Family Locket Genealogists – NGS 2024
Diana Elder and Nicole Elder Dyer
We are glad to be part of the National Genealogical Society virtual conference this year. We are glad you decided to stop by our virtual booth! This “virtual exhibit hall” page will tell you about our podcast, books, online course, study groups, and more. Scroll to the bottom to find some of our freebies.
Coupon Code for 20% off
In conjunction with the NGS conference, we are providing a coupon code for 20% off our independent study courses, webinar series, and Airtable guides:
20% off
Coupon Code: NGS869Q
Expiration: 15 June 2024 at 11:59pm MDT
Research Like a Pro eCourse
Research Like a Pro with DNA eCourse
Research Like a Pro Webinar Series for 2024 or 2023
Airtable Guides – 2nd Edition of Airtable Research Logs; also Tracking DNA Matches with Airtable
Free Weekly Podcast
Diana and Nicole discuss genealogy research methodology in their weekly podcast, Research Like a Pro. Learn about research objectives, analysis, locality research, research planning, source citations, report writing, case studies, and more. To view a list of recent episodes, click here: Research Like a Pro Podcast recent episodes. To receive the weekly episodes, subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, or your favorite podcast app. You can also sign up for our newsletter to receive notifications of new episodes.
Our Products
Airtable Quick Reference Guides
Have you been looking for a better way to keep track of your genealogy research? Perhaps you are hoping to track your DNA matches in a more efficient manner or list the friends, family, associates, and neighbors of your brick-wall ancestor. Our Airtable quick reference guides can help you use Airtable.com as a genealogy research log. Learn about key Airtable terms, field types, linked records, using base templates, formulas, views, research log headings, tables for tracking DNA matches, and more.
Airtable Research Logs for Genealogy, 2nd edition
Series: Research Like a Pro Quick Reference
Author: Nicole Elder Dyer
Publication: February 2024 by Family Locket Books, Highland, Utah
Tracking DNA Matches with Airtable
Series: Research Like a Pro Quick Reference
Author: Nicole Elder Dyer
Publication: February 2024 by Family Locket Books, Highland, Utah
Digital Download
The guides are available as PDF downloads in our store. You will receive two files – one for professional printing on two legal-sized (11×17″) pages and the other for at-home printing on four letter-sized (8.5×11″) pages. Purchase here: Airtable Research Logs for Genealogy – Quick Reference
Research Like a Pro Book
Our bestselling book, Research Like a Pro: A Genealogist’s Guide, is available for purchase on Amazon. The eBook is just $4.99 on Amazon Kindle, and it is also available as an audiobook.
Research Like a Pro Challenge Workbook
The 14-day Research Like a Pro challenge happens once a year in January. For the 2024 challenge, we introduced a workbook to be your companion during the challenge. Now you can use the workbook to repeat the 14-day challenge on your own any time of year. Learn more here: 14-Day Research Like a Pro Challenge Workbook – Spiral Bound + Digital
Research Like a Pro Webinar Series
Learn from monthly case studies presented by Diana Elder, AG, Nicole Elder Dyer, and other researchers using the Research Like a Pro and Research Like a Pro with DNA process. Each webinar will feature the Research Like a Pro steps and how they were applied to a particular case study. Some months will focus on the Research Like a Pro with DNA process and associated steps.
The syllabus will be a research report. The webinars will be presented via Zoom and recorded for those who cannot attend live. Click here to register and view the schedule of presentations.
Research Like a Pro Webinar Series 2024
You can also purchase the complete 2023 webinar series and receive lifetime access to the twelve lectures presented in 2023.
Research Like a Pro Online Course
Could you use some structure in your genealogy research? Do you need help breaking down your brick walls? Take our Research Like a Pro e-Course to learn how to analyze records, make a research plan, keep a research log, and write a report. Watch eight webinars recorded by Diana Elder, AG, and Nicole Dyer. Take quizzes and join our private Facebook community to share your assignments and receive feedback. Check-in during our live monthly office hours session to get help in a group setting. Research Like a Pro will give you the extra boost you need in your research efforts. You’ll be able to work at your own pace and still receive valuable assistance along the way. The cost for the course is $125, but with the 20% off coupon code NGS2024, you can purchase the course for just $100.
Learn more, read reviews, and register here: Research Like a Pro e-Course
Research Like a Pro with AI
Learn how to incorporate artificial intelligence tools into the Research Like a Pro process. Large language models like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini can help genealogists become more efficient, but care must be taken that the researcher’s expertise, accuracy, and unique voice are not lost. This course will teach you practical ways to leverage AI tools while maintaining accuracy in your research and writing.
Monday, July 29 – Intro to AI Tools, Research Objectives, and Timelines
Tuesday, July 30 – Citations, Locality Research, Research Planning
Wednesday, July 31 – Research Logs, Transcriptions
Thursday, Aug 1 – Report Writing, Editing, and Proofs
Learn more here: Research Like a Pro with AI
Research Like a Pro with DNA eBook
Would you like to use DNA evidence in your genealogy research? Do you have thousands of cousin matches but no idea what to do next? Perhaps you have found some evidence to support your theories but are not confident in your conclusions.
Learn a step-by-step method to organize and use your DNA test results to find and confirm ancestors in your family tree. Diana Elder, AG, Nicole Dyer, and Robin Wirthlin share the method they use in their professional research to incorporate DNA with documentary evidence. Study the methodology in each chapter, then apply it in your own research by completing the associated task. You will group and evaluate your matches, diagram descent from the common ancestor, plan the next research steps, track correspondence and research in a log, and write a report incorporating DNA evidence. Work samples and templates are included.
Purchase the eBook at Amazon here: Research Like a Pro with DNA. The eBook is $9.99, and the paperback is $29.99. Also available in audiobook format.
Research Like a Pro with DNA Online Course
Would you like to learn how to use DNA in your genealogical research? Do you need a step-by-step process to guide you? The Research Like a Pro with DNA e-Course will help you make progress on your goals, whether to confirm a relationship proven through documentary research, test a hypothesized ancestral relationship, or discover unknown parents of an ancestor.
Learn how to assess and organize your DNA matches, create a research objective, make a research plan, keep a research log, and write a report. Watch eleven lectures recorded by Nicole Dyer and Diana Elder. Take quizzes and join our private Facebook community to share your assignments and receive feedback. Check-in during our live monthly office hours session to get help in a group setting. The e-Course will give you the extra boost you need in your research efforts. You’ll be able to work at your own pace and still receive valuable assistance along the way.
Learn more and register here: Research Like a Pro with DNA eCourse
Study Groups
We hold two study groups each year—Research Like a Pro with DNA in the spring and Research Like a Pro in the fall. Registration for the next Research Like a Pro Study Group opens May 21. The study group begins August 28 and meets weekly for 11 weeks, with 2 break weeks and no lesson for extra time to complete the assignment.
To join our study group newsletter and receive advance notice of registration opening and early-bird sales, click below:
Sign up for the Study Group Email List
“The Research Like a Pro Study Group has been so fun and so valuable! This was my second time through, and I will likely participate again in the future. I enjoy working through the process and meeting with the Peer Group. Diana and Nicole are very approachable with any questions, and meeting with the small group is a fantastic experience. I’ve made significant progress with my research and become more organized in my research projects!” – Karen, 2024
DNA Process Charts
Robin Wirthlin, a genetic genealogist, has designed two process charts to guide you through the steps for making discoveries about your family with DNA. Process Tree 1 guides you through verifying genetic connections to ancestors. Process Tree 2 is focused on solving unknown and misattributed parentage cases. The charts are available as a PDF Download.
Read more about how to use the DNA Process Charts here: DNA Process Trees: Learn What to Do Next blog post by Nicole at Family Locket.
About Us
Diana Elder, AG, and Nicole Dyer are professional genealogists who educate through their blog, books, and teaching. They are a mother-daughter team who authored Research Like a Pro: A Genealogist’s Guide and are co-hosts of the free Research Like a Pro Genealogy Podcast. Diana is an Accredited Genealogist professional specializing in the Gulf-South United States region. She is a Commissioner on the Board of the International Commission for the Accreditation of Accredited Genealogists (ICAPGen). Nicole is working on her portfolio for certification. Diana and Nicole discuss records, organization, methodology, and DNA in their free, weekly Research Like a Pro Podcast. Diana and Nicole write informational articles on FamilyLocket.com. Discover their process to organize and use DNA evidence with their book and course, Research Like a Pro with DNA. Along with its educational materials, Family Locket offers coaching, consultations, and professional research. See https://familylocket.com/services/ for more information.
Newsletter
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Free Research Guides
Here are some of our free guides available to download:
Our U.S. Census Records Guide has information about each census and when it was taken, helpful links to detailed information about each census year, birth year calculations, and more. The four-page cheat sheet includes a page of sample reference note citations for census records. We’ve included a section all about the non population schedules and what you can find on them, as well as a page about analyzing census records.
On our probate records guide, you can find an ABC of terms in probate records, learn about types of estates, see several sample citations, and learn how to use probate records as evidence. There are four pages in this cheat sheet, with one dedicated to teaching you about wills and how to understand them. When using wills as evidence, we should remember that not all family members may be listed. Another page is all about what kinds of papers you can find in a probate file.
U.S. Federal Census Tables Template
We have created a U.S. Federal Census Tables template for you to use when writing your reports or extracting information from censuses. You can copy and paste the template from the census year you are viewing and paste it into your research project document or research report, then fill in the columns with the head of household, tick marks for pre-1850 censuses, and names for post-1850 censuses. You can add notes and additional information – the columns are all created to match the columns in each census year, which changed over time.
In our three-page Sample DNA Citations Guide, we have given you three pages of helpful content. The first page is a list of the 5 questions to guide DNA citations, then on the second page, you will see sample citations for DNA informational materials, like articles telling about DNA test results. There are also sample citations for DNA matches, and DNA test reports that you may be using as evidence in your genealogy research reports and conclusions.
Our NGS 2024 Presentations
Nicole’s Lecture
Organizing FAN Club Research with Airtable: Who was John West? – Saturday, May 18, 7:15 pm Eastern
Diana’s Lecture
Illuminating Ancestors’ Lives in Small Bites through Focused Themes and Engaging Narratives – Friday, May 17, 4 pm Eastern