Family Locket Genealogists – RootsTech 2021
About Us
Welcome to Family Locket! Diana Elder, AG, Nicole Dyer, and Robin Wirthlin are professional genealogists who educate through their blog, books, and teaching. Diana and Nicole are the 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 the publicity chair for the Pima County Genealogy Society. Robin Wirthlin is a genetic genealogist with expertise in using DNA in family history research.
Free Weekly Podcast
Diana and Nicole discuss genealogy research methodology in their weekly podcast, Research Like a Pro, with frequent guest appearances by Robin Wirthlin on DNA topics. 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.
“This is a great podcast for both beginning and experienced genealogists. Beginners can learn how to do genealogy the right way from the start. I wish this process was around when I started genealogy – it would have saved a lot of time and effort! Experienced genealogists will learn something new from the discussion of the various tools and tech that Nicole and Diana use. The other thing I love about this podcast is the quality of the audio. The discussion of the topics is very clear and easy to listen to in the car, and there is no annoying bumper music or other useless content. Highly recommended!” – Bill
Newsletter
Sign up for our newsletter to receive weekly emails from us about new blog posts, podcast episodes, our professional research updates, new product announcements, and more.
Our Products
Research Like a Pro is available for only $2.99 on Amazon Kindle! Come to our booth to purchase a hard copy for $15. Find Names for the Temple is just $2.99 on Amazon as well, and will be sold at our booth for $10. You can also find felt family tree kits in all colors and the laminated DNA process tree charts. Read more about what we are offering at our booth here: Family Locket Genealogists at Rootstech 2020.
Children’s Activity
On Saturday, for Family Discovery Day, we will be giving out bookmarks to each person who completes the Find a Name Scavenger Hunt. Use your phone, laptop, or computer in the cyber cafe to find the icons needed to fill it out. First you will go to FamilySearch.org, then sign in. click Family Tree and expand your tree by clicking on the arrows at the end of each line. Look for the various icons such as: available, needs information, in progress, record hints, research suggestions, data problems etc. Children will answer questions including “what is the most unusual name in your family tree?” and “how many great grandparents do you have?”
Get copies of the Find a Name Scavenger hunt here: Find a Name Scavenger Hunt.
Research Like a Pro Consultations
We would love to talk with you about your research. Stop by our booth to set up a free Research Like a Pro consultation. Just stop by the booth when you have 10-15 minutes to chat. Tell us about a research problem you have been trying to solve. Together we will create a focused and answerable research objective to guide your research. We’ll help you get started with locality research and research planning using our research project template.
For an effective consultation, we encourage you to come at a time when the expo hall is less busy, i.e. not during lunch or breaks. But if you do come at that time, we will do our best! You can also set up a time to come back later.
Cheat Sheets
Here are some of our popular freebies available to download:
U.S. Census Records Cheat Sheet
U.S. Federal Census Tables Template
Sample DNA Citations Cheat Sheet
Class Materials
Accreditation: What, Why, and How by Diana Elder, AG, Jenny Hansen, AG, and Lisa Stokes, AG
Wednesday and Friday at 8am
Click here to download the presentation slides PDF file: Accrediation: What, Why, and How
Have you considered going through the Accreditation process to earn a professional genealogy credential? What does the process entail? Why would you want to explore this endeavor? How can you get started? We’ll satisfy your curiosity in this fast paced and fun overview of Accreditation through the International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists (ICAPGen).
Engaging the Whole Family in Telling Your Family Story by Nicole Dyer, Jana Greenhalgh, and Olivia Jewell
Thursday and Saturday at 8am
Click here to download the presentation slides PDF file: Engaging the Family in Telling Your Family Stories
Let’s get creative–instead of just telling the stories ourselves, we’ll explore modern tools that will make it fun to engage family members of all ages in the process of gathering and telling your family story. If you’ve felt the nag to get your family more involved, this is a can’t-miss class. Learn from 3 busy moms who know what it means to get family involved.
Track Your Family with a Timeline by Diana Elder, AG
Thursday at 1:30pm
Click here to download the presentation slides PDF file: Track your family with a timeline
Discover the value of putting your ancestor’s life events into a timeline. Tracking their movements and actions can give you clarity on what you already know and help you find new places to search for records they left behind. Learn to assess and evaluate the records and discover clues for new research avenues.
Timeline Analysis Spreadsheet and Sample
Above is a link to a google document. You need a google account to use this. When you click the link, you will be asked if you want to copy the template to your own Google Drive. “make a copy.”
If you prefer to download the excel file instead, click here: Timeline Analysis xlsx file.
Research Plans, Source Citations, and Research Logs, Oh My! by Diana Elder, AG
Friday at 1:30pm
Click here to download the presentation slides PDF file: Research Plans, Source Citations, and Research Logs, Oh My!
Could your research process benefit from more organization? What research techniques do you need to improve to become a better genealogist? Learn key skills of research planning, quick source citation creation, and using a research log to its fullest. Walk away with proven methods to help you become a better researcher and prepare for Accreditation testing and the Level 1 Four-Generation project.
Research Log Sample and Template
Above is a link to a google document. You need a google account to use this. When you click the link, you will be asked if you want to copy the template to your own Google Drive. “make a copy.”
If you prefer to download the excel file instead, click here: Research Log xlsx file.
Healing & Family History-The Emotional Side of DNA by Robin Wirthlin
Saturday at 1:30pm
Echoes of the past come alive through Family History and DNA research. Connecting with living relatives and learning the stories can help heal broken families and connect estranged and unknown family members. The journey of discovery has hills and valleys, especially when working with living relatives. Learn ways to navigate the challenges and overcome them.
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.
Research Like a Pro with DNA Study Group
We offer Research Like a Pro Study Groups twice a year – RLP in the spring and RLP with DNA in the fall. We are excited to offer this study group again which focuses on incorporating DNA evidence into our genealogy research.
The Research Like a Pro with DNA Study Group will focus on using autosomal DNA in your genealogical research. One of the prerequisites for the study group is to have access to your autosomal DNA test results. (See the prerequisite section below). You may also wish to include evidence from Y-DNA and Mitochondrial DNA tests in your research project, but these tests are not required for the study group.
The study group will last for 10 weeks, beginning in September. Each session will be 90 minutes long. Registration opens in August.
Click here for more information: Research Like a Pro with DNA Study Group.
Join our email list for updates: Study Group Email List.