Today's episode of Research Like a Pro is about using RootsWeb and FamilySearch Genealogies to view family trees that users have uploaded to the internet. These resources are helpful in your "literature survey" - the search you do at the beginning of a research project to determine what has already been uncovered about a research subject. Join us as we discuss our experience with using these free family tree platforms to search and share our family trees. Links Online Genealogies: Discovering the Source by Diana at Family Locket 2018 article about how RootsWeb [was] Unavailable by Dick Eastman at EOG...
Naturalization records are important sources to explore for information on our immigrant ancestors - especially those who arrived in the United States in the 1800s and early 1900s. If we want to discover the home country or village, a naturalization record could help to make connections between our ancestor and the family left behind. Part 1 of this series discussed why we want to seek out naturalization records, detailed the process of naturalization, and gave ideas for how to locate the records. In this article we'll look at the naturalization laws in more detail. Naturalization Acts Numerous Congressional Acts have...
Today's episode of Research Like a Pro is about portfolio element four: the research report prepared for another person. To apply to the Board for Certification of Genealogists you must submit a research report that meets standards. You cannot submit a report that focuses on your own ancestors. Listen in as we discuss the requirements, best practices for reports, and the rubrics for grading this portfolio element. Links Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG) BCG Application Guide (2019) BCG Rubrics (2019) BCG Evaluation Process Research Like a Pro eCourse Study Group - more information and email list Research Like a...
As you discover new sources for an ancestor, do you add them to your online Ancestry tree? How do you create a source citation for that source and what notes should you include? With so many genealogists using Ancestry's tree building and hinting capabilities, our added source may end up being multiplied and added to other trees. If we document our source well, another researcher will be able to retrace our footsteps and find the original documents themselves. When I've completed a research project, I like to add newly discovered sources to my Ancestry tree which syncs with Family Tree...
Today's episode of Research Like a Pro is about creating layered citations for images found on the four major genealogy websites: Ancestry, FamilySearch, MyHeritage, and Findmypast. We discuss how to separate the digital layer from the physical layer, and the five elements of a source citation. We discuss what element to lead with and how to find the details you need to include. Links Peeling Back the Layers: Online Source Citations Part 1 - by Diana about Ancestry.com Peeling Back the Layers: Online Source Citations Part 2 - by Diana about FamilySearch.org Peeling Back the Layers: Online Source Citations Part...
What do you do when your research hypothesis is disproved? Perhaps the discovery of a new record, lack of DNA evidence, or even discovering another person of a similar name could lead to your proposed ancestor turning out to be incorrect. Do you give up or use the findings as an opportunity to move forward with a new avenue of research? The silver lining in this scenario can emerge with a reexamination of the research question, record analysis, and a new research plan. I recently let go of the hypothesis that George W. Dillard was the father of my ancestor,...
Today's episode of Research Like a Pro is about a case study Diana wrote about the father of Mary French. Determining the maiden name and parents of a woman born in the late 1700s is one of the most difficult genealogical undertakings. Because women were not mentioned in many of the records of the era, few sources exist to prove their parentage. Combine that with record loss and the task becomes even more difficult. Descendants of Ignatius Bryan, born about 1775 in Maryland and died 1803 in Hardin County, Kentucky have long wondered about the origins of his wife Mary....
Have you ever seen a complete date and place for an ancestor's birth, death, or marriage, but no source is attached as proof? Have you wondered where that information originated? With the proliferation of online trees and copying of data, tracing a genealogy fact back to an original posting can help verify or disprove it. Two websites can be explored to find complete family tree submissions: Rootsweb and FamilySearch Genealogies. Rootsweb When Nicole and I first began our research journey in 2003, we built our family tree in Personal Ancestral File (PAF), a computer database that let us add source...
Today's episode of Research Like a Pro is about proof arguments. We discuss different types of proofs, including proof statements, proof summaries, and proof arguments. Then we discuss the requirements for the case study element of the portfolio for certification and go over the rubric indicators that show if a case study has met the standards. We talk about resources for helping you with proofs and logical arguments. We also discuss various methods for organizing proof arguments. Links BCG Application Guide – at BCG’s website RLP #99: Writing a Narrative Family History – Certification Preparation RLP 86: Mining Records...
Do you use MyHeritage or Findmypast in your research? Have you wondered how to create a layered source citation from one of these websites? In this final article of this series, I'll once again give you examples of using the basic citation elements of who, what, when, where, and wherein to create citations that reflect both the digital and physical source information. Links to the first two articles about creating citations for FamilySearch and Ancestry sources are included at the end. Citation for MyHeritage My 2nd great-grandfather, William Henry Kelsey, Sr., lived in the southeast corner of England from the...
