Is it better to add individuals with no sources or wait to write a complete profile?

Question

I have a serious philosophical question for the community!  I have a cousin who spent 30 years researching our family history.  I am in possession of that research.  In a nutshell, it amounts to hundreds of Family Group Sheets with thousands of individuals' names, dates and locations.  To this point I have taken the attitude that unless I could do a near complete profile I wouldn't add the individual.

My question, is it of more value to add individuals listing accurate birth, death, spouses, locations, etc., but with no sources, so everyone has access to the information or do I continue only completed profiles and take an estimated 10 - 15 years to put in the information (if things go well)?

Help! Help! Help!

Comments

You can cite the information as provided by your cousin.  One of my "standard" citations on creating a profile from information in my, and my mother's, decades of research is to do just that.  (Sadly, we didn't always record where we got the information, some of which came from other family members, and some from official records by way of micro fiche and micro film.)  Sometimes I still need to wait for the official privacy limit to expire - example: my mother's birth record won't be released until 2024, but I have a copy of her birth certificate.  Her marriage record will be another few years yet.
As I have been able, I have gone back abd provided the "usual" type of sources, that anyone else would be able to find providing the records are no longer under the privqacy restrictions.

I say "go for it", and just provide the best sources you can for now (in as much detail as possible).

Answer 1

Maybe you could work on one family unit at a time, adding the dates and locations and only one or two sources to each one. Then, move on to another family and do the same. Once in a while, go back and add more sources but meanwhile, others on WikiTree will have access to those profiles and will probably add more sources if the profiles are "open".

I think having them on here with as much information as possible, especially the dates and locations is really important. If you add even one source, then they are not considered "unsourced" and don't get the big orange banner and don't go into the list of unsourced profiles.

Good luck and thanks for asking.

Comments

This is how I am working through similar information for my family and it is working well. I will have work to do for years to come, but at least my families information is up

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Hopefully, some of the people you are going to add are already on wikitree, so you can review and update those.

Some sourcing is always desirable, even if it is a quick search to find something.

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Thanks, Jonathan, for the answer star! Right now, I am going back and fully sourcing profiles that I created during some thons. They are all very extended family but I intend to finish these to the best of my ability and hope that in the future others might add to them as more information becomes available.

Answer 2

I would tend to get the names on WikiTree sooner than later, even if the only source (to date) is '<cousins name> genealogy.'.  Though, as you enter each name, do a quick search and add 2 or 3 sources, and/or a note that 'further sources TBD'.

By getting them on WikiTree sooner, the better to connect with cousins and others related to your family that can help in the effort!  Or, you may find your cousins tree already connects to existing profiles already sourced! :)

Then do go back and enhance your profiles, and, who knows, maybe others are willing to volunteer to help you!