Detailed Instructions for voting on sighting records

Step 1: Evaluating the record

• From the "Voting Page" click on "Records Under Review."
• Select the record you want to evaluate by clicking on the record number (in the "Rec #" column).
• Read and evaluate the record .
  (when you click on a photo link, you need to click on the "back arrow" (back arrow on your browser) to return to the record).
• Write down the record number, the bird name, your vote and your comments on a piece of paper.
  (you can also use your word processor and then copy and paste to the voting form)
• When you have evaluated a record, click the "back arrow" on you browser to get to the "Records Under Review" list.
• Evaluate as many records as you like, following the same procedure.

Step 2: Send a request to the Secretary of the Records Committee

• If the web copy of a photo or drawing is not sharp enough, you can request a hard copy from the committee secretary or if you would like to have a "specialist" evaluate the record, you can set it up through the secretary of the committee.
• There is a link to the "Request Form" on the "Voting Page" and at the bottom of the "Records Under Review" page.
• Fill out the form and click on "Submit."   You should get a message that your request has been sent.
• Click the "back" button twice to get back to the Voting pages.

Step 3: Fill out the Voting Form

• Having written down the record number, the bird name, your vote and your comments, click on "Voting Form" found on the "Voting Page" or at the bottom of the "Records Under Review" page.
• Fill out the form (consult your notes or copy and paste from your word processor) and click on "Submit."   You should get a message that your request has been sent.  If you have evaluated more than five records, fill out the form as many times as you need to, clicking "Submit" each time.

Tips:

Using the "Back" and "Forward" arrows on your browser

When you go through links (click on hyperlinks) using your browser (i.e. Netscape, Internet Explorer), you establish a "link trail" which you can then navigate by either clicking the "back arrow" or the "forward arrow" on your browser.  Every time you click on a new link, it established a new branch of the trail.  For example, when you click on a record number to evaluate a record, you need to click the "back arrow" to return to the list of records.

<return to Step 1>

Using your word processor
To use your word processor at the same time that you are on the internet, you need to:

• Minimize your browser, by clicking on the "-" square in the upper right hand corner.
• Click on your word processor icon on your computers main page.
• You can go back and forth from your browser to your word processor by clicking on the "icon rectangles" at the bottom of your screen on the "Taskbar" that shows the programs presently running on your computer.

< return to |  Step 1 | Step 3 >

Copy and Paste
If you've used your word processor to make notes (see using your word processor, above) and want to transfer that information to the voting form:

• From the voting form click on the "icon rectangle" for you word processor at the bottom of you screen.
• Highlight the text you want to copy on your word processor screen by dragging your mouse over the text while holding down the left clicker.
• Right click (mouse) on the highlighted text and choose "copy" from the menu.
• Go to the voting form by clicking on the "icon rectangle" for your browser (i.e. Internet Explorer or Netscape), located at the bottom of your screen.
• Right click on the blank where you want to "paste" the text.
• Select "paste" from the menu.
• You can go back and forth from your browser to your word processor by clicking on the "icon rectangles" at the bottom of your screen on the "Taskbar" that shows the programs presently running on your computer.

< return to |  Step 1 | Step 3 >

Sending a record to a "specialist"
If you would like a "specialist" to render an opinion on a sighting record, you can either contact the person yourself or have the secretary contact the person with instructions.  The process should be something like the following:

• You need a name and an e-mail address for the "specialist."
• Write down the record number and the name of the bird to be evaluated.
• Send and e-mail with a request to the specialist and including the record number, name of the bird, the web page address and the return e-mail address of the records committee (e-mail list).
     Web page address: http://utahbirds.org/RecCom/UnderReview.htm  
     (If the record is not in the "general public" area, the webmaster can set up a page for the "specialist" to visit).
     Records Committee e-mail:  RecCom@utahbirds.org  
• Instruct the "specialist" to evaluate the record and send the results to "  RecCom@utahbirds.org " 
• The results should appear in the e-mail of everyone on the records committee. 

<  return to Step 2 >