.
NB.Youcanentermultipleseriesbyclickingonfurtherentries.
Iftheseriesisnotinthesystemthenyouwillneedtocreateit:
Typethenameoftheseriesintothebox—seebelowforthenamingprotocol.When
yousavetherecord,thenameoftheserieswillbeheldinthesystemandaddedto
thelistofexistingserieseventhoughtheoriginalrecordmaybedeleted
subsequently.
Namingprotocol
None,butthenameshouldbeshort.
PhysicalDescription
#DatesinUse
Start
End
#AssociatedRecords
RelatedSubstances
RelatedProcesses
RelatedObjects
Peoplelinkedto
Organisationslinkedto
Associatedsites
Collectionstheobjectwaspartof
AssociatedDocumentsorImages
#Currentlocationofexamples
Details
Repository
#NotesandSources
PrivateNotes
Anyinformationyouenterherewillbevisibleonlytoyou.
27
Notes
Keywords
WebResource
PrimarySources
SecondarySources
InbothofthesefieldsthetopboxisusedtolinktoarecordinthePrimarySourcesand
SecondarySourcestableswhichgivethegeneralbibliographicinformationonthesource.
Specificinformation,e.g.volumeandpagenumbersofajournal,dateofanewspaper,title
andcallnumberofamanuscript,foreachsourceareenteredinthefield‘Detailed
Reference’.
FurtherinstructionsarefoundinthePrimarySourcesandSecondarySourcestables.
13.ORGANISATIONS
Thistableistorecordinformationonawiderangeoforganisations,includinglearnedsocieties,
educationalinstitutions,governmentdepartments,industrialcompanies,commercialbusinesses,
guildsandcorporations.
Thisisnotintendedtobeadatabaseoforganisationsandtheirmembership,butitsprimary
functionistorecordthelinksbetweenorganisationsandsitesandpeople.
RecordName
1.Suffix
ORG
2.Namingprotocol
Therecordnameshouldbemadeupof
Theplacetheorganisationwasbasedin
Nameoftheorganisation
Dateinformation(ifneededtodistinguishitfromsimilarorganisations)
Suffix
E.g.
ParisJardinduRoiORG
ParisAcademieRoyaledesSciencespre1793ORG
ParisAcademiedesSciencespost1795ORG
#RecordInformation
RelatedEventSeries
IfthereisahistoryofthisorganisationintheEventstablegivethenameoftheEventSeries.
NameofOrganisation
Category
Chooseoneormorecategoriesfromthelist
28
1.Ignoretheoption‘-None-‘.Itisimposedbythesoftwareweareusing.
2.Youcanselectmultipleoptionsfromthelist
OnaPC,byholdingtheCtrlkeydownwhileclickingontheoptionsyou
want;onaMac,byholdingtheCommandkeydownwhileclickingonthe
optionsyouwant.
Toremoveanoptionthatyouhavealreadychosen(whichwillbe
highlightedinblue):holddowntheCtrlkeyandclickonthehighlighted
option.
Description
HistoricalTown
HistoricalCountry
StartDate
DateFirstRecorded
DateLastRecorded
EndDate
#AssociatedRecords
Peoplelinkedto
Whenalinkisestablishedwithapersonthereisafieldinthepersonrecordwhere
informationontheirroleintheorganisationcanbeentered.
SitesOwnedorOperated
SitesLinkedto
RelatedOrganisations
RelatedMaterials
AssociatedDocumentsandImages
#NotesandSources
PrivateNotes
Anyinformationyouenterherewillbevisibleonlytoyou.
Notes
Keywords
WebResource
PrimarySources
SecondarySources
InbothofthesefieldsthetopboxisusedtolinktoarecordinthePrimarySourcesand
SecondarySourcestableswhichgivegeneralbibliographicinformationonthesource.
Specificinformation,e.g.volumeandpagenumbersofajournal,dateofanewspaper,title
andcallnumberofamanuscript,foreachsourceareenteredinthefield‘Detailed
Reference’.
FurtherinstructionsarefoundinthePrimarySourcesandSecondarySourcestables.
14.PEOPLE
29
Thistableincludesnotjustthosepractisingchemistrybutanyoneonwhomwehaveinformation
whowasinvolvedwithchemistryandchemists.Itisprimarilyintendedforrecordingthoselesserknownfigureswhoweallencounterinourresearchandwhoseimportancetheprojectisaimedat
uncovering.Ithasthereforenotbeendesignedtostorelargeamountsofinformationonwellknownandwell-studiedindividuals.Fullerbiographicalinformationcanbestoredinthetableof
Eventswhichhasbeendesignedsothatitcanrecordanindividual’slifeandcareer.
TherearemanyFieldsinthisTablenotinordertoattempttoprovideafullbiographicalrecordofan
individualbut1)becausedifferentresearchersmaybeinterestedindifferentsetsofinformation
and2)especially,becauseinformationonthelesser-knownindividualswhoweareparticularly
interestedinisveryoftenpatchy,scatteredandunsystematic.Weneedtobeabletorecord
whateverinformationhassurvived.
RecordName
1.Suffix
none
2.Namingprotocol
Therecordnameshouldbemadeupof
Lastname
Oneormoreinitialsorfullfirstname
Incasesofambiguityuse(1),(2),(3)etc,orpere,fils,etc.
E.g.
BourdelinClaudeI
BourdelinClaudeII
BourdelinHF
BourdelinLC
#GeneralInformation
WherenamesincludeDe,Da,D’,Le,La,Van,Vonetc.wesuggestthattheyareentered
underDe,Da,etc.Otherversionsofthenamecanbeenteredunder‘VariantSpellings’.
Inthecaseofmembersofthearistocracyinparticularnamescanchangesignificantlyduring
aperson’slifetimeastheirtitlechanges.Ratherthantryingtodeviserulesfordealingwith
thiswesuggestthatthenamebywhichtheyaremostcommonlyknownisusedinthe
‘RecordName’andenteredinthe‘LastName‘field.Theirothernamescanbeenteredin
‘VariantSpellings’and/or‘NoteonName’.Thesameshouldbedonewithnamesthat
changewithmaritalstatus.
LastName
VariantSpellings
FirstName
Useinitialsifyoudonotknowthefullnames
NoteonName
RelatedEventSeries
Iftherearerecordsofeventsinthisperson’slifeintheEventstable,enterthenameofthe
EventSeries
TitleorRank
30
Gender
Clicking‘None’meansthatnoentrywillappearinViewmode.
ExactDOB
ExactDOD
ApproximateDates
ApproximateDOB
DateFirstRecorded
DateLastRecorded
ApproximateDOD
PlaceofBirth
PlaceofDeath
CountriesActivein
TownsandRegionsActivein
NotesaboutGeographicalActivity
Usethisfieldtomakebriefnotesaboutwhenandwherethepersonwasactive
#FamilyandSocialHistory
#Family(Clickon‘FAMILY’toexpandthissection)
SocialClassOrigin
Father’soccupation
Parents(multipleentriespossible)
Spouse(multipleentriespossible)
Children(multipleentriespossible)
Siblings(multipleentriespossible)
OtherFamily(multipleentriespossible)
Theseboxeslinktopeopleinthedatabase.Iftheindividualsarenotyetinthe
databasetheycanbelistedin‘NotesonFamily’.
NotesonFamily
SocialClass
Notes
NotesonWealth/Finance
NotesonPolitics
NotesonReligion
#Education
Education/Training
Includesapprenticeship
Qualifications
CoursesTaken
Thisfieldlinkstocourses(chemistryandothers)inthedatabase.Youcanlistcoursestaken
thatarenotinthedatabaseinthetextbox‘Education/Training’.
Studentof
Thisfieldlinkstopeopleinthedatabase.Iftheindividualsarenotyetinthedatabasethey
canbelistedinthetextbox‘Education/Training’.
#ActivitiesandCareer
ActiveinChemistry?
InterestedinChemistry?
31
Thesetwofieldsshouldbeusedtodistinguishbetweenthosewhowereactiveinchemistry,
e.g.researching,teaching,publishing,orwereemployedaschemists,andthosewhohada
morerestrictedinterestinit,e.g.takingapublicchemistrycourse,hadsomechemistry
booksintheirlibrary,investedinachemicalbusinessbutdidnotrunit.
ChemicalActivities
PublishedonChemistry?
Inboththisandthefollowingfieldclicking‘None’meansthatnoentrywillappearin
Viewmode.
InterestedinAlchemy?
AlchemicalActivities
OtherActivities
Career
Anumberofoccupationsorareasofemployment/activityarelistedinthesystem.
Clickingintheboxbringsupthelist.
Clickontheappropriateentry.
NB.Youcanentermultipleseriesbyclickingonfurtherentries.
Additionstothelist.Theintentionistokeepthecategoriesbroadratherthanhavingavery
long,sub-dividedlist.Moreprecisedistinctionscanbeenteredinthe‘NotesonCareer’
field.Thesystemwillbeabletosearchontheseaswellasonthebroadercategories.
Additionstothelistshouldonlybemadeiftheyrepresentbroadcategoriesandshouldbe
discussedwiththedesignersofthedatabasefirst.
NotesonCareer
Travels
CoursesTaught
Students
#Connections
Sitesownedoroperated
Relatedsites
Relatedorganisations
PeopleLinkedto
Relationship
Drop-downlist.YoucanselectmultipleoptionsfromthelistonaPC,byholdingthe
Ctrlkeydownwhileclickingontheoptionsyouwant;onaMac,byholdingthe
Commandkeydownwhileclickingontheoptionsyouwant.
Toremoveanoptionthatyouhavealreadychosen(whichwillbehighlightedin
blue):holddowntheCtrlkeyandclickonthehighlightedoption.
Notesonrelationship
Correspondedwith
RelatedLetterSeries
RelatedEvents
RelatedMaterials
UsethisfieldtolinktorelatedCollections,Objects,ProcessesandSubstances
32
NotesonConnections
AssociatedDocumentsorImages
#NotesandSources
PrivateNotes
Anyinformationyouenterherewillbevisibleonlytoyou.
GeneralNotes
Keywords
WebResource
PrimarySources
SecondarySources
InbothofthesefieldsthetopboxisusedtolinktoarecordinthePrimarySourcesand
SecondarySourcestableswhichgivegeneralbibliographicinformationonthesource.
Specificinformation,e.g.volumeandpagenumbersofajournal,dateofanewspaper,title
andcallnumberofamanuscript,foreachsourceareenteredinthefield‘Detailed
Reference’.
FurtherinstructionsarefoundinthePrimarySourcesandSecondarySourcestables.
15.PRIMARYSOURCES
Thistableshouldbeusedforallprimarysources:books,journals,encyclopaedias,dictionaries,runs
ofnewspapersandarchiverepositories.
Informationonprimarysourcesinthesystemissharedbetweenthistable,whichrecordsgeneral
bibliographicinformation,andtheindividualrecordofaparticularPerson,Course,Site,Event,etc.
wheredetailedbibliographicalinformationisheld.Thedistinctionbetweengeneralanddetailed
informationissometimesarbitrary,andthefollowingrulesapply:
General
Detailed
Books
Author(s);Title;Edition;Place& Volumenumber;Page
date(s)ofpublication;Publisher number(s);Chapter(titleor
number,andauthor)
Encyclopaedias,Dictionaries
Author(s);Title;Edition;Place& Author&titleofarticle;
date(s)ofpublication;Publisher Volumenumber;Date;Page
number(s)
Journalarticles(butonlyif
Author(s);Title;Journal;Series; Specificpagenumbers
frequentlycited—otherwise,
Volume;pages
seebelow)
Journals/periodicals
Title;(Placeanddatesof
Author&titleofarticle;Series;
publication)
Volume;Date;Pagenumber(s)
Newspapers,periodicals
Title;(Placeanddatesof
Date;Pagenumber(s);(Author
publication)
andtitleofarticles)
Archivalmaterial
PlaceandNameofDepository; Author(s),titleanddateand
Nameofparticularcollectionor callnumberoftheparticular
33
documentseries(ifappropriate) item
RecordName
1.Suffix
none
2.Namingprotocols
TherecordNameshouldbemadeupasfollows:
Forbooks
Thenameoftheauthor(plusetalifmorethanoneauthor)
Thedateofpublication
e.g.
Sage(1772)forBalthazarGeorgesSage,ElémensdeMinéralogieDocimastique
(Paris:PdeLormel,1772)
Guytonetal(1787)fordeMorveau,Lavoisier,Bertholet(sic)&deFourcroy,
MéthodedeNomenclatureChimique(Paris:Cuchet,1787)
Formulti-authorencyclopaedias,dictionaries
Titleofthework
Anindicatoroftheedition(ifrelevant)
Dates
e.g
EncyclopedieMethodique:Chimie,1786-1815
Forperiodicalsandnewspapers
Thetitle(oritsabbreviation)
e.g.
PhilTrans
JournaldeParis
Formanuscripts
Thelocationofthearchive
Thenameofthearchive(oritsabbreviation)
Thenameorabbreviationofthedocumentseries[Optional]
e.g.
ParisAN
forArchivesNationales,Paris
ParisANMC forArchivesNationales,Paris:MinutierCentral
RouenADSM forArchivesDepartmentalesdelaSeineMaritime,Rouen
Bibliographicalinformation
34
Wedonotthinkitisappropriatetorequireaparticularstylefortheseentriessopleaseuseyour
ownpreferenceoroneofthestandardsystems.
Forbooks,journalarticles,encyclopaediasanddictionariesenterthebibliographicinformationthat
youwouldputinabibliographyorfootnote.
Forarunofperiodicalsornewspapersenterthefulltitle.Itwouldbeusefultogiveplaceof
publicationandtoindicateanychangesinname.Iftheitemisparticularlyrareitwouldbehelpful
toenterwhereitislocatedand,ifitisavailableon-line,whereitcanbefound.
Foramanuscriptgivethefullnameoftherepositorybeginningwithitslocation(andthedocument
seriesifyouwish).
N.B.Inallcases,precisereferences,e.g.toparticularpagesortospecificmanuscripts,shouldnotbe
enteredherebutinthefield‘DetailedReference’whencreatingalinktoaPrimarySourcefroma
RecordinaCourse,Event,Siteorothertable.
WebResource
PrivateNotes
Anyinformationyouenterherewillbevisibleonlytoyou.
16.PROCESSESandTECHNIQUES
Thistablerecordsinformationaboutprocesses,inparticularindustrialones,andlaboratory
techniques,togetherwiththesites,peopleandorganisationsassociatedwiththem.
Itisnotintendedtobeusedtorecordthedetailedhistoryofaprocesswhichcanbedoneusingthe
Eventstable.
RecordName
1.Suffix
PRC
2.Namingprotocol
Therecordnameshouldbemadeupof
Shortnameoftheprocessortechnique
Suffix
E.g.
Turkey-RedDyeingPRC
ChlorineBleachingPRC
#RecordInformation
VariantNames
RelatedEventSeries
IfthereisahistoryofthisprocessortechniqueintheEventstablegivethenameofthe
EventSeries.
35
Description
Processtype
1.Ignoretheoption‘-None-‘.Itisimposedbythesoftwareweareusing.
2.YoucanselectmultipleoptionsfromthelistonaPC,byholdingtheCtrlkeydownwhile
clickingontheoptionsyouwant,onaMac,byholdingtheCommandkeydownwhile
clickingontheoptionsyouwant.
Datedeveloped
DatesinUse(from)
DatesinUse(to)
#AssociatedRecords
AssociatedSites
AssociatedPeople
AssociatedOrganisations
AssociatedEvents
RelatedMaterials
UsethisfieldtolistrelatedCollections,Objects,ProcessesandSubstances
AssociatedDocumentsorImages
#NotesandSources
PrivateNotes
Anyinformationyouenterherewillbevisibleonlytoyou.
Notes
Keywords
WebResource
PrimarySources
SecondarySources
InbothofthesefieldsthetopboxisusedtolinktoarecordinthePrimarySourcesand
SecondarySourcestableswhichgivegeneralbibliographicinformationonthesource.
Specificinformation,e.g.volumeandpagenumbersofajournal,dateofanewspaper,title
andcallnumberofamanuscript,foreachsourceareenteredinthefield‘Detailed
Reference’.
FurtherinstructionsarefoundinthePrimarySourcesandSecondarySourcestables.
17.REPOSITORIES
#RecordInformation
RecordName
1.Suffix
REP
2.Namingprotocol
Therecordnameshouldbemadeupof
36
Placeoftherepository
NameoftheRepository(canbeabbreviated)
E.g.
OxfordMusHistSciREP
NameofRepository
CurrentLocation
Website
MaterialsHeld
LetterSeriesHeld
PrivateNotes
Anyinformationyouenterherewillbevisibleonlytoyou.
Notes
Keywords
WebResource
18.SECONDARYSOURCES
RecordName
1.Suffix
none
2.Namingprotocol
Therecordnameshouldbemadeupof
Nameoftheauthor(pluset.al,ifmorethanone)
Dateofpublication
BibliographicInformation
Wedonotthinkitisappropriatetorequireaparticularstylefortheseentriessopleaseuseyour
ownpreferenceoroneofthestandardsystems.
Thisfieldshouldcontainthestandardbibliographicinformationthatyouwouldputinabibliography
orfootnote.
N.B.Precisereferences,e.g.toparticularpages,shouldnotbeenteredherebutwhencreatingalink
toaSecondarySourcefromaRecordinaCourse,Event,Siteorothertable.
WebResource
PrivateNotes
Anyinformationyouenterherewillbevisibleonlytoyou.
19.SITES
37
Thistableisnotintendedtobeusedtorecordthedetailedhistoryofasitewhichcanbedoneusing
theEventstable.
RecordName
1.Suffix
SIT
2.Namingprotocol
Therecordnameshouldbemadeupof
Location
Nameofindividualororganisation
Indicativeaddress
Datewhenthesitewasestablishedorfirstrecorded
e.g.
ParisBucquetrueMonnoye1776SIT
ParisAcademiedesSciences1699SIT
#TypeofSite
SiteDescription
RelatedEventSeries
IfthereisahistoryofthissiteintheEventstablegivethenameoftheEventSeries.
SiteSeries
SiteCategory
SiteofChemistry
SiteofAlchemy
Laboratory
TeachingRoom
Theintentionofthissectionistocapturethepolyvalentnatureofmanysites.Asiteis
definedasbelongingtooneormoreseriesofsitesandoneormorecategoriesofsite.The
box‘SiteofChemistry’shouldbecheckedifasitemeetsthefollowingcriterion:itisone
wherechemistryasa(historicallydefined)scientificpracticeisengaged.Theboxshouldnot
becheckedifthesiteisjustaplacewhereachemicaloperationisbeingcarriedout.
Thereasoningbehindthisdistinctionisthatwewouldnotwanttodefine,forexample,all
18th-centurydyeingworkshopsassitesofchemistrybecausethatwouldmeanthatasiteof
chemistrywasanywherewherechemicaloperationswerecarriedout.Thiswouldtherefore
endupincludingalmosteveryindustrial,agriculturalanddomesticsiteimaginable,making
thewholedatabaseimpossiblylarge.
ThedistinctionwewanttomakeisbetweenChemicalSites(theenormouscategoryofany
placewhereachemicaloperationisbeingcarriedout)andthesmaller,andmanageable,
and,tous,particularlyinteresting,sub-categoryofSitesofChemistry,i.e.thosewhere
chemistryasa(historicallydefined)scientificpracticeisengaged.However,thisdistinction
runstheriskofre-enforcingthetraditionalhierarchybetweenscientific,theorised,elite
knowledgeandartisanalknowledgeandpractice,etc.Butwewouldjustifydoingthisfor
threereasons.1)Itisnecessarytomakesuchdistinctionsinordertobringordertoavast
amountofdata.2)Ourprojectisaboutthedevelopmentofthescienceofchemistry.3)It
38
isnecessarytomakethedistinctionbetweenscientificandothermodesofknowledgeand
practiceifwewanttounderstandhowtheyinteracted,andtheoften-contestedrelations
betweenthem,inaperiodwhenscientificknowledgewasbeingsociallyandculturally
constructedassuperiortoallotherformsandwheneconomicforcesweredrivingthe
engagementofchemistryandchemistswithtraditionalformsofindustrialknowledgeand
practice.Whatthenbecomesimportantisthatthedatabaseallowsus,forexample,to
recordalldyeingworkshopsin18th-centuryRouen,andthesub-setofthemwherechemistry
and/orchemistswereengagedwiththeproductionprocesses.Thatwaywecanusethe
databaseforexploringtheroleofchemistryinindustrialandagriculturalinnovationaswell
asthewidercontextsinwhichchemistrywasbeingpracticed.
#MapLocation
Toenterthelocationofthesiteonthemap.
1.PanandZoomintothelocationwitharrowsandthezoombar.
2.Ifyouknowthesite’sprecisehistoricallocationyoucanzoomintoaparticularstreetand
house.
3.Pinthesite’slocationonthemapbyselectingthe‘pencil’icononthetopleftofthemap.
Clickanddragthe‘pencil’icontoyouappropriatepositionandreleasethecursor.Movethe
cursortothe‘cross’iconatthetopleftofthemapandclickonit.Whenyousavetherecord
thesite’slocationwillappearasaflagontheWorldMapontheHomepage.Thesystem
willalsoconverttheflag’slocationtolatitudeandlongitudeandsavethisinformation,
whichcanthenbeusedincreatingawide-rangeofmaps.
4.Ifyouonlyknowthesite’sapproximatelocation.Placetheflagattheapproximatecentre
ofthestreet,area,district,townorregion.Checkthe‘Approximate’boxunderneaththe
map.Inplaces,e.g.LondonorParis,wheretherearelikelytobemanyflags,thecentre
couldbecomeovercrowded.Inthesecasesitwouldbebesttoplaceflagsofsiteswhose
accuratelocationisnotknowninanemptyspace,e.g.ariver,gardenorpark,nearthe
centre.
#HistoricalLocation
HistoricalCountry
HistoricalRegion
HistoricalCity
PlaceOther
HistoricalDistrict
HistoricalStreet
HistoricalBuildingName
HistoricalBuildingNumber
#CurrentLocation
Country
Region
City
Address
#PeriodofOperation
StartYear
EndYear
FurtherDateInformation
39
StartDate
DateFirstRecorded
DatelastRecorded
EndDate
Theapparentduplicationofstartandenddateshereissotoensurethatthe
creatoroftherecord,ratherthanthesystem,determinesthestartyear
whenonlyadatefirstrecordedisknown.
Pre-history
Post-history
#TheSite
RelatedOrganisations
RelatedSites
Owners/Operators
PhysicalDescription
Finance
#ActivitiesattheSite
SiteUsers
Thisincludesvisitors
CoursesHosted
EventsHosted
SiteActivities
RelatedMaterials
MentionedinDocumentorImage
#NotesandSources
PrivateNotes
Anyinformationyouenterherewillbevisibleonlytoyou.
Notes
Keywords
WebResource
PrimarySources
SecondarySources
InbothofthesefieldsthetopboxisusedtolinktoarecordinthePrimarySourcesand
SecondarySourcestableswhichgivegeneralbibliographicinformationonthesource.
Specificinformation,e.g.volumeandpagenumbersofajournal,dateofanewspaper,title
andcallnumberofamanuscript,foreachsourceareenteredinthefield‘Detailed
Reference’.
FurtherinstructionsarefoundinthePrimarySourcesandSecondarySourcestables.
20.SUBSTANCES
Thistableisforrecordinginformationaboutsubstancesofparticularhistoricalinterest,forexample
Prussianblue,artificialsoda...andthesitesandpeopleassociatedwiththem.
40
RecordName
1.Suffix
SUB
2.Namingprotocol
Therecordnameshouldbemadeupof
Thenameofthesubstance
Suffix
E.g.
PrussianBlueSUB
#RecordInformation
RelatedEventSeries
IfthereisahistoryofthissubstanceintheEventstablegivethenameoftheEventSeries.
VariantNames
Description
#AssociatedRecords
AssociatedSites
AssociatedPeople
AssociatedOrganisations
AssociatedEvents
RelatedMaterials
AssociatedDocumentsandImages
#NotesandSources
PrivateNotes
Anyinformationyouenterherewillbevisibleonlytoyou.
Notes
Keywords
WebResource
Sources:Primary
Sources:Secondary
InbothofthesefieldsthetopboxisusedtolinktoarecordinthePrimarySourcesand
SecondarySourcestableswhichgivegeneralbibliographicinformationonthesource.
Specificinformation,e.g.volumeandpagenumbersofajournal,dateofanewspaper,title
andcallnumberofamanuscript,foreachsourceareenteredinthefield‘Detailed
Reference’.
FurtherinstructionsarefoundinthePrimarySourcesandSecondarySourcestables.
21.ImportingandExportingData
21.1Importing
41
Importingandexportingdataintothesystemispossible.Importingrequiresthatwemapthefields
fromanExcelspreadsheet,CSVfile,orotherdatabasefileontothefieldswithinoursystem.
Verifyingandeditingtheimportedrecordsisalsoimportanttoinsureacleanimportprocess.Ifyou
areinterestedinimportingdataintothesystemandhavefilesthatyouthinkmightwork(notethat
wordprocessorfilesarenotsufficientlyformattedforimport),pleasecontactJohnStewart.
21.2Exporting
Thereareavarietyofdatabaseprograms,analyticaltools,andvisualizationtoolsthatcouldbeused
tostudythedatacollectedinoursystem.Ifyouareinterestedinpullingeitherregularorsingle
exportfiles,pleasecontactJohnStewart.
22.RunningQueries
Oneoftheprimarybenefitsofadatabasestructureistheabilitytorunqueriesthatidentifyrecords
ofinterest.TheWorldMapisavisualexampleofsuchaqueryandthereportsundertheRecords
tabaretabularqueries.Wewillworktodevelopadditionalusefulqueriesastheyeargoesalong
andwelcomesuggestionsforfieldsetsofinterest.Ifyouwouldliketorequestordiscussaspecific
query,pleasecontactJohnStewartorJohnPerkins.
23.Visualisation
CurrentlywehavetheWorldMap(andsimilarmapsthatwecanbuild)tohelpvisualizethedatain
thesystem.WeareworkingtoimplementadditionalvisualizationsincludingGephirelationalcharts
andtimelines,butthiswilltaketime.Ifyouhavespecificsuggestionsorrequestsforvisualization
tools,pleaseletJohnStewart,JohnPerkins,orothermembersoftheeditorialboardknow.Youcan
alsorequestanexportedcopyofthedatatoworkwithinexternalvisualizationtools.
42