I was excited to present a class on research logs at RootsTech 2019. Research logs are the workhorse of my research process so I love helping others learn to use them to organize their research. Here is a synopsis of my lecture. I’m also including a PDF of my slides and my syllabus at the […]

In our podcast episode today, Diana and I discuss research logs.  You know, that dreaded spreadsheet that you should keep when you’re doing research. We will discuss a few different types of research logs, including Research Ties, spreadsheets, tables, paper logs, and the research notebook. We will also talk about how we normally use our […]

How do you keep track of the numerous websites, books, microfilms, and other sources you might consult in your genealogy research? Do you only print or save links to the sources you found? What do you do when you don’t find anything in a database? Learning to keep a research log and use source citations […]

Do you have a stack of research for a problem ancestor? The one who is hard to pin down. The one with unknown parents. How do you even get started on the brick walls in your family tree?  Join in this summer’s Research Like a Pro series and see if you can make progress in […]

How long has it been since you explored the catalog on FamilySearch to discover it’s offerings? If it’s been awhile or if you have never looked at the catalog, read on. Researching a family last week I was reminded again of some research tricks that I use to uncover the records. Today I’m sharing three of those […]

Have you considered becoming an Accredited Genealogist (AG)?  Ever wondered about the process or what you can do to start preparing?  In January 2016 I wrote about setting a goal to become an AG and it’s time for an update on my progress. Accreditation is through The International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists (ICAPGen). […]

Have you ever been sucked into the whirlpool of internet record searches and an hour or two surfaced wondering where you’ve been  and what you’ve accomplished?  It is so easy to get distracted by all the goodies that are available online: census records, birth certificates, cemetery records, and so much more.  How can you put […]

I’ve been doing the 30 minute daily research challenge for two weeks now. Some days I can barely keep my eyes open long enough to get it done (like when I don’t start until after 10pm) and other days I spend much more than 30 minutes because I get on a track of discovery. Mostly, I try […]

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 […]