In the event of your adding an erroneous entry, you will not be able to make changes after entering any record. Please, therefore, check each entry carefully before adding to the database. If you do discover that you have added an erroneous entry, a database moderator can remove it for you. In such a case, please email Andrew Black with details of the erroneous entry. Similarly, in the event of adding the same information more than once, please email so that a deletion can be made for you.
Sometimes, hydrological events will affect large areas of the country, perhaps covering several major river basins. In such a case, you may wish to make the same entry for each river basin which was substantially affected (normally up to a limit of three). To do this, make an entry for one of the river basins affected, then change the river basin selected in the 'river basin' field (see below) and add the revised entry.
Finally, please remember that it is possible that the database already contains the entry you might be about to add! Before beginning a data entry session, it is worth trying a search of the database, particularly entering details of the reference source you have available (use partial or 'OR' matching in the search). If you find that a double-entry has already been made, please email Andrew Black.
Database fields
The database asks for information in 12 separate parts (or fields). Each is listed here, along with some appropriate guidance.
| Calendar | This first field asks you to choose between two types of calendar. While the modern calendar identifies the start of the year as January 1st, this has not always been so. Between 1153 and approximately 1753, the new year began on March 25th. Therefore,
March 24th 1702 would be followed next day by March 25th 1703.
Examples are known of a phrase like 'the 10th of the fourth month of
1657' which is known to refer to 10/7/1657, i.e.
March was the first month of that year and July the fourth month.
In order that database entries are clear, it is necessary for you to enter the type of calendar applicable to your entry. Click the appropriate button on your screen. |
| Year | Enter the year as indicated in your source. The database requires every entry to have a geographical and time registration, so a year must be supplied, and it must take a numeric form. Without a year, no entry can be made. |
| Month | Enter the month as a number, if available. |
| Day | Enter the day of the month, if available. 1st, 2nd, 3rd etc not acceptable - use 1 or 2 or 3 ... |
| Quotation | Direct quotation is the preferred mode of entry, enclosed in "quotation marks". If a paraphrased summary must be given instead, then the entry should end with SUMMARY FROM ... and should not use quotation marks. If the quotation contains an amiguity that can be explained, then this should be added in [square brackets]. Quotations shall be exact; if a strange spelling is in the original it should be retained, but you may add [sic] or your own version within [ ]. If the spelling or language are so foreign as to be undecipherable to the avergae graduate reader, then you are welcome to put your own translation in [ ] as well, but not instead of the quotations. In antiquated references, where the letter f is used with the modern meaning of an s, the letter s should be typed. |
| Source of quotation | Indicate the source used, adhering to a recognised referencing system if possible. If in doubt, include more detail rather than less. Typical entries should include (in order): Author surname + initials, Year of publication, Title, Name of editor (if any), Volume number, Name of publisher, Place of publication, Edition number, Page numbers (if helpful) - each being separated from the next with a comma. Examples:
|
| Principal river basin | This is a required field - because of the risk of confusing rivers/places with identical/similar names, the database requires you to identify the location of your record by choosing from a list of numbered hydrometric areas.
Ninety-seven of these areas cover the whole of the British mainland, running clockwise from John o' Groats (Wick Group (1)) to the Trent (28), Thames (39), the Severn (54), the Clyde (84) and finally to the Thurso Group (97). Eight further groups cover the offshore islands (areas 101-108). Each area is defined by the boundary of one or more river basins. If in any doubt, consult an on-line map, then click Back in your browser to return to this page. Where a quotation refers to more than one river basin, select the one most relevant to the quotation. If an event substantially affects more than one river basin, the same entry can be made for each river basin affected (normally up to a limit of three basins). |
| Your forename | Name details required, and may be used for verification |
| Your surname | Name details required, and may be used for verification |
| Your email address | Please add your email address which will be helpful for verification or in the case of a subsequent user wishing to contact you. |
| Further references | Give details of any further reference works which provide relvant further detail. |
| Relevant website | Use this field to identify the URL of any relevant web site which may be of interest to Chronology users. |
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Useful sources
The national initiative on early journals enables you to search the following if you
access http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/ilej/