Reviews

Best combination of online, homework, and in-person

I’ve taken other online genealogy courses, this was by far the best combination of online, homework and in-person. I really enjoyed the discussions of each topic, the interaction between Diane, Nicole and the other class members was really helpful. I will definitely continue to use the Research Like A Pro process to work on those brick walls! This class was well worth the money. – Lisa Fair, January 2019

Designed to support learning

Even though I’ve been researching for 20+ years, this class greatly improved my skill and knowledge of the research process. Diana has created a process that is well organized and designed to support learning. I am hoping by using the process I can slow down and improve the quality of my research and make it more enjoyable. All of her tools/templates are easy to use. Each session is full of useful information. Every researcher should take this class! – Jan Wilson, December 2018

No longer fearful of source citations

Research Like A Pro Study Group was an amazing experience. It helps you better organize yourself and expands your knowledge of how to research. Diana’s approach is well organized and easy to understand. Her examples are easy to follow. She walks you through the steps in the RLP book. I am no longer fearful of source citations, research logs and analyzing information. Anyone who wants to move forward from searching for ancestors to RESEARCHING ancestors, this is the course for you! – Ruth Campbell, December 2018

Small class size

The instructor and small class size make learning easy. I took this course to brush up on my report writing skills. Diana and Nicole are very encouraging I felt like a weight being lifted off my shoulders- that would be the weight of self doubt. I feel much more assured of myself and my skills. Diana shares her research techniques and thought processes. She provides wonderful examples that are easy to follow along. Her lessons and reading assignments provide guidance to make researching faster and easier. I enjoyed seeing the assignments of others taking the class. It was interesting to see what they were researching, how they were researching, and what their outcome was at the end of the class. Diana and Nicole make an outstanding team and I would recommend taking the class to anyone who wishes to better their research and writing skills. – Amy Urman, March 2018

Helps you stay on track

I really enjoyed this class. I learned the value of timeline analysis, research planning, and research planning. I liked researching with a plan, and I successfully met my research objective. I enjoyed sharing ideas about research with Diana, Nicole, & other group participants. I took the study group while planning a wedding and I felt very satisfied that I was able to continue working on my research during a very busy time of life. I highly recommend this class to anyone. – Melody Daisson, March 2018

Excellent value

Research Like A Pro was an excellent value for money. It provided the opportunity to focus on a particular research objective, then approach that objective in a logical useful manner, leaving no stone unturned. The course is an antidote to haphazard searching and, if practiced, will certainly help researchers either break down difficult genealogical problems or let them know that they have done all they can by having conducted an exhaustive search and examined many resources. The hangouts were an interesting part of the process because they allowed the group to establish connections face-to-face. The whole study group was well organized and thought out and it provided a process that I will continue to use. Thank you, Diana. – Barbara Schenck, March 2018

Jumping in as a novice

Even though I’d considered myself a novice at the research component of family history, I jumped in! ( My experience was mostly with Family Search & Ancestry). The information is presented in a clear & understandable format, with plenty of examples & opportunities to ask questions as I worked on assignments. I loved learning from other members of our group. My knowledge and desire to continue have grown far beyond expectations. I’m excited to review and put into practice all the best practices that were shared during this study group. – Nancy Brown, December 2017

Become more efficient

This was one of the best investments I’ve ever made. I came to the class with two goals: to learn more about online resources and to become more efficient at family history research. The information and guidance presented exceeded my expectations. Each class was structured in a logical order and presented in easy to digest pieces. The assignments gave us practical experience in applying the theories and strategies presented. Diana was generous in sharing her knowledge and constructive and positive with her feedback on our assignments. My only regret is that I didn’t take this class sooner! – Nancy Malvin, December 2017

Write up  your research

I wanted to be more efficient in writing up my research but not willing at this point to take a longer course. When you read Diana’s blog you will see the quality of her writing and she is a great teacher too. I’ve learned more than I realized and going forward I have a process to help me research and write up my findings. The class is fun and you learn a lot. – Mary Beth Mueller, December 2017

Organized research process

I highly recommend the Research Like a Pro Study Group to anyone who wants to develop or to improve an organized research process. We come away from each session with homework assignments relevant to our own research project. Diana provides real-life examples of the work she asks of us and we are expected to provide feedback to other members of the study group. Seeing how others interpret the assignments to fit their research projects is extremely valuable. I must admit that I was not excited about doing one or two of the assignments, but when I finished them I saw how valuable that step was to the successful completion of my project. This class is well worth the time and effort, and you will be amazed at the progress you will make on your personal research project at the end. – Sherri Hessick, December 2017

Solve family mysteries

I solved a long-standing family mystery using the research methods Diana provided. I certainly became a research log enthusiast when I saw how much using the log helped me with this solution. Each lesson demonstrated how much more efficient and effective my research could be, and I would recommend this class to anyone who seriously wants to improve their skills. I have been doing genealogy for over 20 years, but this class helped me on to a new level. – Rondie Yancey, December 2017

Enlightening collaboration

As a participant in the first Research Like a Pro study group, I learned much about the research process. The assignments were meaningful and guided me to learn new skills. I found the collaboration with other study group members enlightening, both in their feedback, but also in seeing how they approached the same assignment, often with different results. Diana and Nicole were very interested in each individual and their project, and offered insightful and helpful suggestions. I would recommend this class to anyone who is a “newbee” or “seasoned” researcher — there is something to be learned by all! – Peggy Sorrell, November 2017

Learn to use a research log

I just completed my Research Like A Pro group session and I would highly recommend it to anyone who has a project that needs to be tackled. It would have taken me a long time to get around to completing my project had it not been for the group experience with Diana and Nicole. I learned how to define my objective and work on it regularly, where to look for sources, the value of locality searches, and to effectively use my time by implementing a research log. (I’m now a research log convert!) When I had questions, Diana was there for clarification. Collaborating with others in the group was amazing, and helped me see there are many ways to approach an objective. By having homework assignments, I immediately put into practice the skills I learned; learning by doing works for me. Thanks Diana and Nicole for this valuable experience. One of my greatest personal discoveries is I can do things I felt I didn’t have the skill level to do. – Kaye Shelley, November 2017