Family Locket – Finding ancestors and keeping them close to the heart

RLP 422: Objective for Phase 5 of Cynthia Dillard’s Father

Diana and Nicole examine the ongoing research project to identify the biological father of Cynthia (Dillard) Royston. Diana summarizes previous research phases conducted through the Research Like a Pro with DNA study group, which have systematically tested Dillard candidates and narrowed the search using documentary evidence. She explains the genealogical background of Cynthia, who was born about 1815 in Georgia, and details the elimination of various candidates from earlier research phases. The discussion also covers […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer August 10, 2026 Podcast

Writing a Case Study for Publication: 7 Tips for Success

One of the best ways to share your research is by writing a case study for publication in a genealogy journal. If it is a peer-reviewed journal, you also benefit from knowing that your research is sound. I recently published my first article in the National Genealogical Society Quarterly (NGSQ) and will share my experience and tips for anyone else interested in publishing. What is a Case Study? Your first question may be, what exactly […]

By Diana Elder August 8, 2026 Research Tips

RLP 421: The World War II Service of Bobby Gene Shults

Diana Elder and Nicole Dyer explore the value of writing an ancestor’s military story by correlating multiple sources. Diana uses her father Bob Shults’s World War II Navy records as a case study. She demonstrates how to use AI to cross-reference personal oral histories with official documents like muster rolls and discharge papers. Listeners learn how to build a comprehensive timeline that bridges the gap between limited personal recollections and formal military service records. The […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer August 3, 2026 Podcast

Finding a Father for Cynthia: Phase 5 – Part 5: Report Writing – Analysis & Correlation

If you have an ancestor who is still a mystery despite years of research, you’ll relate to my Cynthia (Dillard) Royston project. I am currently working on phase 5 as part of the Research Like a Pro with DNA study group. Each phase has focused on a specific objective and has eliminated many Dillard candidates. Eventually, I hope to have one man left standing, whom documentary and DNA evidence point to as Cynthia’s father. In […]

By Diana Elder August 1, 2026 Research Like a Pro, Research Tips

RLP 420: Tips for Using the New FamilySearch Simple Search Tool

In this episode of the Research Like a Pro Genealogy podcast, hosts Diana and Nicole discuss the features and effectiveness of FamilySearch’s new “Simple Search” tool. They explore how this experiment allows users to search billions of full-text records using natural language queries rather than traditional forms. Diana shares her experience testing the tool with her father’s name, Bobby Gene Shults, demonstrating how the artificial intelligence parses results and helps distinguish between individuals with similar […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer July 27, 2026 Podcast

How to Quickly Identify Matches at AncestryDNA with No Tree, No ThruLines, nor Hints

All of us see matches such as weehaa02, a cousin of mine, at Ancestry DNA®. Weehaa did not build a tree, nor did she provide any clues on her profile (location, age, surnames), yet I identified her, plus her 3 closest matches in 45 minutes. Figure 1 – Profile Tree View[1] To quickly identify Weehaa, I used the following process: Using Pro Tools, look at the Shared Matches and find at least one Shared Match […]

By Jon Smith July 27, 2026 DNA, DNA Tools, Research Like a Pro with DNA, Research Tips

RLP 419: What Genealogists Are Saying About AI Transcription of Foreign-Language Documents

Diana and Nicole discuss how genealogists use artificial intelligence to transcribe handwritten, foreign-language historical documents. They review feedback from a survey regarding experiences with various AI tools, including Transkribus, Gemini, ChatGPT, Claude, and Leo. The researchers report positive experiences, with average accuracy ratings between 7.5 and 8 out of 10. Listeners learn which languages, such as Spanish, German, French, Latin, and Scandinavian, are commonly processed through these tools. The discussion highlights that while AI excels […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer July 20, 2026 Podcast

Finding a Father for Cynthia: Phase 5 – Part 4: Research Log and Source Citations

By Diana Elder July 19, 2026 Research Like a Pro, Research Tips

RLP 418: Meet Leo – The Handwritten Text Recognition Platform Built for Researchers

Nicole Dyer and Diana Elder explore Leo, a powerful handwritten text recognition platform designed specifically for researchers. Nicole interviews the creator, Jon Cooper, a PhD candidate at Stanford who developed the tool with a machine learning expert to address the difficulty of transcribing complex Elizabethan manuscripts. Listeners learn how Leo differs from general AI models by prioritizing faithful, accurate transcriptions of handwritten text rather than guessing words. The platform offers specialized features for genealogists, including […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer July 13, 2026 Podcast