Blog – Family Locket

RLP with DNA Research Log 4.2 (2026) Airtable Template Updates

The Research Like a Pro with DNA Airtable research log has been updated for 2026! Version 4.2 includes several enhancements designed to streamline your DNA research workflow and make tracking matches more efficient. While the changes might make the base look a little different—especially in the DNA Match Details table—I think you’ll find these improvements make your research process smoother. You can access the new templates here: RLP with DNA Research Log 4.2 (2026) RLP […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer January 29, 2026 DNA, Research Tips

RLP 394: When Birthdates Don’t Agree: Analyzing and Correlating Evidence

Nicole and Diana open the episode by discussing what they are currently working on, including their projects for the 14-day challenge. They then turn to the challenge of family history research when conflicting dates appear for an ancestor. Diana explains that because original records may not exist, genealogists must rely on sources created later in a person’s life, which often do not agree. Diana uses a case study of her relative, Mary Elizabeth (Royston) Slagle, […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer January 26, 2026 Podcast

Understanding the FamilySearch Research Wiki – Part 4: Case Study

Success in our research depends on understanding the locality’s records, history, and required methodology. Whether we’re experienced in the research locality or a newbie, there is always more to learn. In this blog series on the FamilySearch Research Wiki, guest blogger Virginia Pratt will help us understand what the wiki contains and how best to use it. Virginia worked on the FamilySearch Wiki team for five years, writing and organizing Wiki pages. We’re excited to […]

By Diana Elder January 24, 2026 Research Tips

RLP 393: Revisiting the Father of Cynthia (Dillard) Royston – Part 6 Writing the Report

In this episode, Diana and Nicole discuss the crucial process of writing a formal research report for the ongoing case study to identify the father of Cynthia (Dillard) Royston. Diana explains that a report is essential for synthesizing details, bringing a research phase to a close, and providing next steps. She outlines the project’s objective—to find a candidate for Cynthia’s father in Cass County, Georgia, during the 1830s—and notes the constraints, particularly the missing early […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer January 19, 2026 Podcast

Transform Chaos into Clarity: Organizing Your Merging and Separating Cases

Welcome to the first of three blog posts about our upcoming Merging and Separating Identities course—where we tackle one of genealogy’s toughest challenges: distinguishing between same-named individuals—and today we’re starting with the single most essential technique taught in the course that transforms overwhelming chaos into clarity. One Technique That Transforms Chaos into Clarity: Organizing Your Merging and Separating Cases If you’ve ever stared at a mountain of records for multiple same-named individuals and felt completely […]

By Jan Joyce January 17, 2026 Education, Research Tips

RLP 392: Revisiting the Father of Cynthia (Dillard) Royston – Part 5 Research Logging and Citations

This episode addresses the importance of methodically logging research and creating source citations as you follow a research plan. Diana shares her strategy for quickly creating citations for FamilySearch records, emphasizing the value of creating the citation first to understand the source and ensure it’s done. Nicole explains how she sets up and fills out her research log using the Research Like a Pro Airtable template, which includes features for grouping, sorting, and linking records […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer January 12, 2026 Podcast

Using the FamilySearch Research Wiki – Part 3: Understanding Topic Pages

By Diana Elder January 10, 2026 Research Tips

RLP 391: Revisiting the Father of Cynthia (Dillard) Royston – Part 4 Research Planning

In this episode, Nicole and Diana discuss the crucial “Research Planning” stage of the Research Like a Pro process in the fourth part of their series on the father of Cynthia (Dillard) Royston. Nicole begins by emphasizing the importance of creating a thoughtful research plan rather than haphazardly searching records. Diana then walks through the specific steps she takes for this case study. She states her objective, which is to discover a candidate for Cynthia […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer January 5, 2026 Podcast

What Genealogists Can Learn from Colum McCann’s “TransAtlantic”: Writing Family History

Immigrant stories are fascinating, and in the novel TransAtlantic by Irish author Colum McCann, we follow an Irish immigrant and three subsequent generations. As family historians, we benefit from reading historical accounts based on the author’s research. We can gain important contextual information and insight into the plight of our ancestors. In TransAtlantic, we view the immigration story from the Irish perspective, with young Lily Duggan braving the Atlantic Ocean to start a new life in […]

By Diana Elder January 2, 2026 Book Club, Creating and Sharing Family History, Research Tips

RLP 390: Revisiting the Father of Cynthia (Dillard) Royston – Part 3 Locality Research

The episode centers on the process of locality research for Cass County, Georgia, as Diana continues her project to find the father of Cynthia (Dillard) Royston. Diana explains her research objective is to discover a candidate for Cynthia’s father residing in the county during the 1830s. Nicole discusses the importance of narrowing the time frame for a locality guide, focusing on the county’s earliest years from 1832 to 1860. They then compare their process for […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer December 29, 2025 Podcast