RootsTech 2019 Giveaway: Researching Like a Pro

October 26, 2018 Posted by Diana Elder Research Like a Pro, Research Tips 22 Comments

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 for a FamilyLocket subscriber. No purchase necessary to enter the giveaway.

How can you win a free pass?

1. Subscribe

First you’ll need to subscribe to our newsletter (if you haven’t already).

2. Do one of these options

Second, to help us get the word out about the Research Like a Pro process do one of the following:

-Subscribe to the Research Like a Pro podcast on iTunes or Stitcher or in your favorite podcast app

-Like the Research Like a Pro Genealogy Podcast Facebook page

-Comment on or share our post on Facebook about the Research Like a Pro eCourse sale

-Leave us a review on Amazon for Research Like a Pro : A Genealogist’s Guide (if you’ve purchased the book)

3. Leave a comment on this blog post

When you’ve done one of the above, leave us a comment on this blog post, telling us your biggest research challenge. Do you chase after bright shiny objects? Do you know you should log your research but don’t know how? Are you stymied with how to find records not online?

I’m committed to helping you become a better researcher and the more feedback I get, the better I can serve you with

What will you receive if you’re the lucky winner? A complimentary RootsTech 2019 4-day pass ($299 value) with access to:

-Over 300 classes

-Keynote/General sessions

-All new Power Hours on popular topics

-Expo Hall

-Evening Events

This 4-Day pass DOES NOT include airfare, hotel, or the coverage of any other expenses. If the winner has already registered for RootsTech 2019, the original registration fee will be refunded.

Contest Rules

-One entry per person (chosen from the comments section)

-Complete your entry by Friday, November 2nd, 11:59 MST

-A winner will be drawn randomly from the entries on Saturday, November 3rd and announced on the FamilyLocket Facebook page. We will also contact the winner by email.

Best of luck in winning!

This contest is now closed, thanks to all who participated!

My RootsTech Classes

Wednesday, February 27, 11:00 am and Saturday, March 2, 9:30 am

Tags: giveaway RootsTech 2019

22 Comments

About Diana Elder

Diana Elder AGⓇ AGL is a professional genealogist, author, and speaker. She is accredited in the Gulf South region of the United States through the International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists (ICAPGen). Diana graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in Elementary Education and has turned her passion for teaching to educating teens and adults in proven genealogy techniques. Diana is the author of Research Like a Pro: A Genealogists Guide and creator of the “Research Like a Pro” study group. She writes regular articles for FamilyLocket.com, the genealogy website created by her daughter, Nicole Dyer. She presents regularly at genealogy conferences, sharing the methods she uses every day to solve challenging genealogical problems.

22 Comments

Leave your reply.

Dianne
· Reply

October 26, 2018 at 9:16 AM

I really struggle with keeping a research log. I’d love to improve my logging skills so my time can be spent more wisely.

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Megan Hillyer
· Reply

October 26, 2018 at 9:47 AM

I have loved listening to your podcasts and think this e-course is great! I am working on my AAS degree in Family History Research right now from BYU-I, but in the past whenever I tried to start doing my genealogy, I felt overwhelmed and didn’t know where to start. I think your book and course are great for people like me who want a methodical approach to improving their family history research! Thanks for all you share on here and on the podcast!

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Lynne Coyle
· Reply

October 26, 2018 at 9:57 AM

My biggest challenge is chasing those bright shiny objects. If I’m researching someone and come across another name in my tree I want to go look at it instead of staying focused on my research question.

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Susie
· Reply

October 26, 2018 at 10:38 AM

please count me in for a chance to win the PASS… 2019 will be here soon.

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Clytee Gold
· Reply

October 26, 2018 at 3:53 PM

I want to win the Roots Tech pass!!!! Thanks!
Clytee

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Jacqui Porter
· Reply

October 26, 2018 at 4:21 PM

The research like a pro course and book are both fabulous! I have learned so much from them. I would love to win the pass since I had to quit work and go on disability and money is very scarce.

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Kathy
· Reply

October 26, 2018 at 5:57 PM

I am confident that I am going to get very close to proving the relationship between my second great grandfather and my third great grandfather. The Research Like A Pro steps have renamed me to look at things differently. Now I need to discipline myself and use the research log consistently!

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Kimberly Savage
· Reply

October 27, 2018 at 10:55 AM

One of my biggest challenges is to prove who is my family. In England I have found two families with the same parents names and same children’s names in the same parish. I have been trying to follow both of the families to try and discover who really belongs to my line. It is a crazy fun project.

I would love to win the pass to Roots Tech so I can discover new tips and tricks to help me find those elusive ancestors.. 🙂

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Debbie
· Reply

October 28, 2018 at 8:01 AM

I love your books and podcast. Thanks for your knowledge and inspiration.

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Kathleen M B Norris
· Reply

October 28, 2018 at 10:04 PM

I hope to be able to attend and especially to learn from your class about Research Logs. I need to be converted to utilizing them all the time and not scrimping on this at all.

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Cherie Mosher
· Reply

October 29, 2018 at 6:53 PM

I am definately guilty of chasing the bride shiny object and want to learn more about using research logs. I know I need to use one but would love more information regarding best practices for it use.

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Cherie
· Reply

October 29, 2018 at 7:01 PM

I am definately guilty of chasing the brite shiny object in my research and need to improve my research skills. I also want to learn how to keep a research log as I am sure it is another way to improve my research. Please include me in the drawing for the Rootstech pass!

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Andrea DuClos
· Reply

October 30, 2018 at 11:49 PM

One of my biggest struggles right now is writing down and sticking with a research goal to keep me on track to avoid falling down rabbit holes. I want to become accredited yet keep changing my target family and over-extending myself with other projects that rob my time and challenge my focus.
Your Facebook page, podcasts, and Research Like A Pro book are wonderful tools that I know can help me overcome these challenges. You are so positive, knowledgeable, and energetic! Thanks for taking time to help the rest of us improve our skills!

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Debbie W.
· Reply

October 31, 2018 at 12:04 PM

My biggest challenge is being patient with the process when I don’t find what I’m looking for. Some records are so easy to find, but when something isn’t where I think it’s supposed to be I tend to feel more frustrated and annoyed that I probably should. I have to keep reminding myself that even at our slowest we are still able to work a lot more quickly than those who were researching years ago!

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Debbie W.
· Reply

October 31, 2018 at 2:10 PM

My biggest challenge is learning to be patient with the process when I don’t find what I’m looking for quickly. Some records are so easy to find that I tend to expect everything to be that way, and I feel frustrated when something isn’t where I think it should be or I can’t find the answer that I want. I’m getting better though; I keep reminding myself that even at our slowest we are able to work a lot faster now than we have ever been able to before.

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- Debbie W.
  · Reply
  
  November 1, 2018 at 8:46 AM
  
  Oops, Sorry for the double comment! I thought the first one didn’t go through so I rewrote it.
  
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Deborah S Holman
· Reply

October 31, 2018 at 2:41 PM

My biggest challenge is that I get “Tunnel vision” and tend to be so focused on a certain path, I fail to think creatively which makes it difficult for me to break through brickwalls.

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Jennie L Merkley
· Reply

November 1, 2018 at 11:36 PM

I know the rules about sticking with it and not jumping around, yet I still tend to get sidetracked when I come across another tangle or question that moves me off my current path. Sometimes all it takes is a ‘hint’ popping up for someone that I don’t recognize and I’m off to see who they are, what kind of shape their records are in and untangling their knots. Otherwise, I do a pretty thorough job of research and error correction.

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John Smith
· Reply

November 2, 2018 at 10:41 AM

Staying engaged and focused. I have other family members who are very experienced at family research and posting their findings. I find my self just enjoying the work that they have done and not completing research of my own. I am a novice and would love to attend the RootsTech 2019 conference to learn how to become a contributing member of the family tree.. 🙂

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Monique Riley
· Reply

November 2, 2018 at 2:02 PM

My biggest research challenge is finding the parents of Zacheus Lockwood, who was born in Connecticut in 1800, according to the 1850 U.S. census. Zacheus died in 1852 in Livingston County, Michigan, leaving a widow with six children. He lived in New York previous to moving to Michigan.

Sometimes it’s fun to chase BSO’s, but if I really want to make progress, I know it is much better to log all my research results and conduct research according to a formulated research plan. Of course I love online records, but I am comfortable and like to visit archives, courthouses and libraries to find documents about my ancestors.

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John Smith
· Reply

November 2, 2018 at 2:10 PM

Being fully engaged. I have several great researchers in my family and I find that I often just enjoy the information they have found. I want to learn to become a contributing member of the family tree.. I look forward to RootsTech 2019 to help me with this goal.

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Monique Riley
· Reply

November 2, 2018 at 6:09 PM

I am not sure my previous comment posted, so if not, here it is, and if so, please disregard. My biggest brick wall is knowing the parents of my 3rd great grandfather, Zacheus Lockwood, who was supposedly born in Connecticut, according to the 1850 census, where he was living in Livingston County, Michigan. He previously lived in Oswego County, New York, at least in the 1830-1840 time period. He died in Michigan in 1852. I have learned a lot about him in the 18 years I have researched him, but haven’t come across anything to shed light on his siblings or parentage.

I have to admit, I do like BSOs at times! But, I know it’s best to follow a research plan and use a log. I know it pays off, especially when dealing with complex research problems.

I would love to win a ticket to RootsTech. I have never been.

I know how to find records online and love to research in archives, libraries and courthouses.

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