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 end of the article. What is a Research Log? Simply put, a research log is a record of what you are looking for, where you looked, and what you found. In the research process, notice that research logs come into play after creating your objective,...
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 research log in our workflow. Diana is going to talk about how she never feels like she's really doing research until she has her research log open and is recording her search results. We discuss the headings used in research logs and how to fill...
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 is the next step in your journey to research like a pro. The terms "research logs" and "source citations" might seem overwhelming but you'll be glad to know that it's not hard to keep a research log that has good source citations attached. In fact,...
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 your research skills and journey in finding your family. To read more about the process, check out my book, Research Like a Pro: A Genealogist's Guide. In Researching Like a Pro, Part 1, your task was to analyze your pedigree then formulate a research objective. Your...
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 tips with you. Tip #1 Locate and look at the original image FamilySearch has billions of indexed records. Many of those have an attached image, but not all. What to do when you run across the dreaded " no available image?" What that means is...
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). Their website details information about the accreditation process. Here are some highlights: -Credentials are awarded on a regional basis which allows the applicant to demonstrate their depth of knowledge of the key records, history, geography, and language of the region of interest in measurable ways. -Each applicant is required to...
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 some order into your research? Try formulating an objective and watch your efforts come into focus. I recently started my Accreditation Study group with ICAPGen and my latest assignment was to craft an objective for my Four- generation Project. I readily admit that until lately I...
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 to keep my daily research to 30 minutes. Along the way, I've learned a few things for making the most of my time. Here's some tips if you also are researching in small increments of time: Research Log Keep notes in a cloud based research...
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! Family History work has come a long way in the last twelve years. When I first started research in 2003, I kept all of my documents in paper file folders, my family tree on PAF (Personal Ancestral File)...
