ZongMai Genealogy Compilation Guide
Lineage relationships, biographical sketches, generational ranking, hall names and commandery origins, photo captions, and privacy boundaries all need to be confirmed item by item.
Genealogy Compilation in Practice · Updated 2026-09-22
First check whether any individuals are duplicated, whether the connections between spouses and between parents and children are correct, and whether people with the same name have been mistakenly merged. Then check variant forms of names, dates of birth and migration, birth order, and photo captions. Relationship errors can affect an entire branch and cannot be detected by reading through and proofreading the text alone.
After adjusting the layout, recheck the table-of-contents page numbers, volume titles, figure and table numbers, and cross-references in the text. Pay particular attention to lineage charts spanning multiple pages: check whether connecting lines are broken, continuation markers are consistent, and any text is obscured at the binding edge. A document that looks clear when enlarged on screen may not remain legible after being reduced on paper.
Review the clarity of photographs, genealogy pages, and inscriptions at the planned print size, rather than relying only on phone thumbnails. Keep the original images and use copies in the layout file; add textual readings for blurred handwriting, and do not use image editing to create strokes that do not actually exist. Beneath each image, identify the people, location, time period, and source reference number.
Confirm the trim size, paper, binding, page count, and quantity with the printer, and request a sample copy or proof that represents the actual production process. Check page turning, type weight, shadow detail, and the position of fold edges; if revisions are needed, list the page numbers and changes clearly. The print run should be confirmed against the final-version file to avoid continuing to use an old file after revisions made verbally.
Keep the final PDF, proofreading checklist, and the confirmation date and version number for the sample copy. A sample version name could be “Family Genealogy—First Edition—2026-09—Proof 03”; do not name it only “Final Version.” If errors are found after printing, create an errata sheet and correct each item in the next edition; the scope of publicly releasing information about living relatives should be confirmed before the genealogy goes to print.
