In today’s episode of the podcast we are talking all about why you should write your results at the end of a research project. There are so many reasons, but probably the most important is that the act of writing about something helps you make connections and solve problems. And of course, it also helps you to leave the project knowing that you can pick it back up in a year and know exactly where you were when you left off. We will talk about choosing the correct voice. This depends on your reader. Then we will talk about the...
In our podcast episode today, Diana and I discuss research logs. You know, that dreaded spreadsheet that you should keep when you’re doing research. We will discuss a few different types of research logs, including Research Ties, spreadsheets, tables, paper logs, and the research notebook. We will also talk about how we normally use our research log in our workflow. Diana is going to talk about how she never feels like she’s really doing research until she has her research log open and is recording her search results. We discuss the headings used in research logs and how to fill...
Today’s podcast episode is about source citations. We’ll discuss when you need to make citations, how to do it, and the questions to ask that will guide you as you create them: who, what, when, where within, and where in the world. If you feel overwhelmed by the thought of making source citations you’re not alone. Nicole tells about her experience really learning how to do it. Diana will tell us about layered source citations, and we’ll also talk about the difference between reference notes and source list entries. To sign up for the Research Like a Pro eCourse, click...
Today’s podcast episode is all about why you need to start creating research plans for every project, and how to do it. There are fives steps: Create a document with objective at top, compile a summary of known facts, write a hypothesis, make a list of sources to search, then finalize a prioritized strategy. We will talk about the need to be flexible as we follow our research plans, since plans change once you find (or don’t find) something! To sign up for the Research Like a Pro eCourse, click here. Registration ends Aug 31. Also, we encourage you to...
Today Diana and I are going to wrap up our discussion of locality research. In last week’s episode we talked about the first two question to ask: “What happened?” and “Where did it happen?” Today, we are talking about the last question: “Why did it happen?” This episode is all about the historical context that affected our ancestors lives. What is your favorite way to learn about historical context? We suggest several ideas, including county histories, biographical sketches, periodicals, and newspapers. Diana tells how she found a county history that explained why her ancestors moved around so much within Indian...
Today we’re talking about preparing to research by learning more about the where your ancestor lived. Doing locality research is absolutely essential! Previously, we talked about objectives in epsidode 2, and analysis in episode 3. Those are the first steps in a research project. Today, Diana and I are going to dive in to the next step, locality research, and talk in depth about all the ways you can learn more about a location. Before creating a research plan and digging into sources, it’s so important to prepare by learning about the location. Diana will tell about a mystery in...
Diana and I decided to start a podcast to be able to share with more people our research methods and strategies. We are so excited for you to join us! In the Research Like a Pro podcast, we will discuss how to take your family history research to the next level and uncover more of your family tree. Learn about research objectives, analysis, locality research, research planning, source citations, report writing, case studies, and more. Not familiar with listening to podcasts? That’s okay, you can listen right here on our website with the podcast player above. However, if you have...
Today, Diana and I are talking about analyzing your sources – the next thing to do in your research project after creating an objective. In order to establish what you know and determine how reliable it is, you must analyze the source, information, and evidence on a record. Start by gathering up all the sources that you’ve already found. Talk to close relatives who have knowledge or information about the project. Check online family trees including Ancestry, RootsWeb, FamilySearch Family Tree Genealogies, etc. Diana tells about how it’s easy to make a timeline in google sheets or excel with the...
Today, Diana and I discuss research objectives. Focusing your research with a question is an important step when getting started in any research project. We’ll talk about the three types of research objectives (identity, relationship and actions) and the best type to start with. Diana talks about writing down your objective and including unique identifiers. This is so important when you’re doing a project to identify a person. When I started my first project in the Research Like a Pro study group, I had a large objective covering three brothers. I tell about why this was a problem and what...
We are so excited to share our brand new podcast with you. We will be discussing the Research Like a Pro method and how to take your genealogy research to the next level. Learn about research objectives, analysis, locality research, research planning, source citations, report writing, case studies, and more. Show Notes: Diana and I talk about our background in family history and give an overview of the Research Like a Pro process. Diana got started in genealogy research when her father gave her a suitcase full of family history papers. Diana shares her journey in accreditation and tells about...
