Volunteers to help improve thread searches?

[ThoughtElf]

I am on WS everyday am & pm and enjoy going to the older threads of last year on this date to see what was being talked about and sleuthed. Having said that, I am computer illiterate but would be more than happy to help. I have found the tag under this thread and others. When clicking the tags it takes you to for example this page. Now please explain to me, as if I were a 5 year old, what I should do when I come upon pertinent information that may want to be explored. How do I get that post or thread as a tag? Are all tags only for threads? I am more than willing to help but as you can read I have not a clue. Sorry, but please explain and I will start ASAP!

Here you go - from the forum FAQ:

What are tags?
Tags are a useful way to search for threads with similar subject matter and content. This complements the normal search system, which searches only for certain words or phrases and/or posts by specific users.

To use tags, you add words or phrases to threads to help describe the content. For instance, if the subject matter is 'photography' then you can add the tag 'photography' to the tag list. But you could also add tags like 'digital image', and 'camera' (depending, of course, on the nature of the thread).

This will categorize this thread with all other threads that have matching tags, whether or not they have the word 'photography' in them.

Who adds the tags?
Tags are initially added to threads by the user who started the thread. Other users may also be able to add and remove tags.

How do I use tags?
Tags are displayed in a box near the bottom of a thread page. Clicking on a tag will allow you to view other threads that have the same tag - and which may be related. Clicking on the word 'Tags' in the top of the box will take you to an overview page with a 'tag cloud.'

This cloud allows you to see which tags are the most popular - the larger the word, the more times it has been used on threads within the board. There is also another tag cloud on the advanced search page that shows you the tags that have been searched for (or clicked on) the most.


To add tags, click on Edit Tags on the right-hand corner of the tag box at the bottom of each thread page. Review the tags that are there (if there are any) and then add keywords.

 

[ThoughtElf]

Here is part of the original idea & discussion from 'Forum Finesse' [ame="http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?p=3951712#post3951712"]General Organizational Discussion - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community[/ame]

JB you are so right about the cross-referencing and thread bumping and the general tangents we posters (some of us admittedly more ADD than others) tend to pull ourselves toward as we get involved in our discussions. I have equal amounts of great respect and great sympathy for all of you mods.

In fact, some of us have been thinking that maybe volunteer groups could get together during what appears to be a sort of slump in the news in this case and help organize some of these things out into a kind of index of sorts, categorizing and outlining different threads into general topics and subtopics and - within those threads - highlighting useful, but OT conversations for cross-reference or at least easier access later when the trial begins. Kind of like creating a mini-Dewey Decimal system for all things Anthony. If we could pull it off, it might serve as a template for other cases once they begin to get complicated.

Initially, I'm sure, most cases start out with general threads and when something reaches a critical mass, it's clear that a kind of organized approach is needed and that makes it difficult to incorporate or integrate what has been said when things were more amorphous to a more structured environment.

Maybe if some of us put our heads together we could isolate categories of topics that apply to most all cases (ie: suspects, defendants, forensic evidence categories like electronic or biological, timelines and calendars, defense and prosecution players, testimony or interview inconsistencies etc) - perhaps based on a review of how past cases here have evolved, and create a coding method of one or more symbols to classify certain types of posts so they could be either cross referenced more conveniently in one or more categories or at least help out the search function, which is sorely overtaxed as it stands.

I don't know - I've had to apply that kind of librarian "knowledge management" logic to other problems professionally and it has turned out well and provided solutions that, while they provide an initial framework to help sort things, are flexible enough to evolve as needed to accommodate change. Just a thought, maybe something we could start a discussion on to see if people had ideas on how we might use this temporary "downtime" in the case to help organize ourselves for later when we will really need to be.

If you think this type of discussion has merit, maybe you could start a thread where we could offer suggestions on what would, eventually, perhaps make your jobs a little easier.

Not sure... Bean should these posts be moved over to that thread so we don't clutter Caylee's forum with discussion about index list?

TY

 

[cecybeans]

Excellent feedback and ideas. I knew there was a reason I remembered wanting to tag you.

I like the idea of sets & sub-sets. If I am grokking what you're proposing, we could do something like:
EVIDENCE
* Decomposition
- decomp results
- decomp cadaver dogs
- decomp cadaver dog training
- decomp studies
- decomp Body farm
- hair band
* Chloroform
- chloroform searches
- making chloroform
- chloroform results
- chloroform as sedative

LEGAL
* Motions
- motion hearing
- motion hearing audio video
- motion analysis
- motion case law
- motion results
- FL statutes

etc.

Not sure. That look similiar to the dream?

LOVE IT! I really do think that if we hash out on this thread the basic sets and subsets that would work best, we can approach it in a more organized way - and perhaps end up with an outline for an index after all! It may also help us to see where cross-referencing is intuitive.

I would offer the suggestion that we include The Anthony Family as a broad topic (under which we could include all of the psychological and behavioral threads) and have subsets dealing with each member. KC I would think merits her own heading apart from the family. We could also create one for Friends and Acquaintances, The Defense Team, etc.

I've found, in the past, when trying to organize lots of information, it helped to create broad categories to sort them into first (dealing with the leftovers or misfits later) and then to narrow the broad categories into tighter subsets, and lastly to work on cross-referencing.

If we could hammer out the broad categories and maybe some subsets here, we'd have a template for tagging that would be homogenous and easy for everone to use. We could immediately tag all of the threads with the broad categories, and then drill down within each one to make sure they have the right internal tags for subsets.

Now somebody just has to instruct me on how to tag, lol! I'm afraid I haven't paid attention to the details!

(Well duh, I guess that's self-explanatory - hadn't even seen the "edit" button before...)

 

[sleutherontheside]

A request of all our wonderful sleuthers.* Many threads, including some of the most popular ones, have no tags.* Would everyone take a moment to review tags before they depart a thread?* If you notice few or none.....take a moment to add some.* This will be invaluable when the trial begins.* Thanks for your help.

 

[Reagan]

[ame="http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=89943"]Volunteers to help improve thread searches? - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community[/ame]

I've been trying to do my part. I've noticed more people doing it as well. But a great reminder. I've found it's much easier to search the tags.

 

[cecybeans]

What do you think about adding tags for relevant dates? Some of the threads talking about computer searches or pings mention specific days in them and discuss activity. Would that be helpful? If so, we should probably use more than one format, ie: June 16 and 6-16.

 

[sleutherontheside]

What do you think about adding tags for relevant dates? Some of the threads talking about computer searches or pings mention specific days in them and discuss activity. Would that be helpful? If so, we should probably use more than one format, ie: June 16 and 6-16.

ITA variations are important.

 

[sleutherontheside]

I am happy to volunteer to start reviewing threads. If anyone want to claim certain threads or split them up, we can post when they have been done. What would be the best way to do that?

 

[Sdavidson11]

What do you think about adding tags for relevant dates? Some of the threads talking about computer searches or pings mention specific days in them and discuss activity. Would that be helpful? If so, we should probably use more than one format, ie: June 16 and 6-16.

I started with the ping map pages4,3,2 are finished with tags and I am almost finished with page 1. After that I was going to move to the old threads. Just let me know where to start. Please check on the ping,timeline threads and check the tags to make sure they are what they should be.

 

[Novice Seeker]

As some others, I confess I live on Websleuths 24/7, sorta like an addiction.

I offer my assistance for whatever you guys need. Just please provide some simple instructions, maybe you could have a list of specific threads that each of us could take and focus on. Some have already gave some wonderful suggestions so once the topic choices are made, provide a list and as someone takes a list, update their name next to it in case others discover information that would fit the other topic we can send it to them.

Computer charged and ready to go, scrap paper, plenty and markers and pencils simply waiting for direction.

Novice Seeker

 

[Just Jayla]

I'm sure many of us go off in search of old posts and threads quite often. Personally, I find it easiest when I can search by thread tags to get the best cross-section of information. (And if you're geeky, then you understand that the latest, greatest thing is the 'semantic web' LOL!)

Unfortuntately, many of the threads lack tags at all, or meaningful ones. Anyone willing to help turn older threads into more useful references by flagging them with keyword tags?

Here are a few samples of useful tagging in older threads:
http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=67850

Casey's first phone call home from jail - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=89862&page=9

Perhaps a good start would be to go back to your favourite bookmarked threads and add tags relevant to specific information within the thread, i.e. hearsay law, polygraph evidence, entomology

We're limited to the number of tags, but if we all check and add keywords as we go, then soon we will have an indexed reference to work with.

Any takers?

Thank you, I will be glad to help if I can-Also wanted to mention that I went through some very old threads last night and saw some duplication as far as the subjects of the older threads with some of the newer threads we have now-Guessing we need to notify the mods on this to have them merged where appropriate?

ETA-Please send me a message if you had a particular grouping in mind to begin tagging.