Many people want to incorporate their DNA test results in their family history research, and there is so much to learn with new tools continually developing. I think a lot about how to simplify the explanations about DNA and the process of using DNA results to find and confirm ancestors. My goal is to help people navigate the process and find success in their research. I created this DNA Tools Bell Curve graphic to briefly illustrate a process or methodology to incorporate DNA into your family history research, moving from the simplest tools on the left to the most complex...
Have you thought about the steps to take to work through a DNA research project? Have you ever been stuck or lost during a project and wondered what you should do next? What do you do? I’ve thought about it a lot, and it motivated me to create DNA Process Trees that have a stepwise model/instructions/flowchart of the main steps to take when working through a DNA research objective. The steps help me maximize the research time I have available. Use coupon code DNAProcess25 to get 25% off the charts until 10/3/20 I have also added some logistical steps...
Are you ready for a new productivity tip? Imagine you are in the middle of a research session with ten different tabs open on Google Chrome. Glancing at the clock you realize you have to join an online meeting and close your tabs, but you hate to lose the web-pages that will take you several minutes to relocate and reopen. Perhaps your internet has slowed down because you have so many tabs open but again, you don’t want to lose those URLs. Does this scenario sound familiar? Enter the solution – OneTab. Overview of OneTab The overview for OneTab explains:...
Airtable is a hybrid spreadsheet and database. Most database tools are beyond the technological level of typical users, so most people don’t use database tools. Yet, databases are highly useful. Luckily for us, Airtable is a database tool that doesn’t require that you know how to code. If you are familiar with spreadsheets, you’ll pick it up right away. Each database is called “base.” Think of it as a spreadsheet with multiple sheets/tabs. Each sheet within the base is a “table.” Rows in a table are called “records.” Columns in a table are called “fields.” Each field is customizable. You...
Genealogy Standard #28 states, “Genealogists attach citations to images and printouts.”[1] This is to ensure that a record will never be without its citation, but what is the best way to do this? I have tried a few different approaches with varying degrees of success, but then I tried Canva, a free online publishing tool that makes it possible to “design anything and publish anywhere.” I had been using Canva for several years to create everything from social media graphics to ancestor collages. Once I decided to try using Canva to add citations to my record images, I haven’t looked...
Do you have a specific way to deal with the genealogy documents that you scan or download from a website? Have you set up digital file folders for your documents? How do you attach a citation to a document so it doesn’t become separated from it’s source? These are all questions we grapple with until we decide on a protocol that works for us. There is no one size fits all, when it comes to files and documents, but lets looks at some basic principles. Then you can create your own protocol for dealing with documents. To Download or Not...
Have you wished for a way to organize your notebooks in Evernote? You may have hundreds of notes in a notebook and even searching by tags brings up too many notes. Did you know you can create a custom note that can serve as a table of contents? You can organize this custom note any way you like and in the process clean up your notebooks as well. If you’d like to learn more about using Evernote for Family history and genealogy, check out these articles. Create Your Own Genealogy Reference Center with Evernote Using Evernote for Genealogy Research Choose...
What lies ahead for genealogy and family history in 2020? Taking a look back at 2019 can be helpful in predicting where we might be headed in 2020. The most viewed blog posts on Family Locket for 2019 included those on DNA, Organization, and Productivity. If you missed any of these, I invite you to do some browsing and see if there is something that could help you in your research for 2020. Below are the posts and a teaser for each one. “Before We Were Yours” and a True Life Adoption Story from the Tennessee Children’s Home Society As...
When you sit down at your computer for that devoted family history / genealogy time, how do you decide what to work on first? Should you go to work on a research project, watch a webinar, or browse new DNA matches? If you’ve been following the Getting Things Done method, you’ll have a task list of next actions for various projects. Now it’s time to engage. Choose a next action and go to work. This is the final article in this five-part series based on David Allen’s book, Getting Things Done: the art of stress free productivity. If you’ve been...
Are you keeping your genealogy systems updated and functional? You might have spent a considerable amount of time organizing your records and prioritizing projects, but then you took a research trip, attended a conference, or watched a webinar, and now have a stack of papers and a flash drive full of digital records. If you’re feeling weighed down again, the step you might be missing is reflection. Regularly capturing the new items that have risen to the surface, reviewing your calendar and project lists, and processing new materials can keep your mind free to do its best work. This is...
