Have you ever had an idea and wondered if it would work? Several months ago at the beginning of the summer of 2017 I started writing the "Research Like a Pro" blog posts with the hope of starting a study group of genealogists, each researching their own families. Several people signed up for the inaugural Research Like a Pro study group and in September we began. Meeting twice a month for a total of six sessions, each group member did a research project from start to finish. Some discovered important information breaking through a long standing brick wall and others...
Have you been thinking of joining our upcoming Research Like a Pro Study Group? You may have wondered if you had enough research experience or if it would be worth the money and time. Participants from the inaugural group came from varied backgrounds, but each had a positive experience, learning skills to help them move to the next level of research expertise. Today self-proclaimed research novice, Nancy Brown, tells her story. Am I Up to It? A Novice's Questions About Joining a Research Study Group by Nancy Brown Although I'd not done much actual research beyond exploring the tools of...
What do you do when you come to the end of your research project? How do you record your results, proof, and ideas for what to do next? The final step of a research project for a professional is to write up a report detailing what records were searched, what was found, what the evidence proves, and what to search next. You don't necessarily need to write a full scale report every time you finish a particular project, but you do need to write something! Several options make this a fun and rewarding task and one you'll thank yourself for...
How do you keep track of the numerous websites, books, microfilms, and other sources you might consult in your genealogy research? Do you only print or save links to the sources you found? What do you do when you don't find anything in a database? Learning to keep a research log and use source citations is the next step in your journey to research like a pro. The terms "research logs" and "source citations" might seem overwhelming but you'll be glad to know that it's not hard to keep a research log that has good source citations attached. In fact,...
Have you ever sat down at your computer to do some genealogy research and two hours later you come up for air? You've found interesting documents and looked at a lot of websites, but you didn't find what you wanted and you don't know where you looked? If so, you are not alone! Disciplining yourself to create a simple research plan and follow through is the hallmark of the true professional. The fourth in the Research Like a Pro series, in this article you'll build on what you've already learned. Each part of the series has an assignment to help...
When faced with a tough research problem, have you considered digging into the location? Often clues or even the answer to your question can be found with an in-depth look at the places your ancestor lived, worked, and died. Professional genealogists thoroughly research any new area as part of their planning and so can you! In Part 1 of the Research Like a Pro series, you learned to form a research objective with key identifiers that would guide you in creating a focused research plan. Your task from Part 2 of the series was to revisit everything you or others have...
Do you have a stack of research for a problem ancestor? The one who is hard to pin down. The one with unknown parents. How do you even get started on the brick walls in your family tree? Join in this summer's Research Like a Pro series and see if you can make progress in your research skills and journey in finding your family. To read more about the process, check out my book, Research Like a Pro: A Genealogist's Guide. In Researching Like a Pro, Part 1, your task was to analyze your pedigree then formulate a research objective. Your...
Are you ready to improve your research techniques? Do you have a difficult research problem in your family tree? Is it time to move to the next level of genealogy research? Whether or not you are a professional genealogist, you can adopt the same practices that a professional uses. In short, you can learn to research like a pro. This is the first in a six-part series designed to help any level of researcher grow their genealogy skill set. Each post will have a specific task that you can do. Join me for brick wall busting as we tackle our...
Are you ready to take your Family History efforts to the next level and actually get organized? Do you sometimes feel like you have spent the last hour of "research" mindlessly surfing the web looking for records of your family but you have no idea where you've been and what you've found? You might be ready to put some order into your research! Family History work has come a long way in the last twelve years. When I first started research in 2003, I kept all of my documents in paper file folders, my family tree on PAF (Personal Ancestral File)...
