Is 2019 the year that you want to boost your research skills? RootsTech 2019 offers multiple classes designed to do just that. I will be teaching classes to help you learn how to use a research log to organize your genealogy and how to use the FamilySearch catalog to discover new records to break brick walls. I hope to see you there! As a RootsTech ambassador, I receive a free pass for myself and one...
In our podcast episode today, Diana and I discuss what professional genealogists can do for you. We discuss hiring researchers to solve difficult problems in your family tree, transcribing and translating documents, writing family history books, researching on-site, heritage trips, etc. We also discuss how to choose a professional genealogist and what you should expect. Let’s get started! Links Association of Professional Genealogists (APG) APG website – search for a professional by specialties APG website...
How are you using the powerful new tool called DNA to further your genealogy research? Do you look at your matches and have no idea what to do next? What you might need is some order to your genetic genealogy research so you can make progress on your brick walls. Today I’ll show you how the Research Like a Pro process can be adapted to work with DNA. When DNA was just beginning to be...
In our podcast episode today, I’m discussing my research project to discover the parents of Lucinda Keaton of Pendleton, Anderson County, South Carolina. Diana and I will review what I knew when I started the project, how I found clues leading to a hypothesis that her father was William Keaton of Pendleton District, South Carolina, and what records I searched to prove the hypothesis. We’ll discuss each step in the research like a pro process,...
Where are you storing your valuable genealogical data? Is it safely under your control and backed up or is it on a third party website like Ancestry or FamilySearch? Have you considered using genealogical software to store your database but are unsure what would be best for you? Today I’ll be sharing my top three reasons to keep your own genealogical information safe in a personal software database and give you some ideas for choosing...
In today’s podcast episode, Diana and I are talking about continuing education in genealogy. Benjamin Franklin said, “an investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” We discuss accreditation, the importance of keeping up with new methodologies and developments in the field such as DNA, and how to go about improving your genealogy education. Learning about records, localities, and methodologies are a good place to start. We also talk about setting goals, creating an education plan,...
In our podcast episode today, Diana and I discuss productivity and how to make the best use of your research time. We discuss various ideas including the pomodoro technique, using Google Keep, a 30×30 challenge for daily research in small increments of time, and using a time journal to notice what you spend time on and eliminate time thieves. Links Research Like a Pro: A Genealogist’s Guide by Diana Elder with Nicole Dyer on Amazon.com...
Are you feeling in a rut with your genealogy research? Not sure what to do next or feeling overwhelmed with the idea of getting started in family history? Perhaps you need the boost that a major conference like RootsTech can give. When I was just beginning my journey into family history, I had no idea how to organize the suitcase full of papers from my dad’s years of research. I had grown up with pedigree...
In our podcast episode today, Diana and I discuss ideas for organizing genealogy papers, documents, electronic files, and more. We’ll talk about how to choose a personal family tree software program and how to create backups of your research so they don’t get lost or destroyed. Diana is going to talk about her story of receiving a suitcase full of unorganized genealogy papers from her father and how she dealt with that. We’ll talk about...
Have you used church records in your genealogy yet? If not, you might be interested to know how helpful a church record can be in researching your family. Because birth and death certificates were not required by most states in the U.S. until after 1900, church records can be a substitute for vital records. They can also help establish an ancestor’s status in the community, reveal associates, and point to previous or subsequent residences. In...