Using the Internet to Transcribe

There are a variety of ways that one can use the internet to help transcribe a document that has a difficult to read term or phrase:

• Google–-search the internet for what the word or item “looks like” and see if someone else has encountered it or something similar. Google does find reasonably close spellings. Search engines will not always help though–particularly if your document is extremely difficult to read.
• Online gazetteers for the area of interest–the United States Geological Survey’s Geographic Names Information System  for areas in the United States. Other locations have similar finding aids. Some place names are colloquial, so abstract, or so old that they will not be located in an index or finding aid.
• Online groups--Facebook and other sites have genealogical groups where others may be able to assist or offer suggestions. Try and concentrate first on groups dedicated to the area where the record was located. Not everyone online knows what they are talking about so take some suggestions with a grain of salt.