War Diaries Talk

FAQ – Comments and Hashtags

  • wildcatjenny by wildcatjenny moderator

    Last update November 10, 2014

    Q: How do I make a comment or add a hashtag?

    Hashtags are terms added to comment text. While you are tagging a page you can add a comment by clicking the icon that looks like a cartoon Talk Balloon. (Found in the area near the "Finished!" button.) You can also comment on pages while you review them on the "Recent" page of Talk Operation War Diary or from the "Recent Pages" section of your own profile.

    Q: How are my comments used?

    Your comments are linked to the diary page. Comments may be searched for topics of interest.

    Q: If someone has already commented on an item or event should I enter a comment too?

    No, there is no reason to duplicate comments. Only comment if you are adding information or making a new observation.

    Q: How do hashtags work?

    A hashtag is used to make collections of diary pages by topic. Hashtags may be requested by researchers or suggested by Citizen Historians.

    Q: I found something interesting. Should I hashtag it?

    Hashtags are an excellent way to highlight important or unusual information. It is wonderful that you are willing to take the extra time to help us uncover gems that are hidden in the diaries. But please do not hashtag items that are a normal part of day to day operations. (For example. do not use hashtags such as #lorry, #trench, #mud, or #German)

    Q: What is the format of a hashtag?

    Hashtags are inserted into Comments you make as you tag a diary. (Select the Talk Balloon icon to make a Comment.) Place a " # " in front of a word or words you would like to use as a hashtag. Do not use spaces in the hashtag. Please add a few words of explanation to provide some context for the hashtag. Example comment with hashtag: 3 killed by #friendlyfire
    For more information see http://talk.operationwardiary.org/#/boards/BWD000000j/discussions/DWD000034v

    Q: Where can I get more information about hashtags?
    Glad you asked! For general information on hashtags please see: http://talk.operationwardiary.org/#/boards/BWD000000j/discussions/DWD000034v
    For a list of agreed upon and requested hashtags please see the Definitive Hashtag List ( http://talk.operationwardiary.org/#/boards/BWD000000j/discussions/DWD0000d05
    ) And for a list of What NOT to Hashtag please see: http://talk.operationwardiary.org/#/boards/BWD000000j/discussions/DWD0000enf

    Q: Can I put more than one hashtag in a single comment?

    Yes, provided the comment does not exceed the allowed number of characters. Please remember to add a few words of explanation with each hashtag.

    Q: Should I use a hashtag for honours and awards mentioned after someone's name?

    No. Use the hashtags for honours and awards when the award is actually made, or mentioned in the press, or when there is a description of the actions for which it was awarded. Do not use a hashtag when the honour or award is simply mentioned in the text with the person's name. So, for example, do not use a hashtag for "Lt Bloggs MC joined the Battalion", but do use one for "Lt Bloggs was awarded the MC for capturing a machine gun on 1 July".

    Q: When do I use the hashtag #map?

    Only use this when an actual map is shown on the page, not simply if one is mentioned in the text. If it's a rough map and you aren't sure whether to use #map or #sketch use both.

    Q: When do I use the hashtag #weaponsystem?

    Please only use this tag if a specific weapon system is mentioned by name. So for example "heavy gun" and "rifle" are not appropriate items to tag, but "Lewis gun" or "Stokes mortar" are appropriate. Use the hashtag itself and then add the name of the weapon type rather than hashtagging the weapon type individually. Example Comment using hashtag: #weaponsystem Lewis guns used to defend supply train

    Q: I have used the standard Place tag to record the location of the unit. Should I hashtag it too?

    No. Do not hashtag names of persons or places. Items covered by standard tags should not be hashtagged too.

    Q: I am tagging an Ambulance unit. Should I use the #medical hashtag for each diagnosis?

    No. The #medical hashtag should only be used to highlight special mention of medical issues - not the day to day operations of a medical unit. To highlight important or unusual medical information use a Comment and include the #medical hashtag along with a short explanation. (Related note: The Medical option under the standard Army Life tag is for routine medical inspections and vaccinations or the work of the unit Medical Officer in a non-medical unit.)

    Q: I am tagging the diary for a veterinary unit. Should I use the #horsesevacuated hashtag each time horses or mules are shipped to or from the unit?

    No. The #horsesevacuated hashtag was designed to capture the movement of animals into and out of non-veterinary units. It is assumed that the day to day operations of a veterinary unit would include the shipment of horses.

    Posted

  • deehar by deehar

    Re: Use of Medical tag under Army Life in Ambulance units.
    I started by not using this tag in an Ambulance diary but discovered that :

    1. No distinction could be seen in the time-line between medical and non-medical activities
    2. Special medical issues if only hashtagged would not be tied to a date or time.
      So I decided to use the Medical tag sparingly to make the timeline read sensibly. Am I overtagging?
      Should I only be tagging persons, places and other units and hashtagging the rare diseases and treatments?

    Posted

  • wildcatjenny by wildcatjenny moderator in response to deehar's comment.

    Hi deehar,

    Yes, I think you might be overtagging. It can be hard to decide how to tag activities in some units - like medical, veterinary, and engineering for examples. I think that the logic is that medical activity is an "event" in the life of a light infantry unit and so should be noted. On the other hand medical diagnosis and care are an everyday occurrence in an ambulance unit.

    The beauty of a hashtag is that it flags the page so that someone doing research may be alerted to the special information you have found. If you accompany the hashtag with a few words of explanation a person can scan through a list of pages with hashtagged comments to quickly find the pages they want to look at in more detail. Basically, I think of it this way... Standard tags like Army Life are for automated computer analysis while hashtags are for manual human analysis.

    Does any of that help?

    wildcatjenny

    Posted

  • deehar by deehar in response to wildcatjenny's comment.

    Thanks. That does help.
    I follow the logic but I felt that there was much less opportunity to go into the detail of the routine tasks of the ambulance, veterinary, sanitary units compared to the fighting units' tasks (digging,constructing, attacking,withdrawing,resting etc etc). I realise that it would be impossible to provide tags for all routine tasks of all auxiliary units. (What surprised me about the ambulance units was how often the motor ambulances were used as a taxi/bus service!) .

    Posted

  • wildcatjenny by wildcatjenny moderator in response to deehar's comment.

    Hmmm.... I have not tagged an ambulance unit. But I suppose ambulances would be an irresistible asset when there was a need to get officers, information etc... moved around. Had never thought of it before though.

    wildcatjenny

    Posted