We thoroughly enjoyed RootsTech 2019. Thank you for coming to meet us at our classes and at our booth in the expo hall. Scroll down on this page to find our class materials and more information about our books and online course.

About Us

Diana Elder, AG and Nicole Dyer are a mother daughter team of professional genealogists who love helping others with genealogy through their blog, books, and teaching. They are the authors of Research Like a Pro: A Genealogist’s Guide, a best seller in the genealogy category on Amazon, and hosts of the free Research Like a Pro Genealogy Podcast. 

eBook Sale for RootsTech

During RootsTech, the eBook version of our books are on sale! Research Like a Pro is only $4.99 and Find Names for the Temple is just $2.99. We will continue the sale through March 10.

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 eCourse to learn how to analyze records, make a research plan, create citations, keep a research log, and write a report. Watch eight webinars recorded by Diana Elder, AG.

Register for the Research Like a Pro Online Course Here

Take quizzes, listen to our free podcast, and read chapters from the book. Join our private Facebook community to share your assignments and receive feedback. Check in during our monthly live “Ask Diana” office hours to get help in a group setting. The e-Course will give you the extra boost you might need in your research efforts. You’ll be able to work at your own pace and still receive valuable assistance along the way.

We are doing a special deal for RootsTech! Register before March 10, 2019, with the coupon code RLP40RT2019 and you will receive 40% off the registration price. That’s just $75 for the Research Like a Pro online course! (Regularly $125). Learn more and read reviews of former students here: Research Like a Pro e-Course.

Register Here

 

Our Booth (#1225) Saturday Only

We had so much fun at our booth meeting so many of you on Saturday. We thank the Genealogy Business Alliance for hosting us at their shared booth! The other exhibitors at #1225 were the Genealogy Research Institute of Pittsburgh (Wednesday and Thursday), the Southern California Genealogical Society (Wednesday and Thursday), and the Board for Certification of Genealogists (Friday). We enjoyed sharing a booth with these important entities.

We sold every copy of Research Like a Pro: A Genealogist’s Guide that we brought with us and several copies of Find Names for the Temple as well. The children’s activities were fun and many stopped by to put a heart ornament on our Brave Ancestors Tree. The Brave Ancestors scavenger hunt was a hit and many children found stories of people’s brave ancestors throughout the expo hall, including one ancestor who was captured by a pirate! Click here to get a free copy of our brave ancestors scavenger hunt activity.

We gave away one registration to our Research Like a Pro online course to a lucky winner who entered the contest at our booth. Congratulations Lisa! We sold each of the Felt Family Tree kits that we brought and offered to share the pattern with everyone else who was interested. To learn more about how to make a felt family tree interactive activity for children, click here: Felt Family Tree blog post. To download the pattern for the felt family tree kit, click here: Felt family tree pattern.

Cheat Sheets

We gave away some free cheat sheets at our booth. You can also download them. Here are some of our most popular freebies:

U.S. Census Records Cheat Sheet

Our U.S. Census Records Cheat Sheet 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.

Probate Records Cheat Sheet

On our probate records cheat sheet, you can find an ABCs 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.

Sample DNA Citations Cheat Sheet

In our three page Sample DNA Citations Cheat Sheet, we have give you three pages of helpful content. The first page is a list of the 5 questions to guide DNA citations, then in 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 Classes

Our classes were enjoyable to teach and we appreciate your attendance and participation. Thank you for coming! Here are the materials:

Class Materials

Organize Your Research with Google Drive by Nicole Dyer

Webpage with class materials – expanded syllabus and presentation slides

Do you work from multiple devices? Laptop, desktop, work computer, home computer, smartphone, iPad? Learn how to utilize the free tools at Google Drive and Google Docs to help keep your genealogy research organized. You can create research logs with Google Sheets, transcribe records into Google Docs, add document links to records you have saved within your Google Drive files and share your work with other genealogists. The comment feature is a powerful collaborative tool that allows you to give and receive feedback from others. Upload your image files, scanned records, and saved research documents to Google Drive to access them from any device. Sync your devices to back up your precious research online. Search through your Google Drive to easily find documents. No longer will your research documents be scattered in dusty file folders, desktop computers, and under-the-bed boxes. Putting all your research in one place will help you find what you need and make more progress.

The FamilySearch Catalog: A Researcher’s Best Friend by Diana Elder, AG

Click here to download the presentation slides PDF file

Where can you find the answer to your difficult research problem? It might be hidden in one of the databases on FamilySearch. Learn tips and tricks to locate records for your ancestor using the online FamilySearch Catalog.

Research Logs: A Key to Organized Genealogy by Diana Elder, AG

Click here to download the presentation slides PDF file

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! Learn about the different kinds of research logs and how each can help you to track your searches.

Sharing Family History in Fun and Modern Ways

Sharing your family history discoveries can be one of the most rewarding parts of participating in genealogy work. Follow along as we discover unique and creative platforms for sharing stories with family members of all ages, especially your techie teens and kids. Whether you’re a novice or advanced genealogist, leave this class with renewed excitement for sharing your family’s stories. Interviewing in the 21st Century: Audio & podcast tools (Nicole Dyer), Quick and Easy Tech Tools for Family History Fun (Jana Greenhalgh), Creating Online Multi-Media Family Discovery Experiences (Olivia Jewell). Here is the syllabus. Here are the slides: SLIDES PH4698-Jewell-SharingFamilyHistoryInFun&ModernWays

Families Discovering Family History Together by Nicole Dyer, Olivia Jewell, and Jana Greenhalgh

Empowering family members of all ages by discovering family history together increases the connection, love and belonging in your family. Come learn about family history tools that can help your family connect during daily life, at home, and on the road. Discovering Family History Amidst your Crazy-busy Life (Olivia Jewell), Discovering Family History in Your Home (Nicole Dyer), Discovering Family History on the Road (Jana Greenhalgh). Here is the syllabus. Here are the slides: SLIDES PH2347-Jewell-FamiliesDiscoveringFamilyHistoryTogether

Class Schedule

Diana Elder, AG

The FamilySearch Catalog: A Researcher’s Best Friend, Wednesday 11am (Room 255)

The FamilySearch Catalog: A Researcher’s Best Friend, Thursday 1:30pm (Room 254A)

Perspectives on Accreditation, Power Hour, with Julie Stoddard and Lisa Stokes, Friday 8am (Room 150)

Research Logs: A Key to Organized Genealogy, Saturday 9:30am (Room 155B)

Nicole Dyer

Organize Your Research with Google Drive, Wednesday 9:30am (Room 355B)

Sharing Family History in Fun & Modern Ways, Power Hour, with Jana Greenhalgh and Olivia Jewell, Thursday, 8am (Room 151). We gave away an Epson FastFoto FF-680W Scanner (valued at $599) to one of lucky audience member. She was so excited!

Families Discovering Family History Together, Power Hour, with Jana Greenhalgh and Olivia Jewell, Saturday, 8am (Ballroom J) – this session was recorded for viewing on the RootsTech website after the conference.

Un-Con / Speaker Area

We talked with many of you at the Speaker “Unconferencing area” (Un-Con) #1847 in the expo hall at several times throughout the week. We gave out Research Like a Pro ribbons for our Research Like a Pro graduates and students!

Wednesday, 7-8pm (Diana discussing FamilySearch Catalog Class, Nicole discussing Organizing with Google Drive class)

Thursday, 12pm (Nicole discussing Sharing Family History in Fun and Modern Ways class joined by Olivia Jewell and Jana Greenhalgh)

Thursday, 5:30pm (Diana discussing FamilySearch Catalog Class and Nicole joining her)

Friday, 12pm (Diana discussing Perspectives on Accreditation Power Hour class joined by Lisa Stokes and Julie Stoddard)

Saturday – We will be at our booth, #1225, most of the day!