How do I contact a mentor or ranger? [closed]

Question

How do I contact ranger or mentor.  It's certainly not something that's an emergency, but a new wiki genealogist entered just his name as a source on a new profile that I got on my family feed yesterday,  I put an "unsourced profile" category on the profile, put a note on the profile that his name was not an unacceptable source in Wikitree and suggested that he contact a mentor for help.Then he removed the unsourced profile category, deleted my note from the profile changed his source to personal knowledge of "his name". So really, how does one contact a Mentor or Ranger when it is not an emergency?

Comments

If you go to help at the top of your profile you can find "Mentor" or "Problems w/members" in the drop down menu.  That might help

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I would say that adding numerous completely unsourced profiles, which seems to be what is happening here,  is a problem which should be urgently addressed.

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Yep,  account confirmed 5 October 2019, signed the honor code on 7 October 2019, 1673 conributions so far.  The ones I've checked give only his name as the source.

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It may be his intent to go back and add the sources to these "later" but he is getting WAAAY ahead of himself. It will take him a very long time to go back to adequately source as many profiles as he's created in the last week or so. Somehow we need to do something to stop this kind of mass unsourced profile creation. I'm not sure what, but stuff like this diminishes the value of WikiTree. If we really want WikiTree to be at the top of the heap of reliable genealogy sites, we have to establish minimum policies which must be followed (not just suggestions or preferences.) Otherwise, WikiTree is no better than Ancestry.com Trees or the World Tree at FamilySearch.org, maybe even worse, because on those sites which are also repositories for records, the records can be automatically attached to source a fact. Here, it is imperative that we each are responsible for pulling in the sources from other repositories. I know there was just a big brou-ha-ha about our profiles being okay if they aren't perfect and I don't want us to start squabbling about that again. Yes, I agree, it is okay if profiles are not "perfect" or "complete"--I have quite a few which are barebones myself (most created during the Connect-a-Thon) but just providing your own name as the source for information is about as far from "sourced" as one can get unless someone actually did experience the event first hand. So, I'd say, yes, this needs quick intervention (and, thanks, Peggy, for noticing.) This guy may not know any better yet (although, if you even bother to read the Honor Code, it is more than obvious) but he needs to know now before he creates another 1000 or more unsourced profiles. We're doing him and WikiTree a favor to get it squared away quickly. Let's put our heads together to figure out a way to flag this kind of stuff sooner rather than later and to prevent it from repetitively happening as more and more people discover WikiTree. Last week someone in one of my tagged lines created some duplicates to profiles I and others had already created and they were basically the same thing--his said "unsourced family tree handed down to His Name" as the source. I've proposed merges and sent him a private message but have not heard a peep from him.

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It is frustrating, isn't it? I bet there are not many easy solutions, though, unless we start a system of checking new people closely, almost a credentialling system  It sounds like it would be awfully labor intensive.  The England project requires new members go through the Orphan Trail.  I am a "Trailblazer" on said trail and I can assure you it is indeed labor intensive!  We do need to find a system, though, to detect issues early and often.  Thanks for sharing your thoughts,

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The easy solution is to file an MIR.  I don't recommend doing that often, but this really seems like an egregious case that does need immediate attention.

Answer 1

Peggy, up at the top right of the screen, select "help" and then "problems with members."

There, you will find a flow-sheet that gives you instructions on how to handle any issue when you come into conflict or disagreement with another member.  This page will suggest that you tactfully email the other member.  You have done this and based on their actions, it appears that they disagree with your suggestion.  The page will then direct that you can file an MIR (mentor intervention request) and in this case it seems warranted.

Follow the instructions on how to do this and reply back if you run into any difficulties.

Comments

Have contacted a mentor leader,  If I don't hear back within an hour or so, I will file an MIR. (I hate to do that.)

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I think I filled in the MIR referral form correctly, but not sure,

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Good for you, Peggy.  It is not something we want to do often, but in this case I think you are more than justified.

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I'm not sure I'd say justified because then it becomes somewhat of an us vs them mindset.  The idea is for all of us to build one tree and to do that we alll have to have the same general idea to move forward.  

The help pages lay out the general direction and we all move in that direction, albeit like a herd of cats, moving one way, but each in their own pace.  When one of us goes sideways, along comes a cowboy and herds the sideways cat back to the pack.  A mentor invervention request is a way for us to get a wayward cat moving along in the same direction as the rest of us.  

I guess I see filing an MIR as helping someone because you're teaming them up with a coach (mentor) who can help them to learn the ropes of WikiTree.  When you think about it, those with MIRs get free training whereas the rest of the members have to learn on their own 

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SJ, you said "warranted" and I said "justified."  I'm not sure what the difference is.  And a little free training seems like a good thing for the person in question.

I've never heard of a cowboy herding cats.  Maybe they're "catboys."  

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I suppose the same but I would like for folks to see MIRs as helpful and good things, and not something that are a penalty - not that is what you're implying but your message gave me a chance to stand on a soap box 

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And now I will take an opportunity to stand on a soapbox.  I agree they are a good thing.  Normally, an MIR is filed because someone observes someone else, often a newcomer, violating WikiTree standards.  Usually, it is not a particularly adversarial process.  

When it is an adversarial process, I don't think it works so well.  The person who files the MIR is not told what is happening, and speaking from personal experience, that leads to confusion and sometimes worry that the process is unfair.  In my own case, I thought the MIR would result in a mediation, with both parties (the complainer and the one complained about) being consulted about all steps in the process.  That does not necessarily happen.  It is not always transparent.

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Julie, I agree that when you file an MIR, you don't get anything to confirm that the MIR was filed.  I wish that was changed so you know that you did get it filed correctly.

Some of the mentors will contact the person that filed the MIR so they know that the 'reported' person is being worked with, but I am sure that not all of the mentors do that.  If may also depend on what the reason for the MIR was.  

An MIR, like this one, is mainly to get the person to source better.

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Hi Julie

What you might be thinking of is a mediator. Currently cases are often given to a mentor who than endeavors to work with the wikitree member and help them learn proper style/sources etc however it does happen where the mentor has to elevate the case to mediation however I would like to believe it's rare.

Perfect system? No but we endeavor to do things that would not cause embarrassment or undo stress on are members. Team members , leaders, mentors all have to follow the honor code it helps keep it fun and safe for all.

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Steve, it probably would not be a good idea for me to try and explain details of my own case.  I was just saying that when the mentors see a very new WikiTreer who has found him- or herself in an unfortunate adversarial situation, I hope they will realize how ignorant that person probably is.  The complainer, in that situation, is likely to be completely in the dark unless someone explains the process to him.

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Well the mentor project is open if someone wants to see what it about. It's not for everyone and there is no shame. As a mentor there is no set script every situation is evaluated by the mentor and a game plan is hopefully drawn up.

Answer 2

Rangers are more of a taskforce of users who monitor the tree (and feeds) identifying errors and suggesting advice. Since you have already identified an error, it is best to contact a Mentor. See Help:Contact a Mentor.