Research planning – Family Locket

Revisiting the Father of Cynthia (Dillard) Royston: Part 4 Research Planning

Oct 26, 2025

An important step in our research is to make a plan. Rather than haphazardly clicking on record sets in various websites, we can think through our research objective and what we know about the family and locality, then plan searches in specific record sets. For this part of the Research Like a Pro process, we have several steps that help solidify what we know and prioritize the research. Previous posts in this series are: Revisiting...

How to Prepare for an Onsite Genealogy Research Trip

Jul 18, 2025

Ever had an unsuccessful research trip where you spent time and money traveling to a facility, only to leave feeling frustrated and empty-handed? This is the first full post in our Onsite Research series (introduced here), where we’re diving into how to prepare for an onsite research trip and the essential research planning that should be done in advance. The good news is that with proper preparation, you can avoid those disappointing experiences and make...

RLP 363: A Day at the Chamber County Courthouse: Tips for Success

Jun 23, 2025

This podcast episode discusses visiting county courthouses for genealogical research. Diana shares her experience at the Chambers County Courthouse in Alabama, where she researched her ancestor, Thomas Beverly Royston. She explains the importance of preparing a research plan before visiting, including creating a timeline and identifying potential records. She also mentions learning about what records are available beforehand, either online or by contacting the courthouse. Diana describes the process of researching at the courthouse, such...

RLP 326: Using AI with Research Planning

Oct 7, 2024

In this episode of the Research Like a Pro Genealogy podcast, Nicole and Diana discuss the importance of research planning in genealogy and how AI tools can be used to assist in this process. They emphasize that a thorough research plan helps genealogists stay focused on their objectives, pick up where they left off if their work is interrupted, and approach problems systematically. The hosts break down the elements of a research plan, which include...

Using AI in Research Planning: Isabella Weatherford Project Part 4

Sep 1, 2024

As genealogists, we often get excited about diving into records and searching for clues about our ancestors. However, taking the time to create a solid research plan can make our efforts much more productive. In this post, we’ll explore the elements of effective research planning and how artificial intelligence (AI) tools can assist in the process. Why Research Planning Matters Research planning helps us: Stay focused on our research objective Pick up where we left...

RLP 227: Finding a Female’s Father: Locality Research and Planning

Nov 14, 2022

Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about Diana’s Clemsy Cline project. She researched three counties and made locality guides to help with research planning. Then she prioritized which collections to search. Transcript Nicole (1s): This is Research Like a Pro episode 227 Finding A Female’s Father, Locality Research, and Research Planning. Welcome to Research Like a Pro a Genealogy Podcast about taking your research to the next level, hosted by Nicole Dyer and...

RLP 187: Revisiting Research Planning Again

Feb 7, 2022

Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about creating a research plan. This is a replay of episode 116, with commentary at the beginning and end. We discuss Diana’s plan to research Nancy Briscoe’s early life and the historical context of the time period. Join us as we discuss how to make an effective research plan and share Diana’s example. We also discuss research planning and client work. Transcript Nicole (1s): This is episode...

RLP 177: RLPDNA Study Group 6 – Research Planning

Nov 29, 2021

Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about Diana’s Dillard project. For the RLP with DNA study group, she is exploring the possibility that a cluster of DNA matches from her second cousin’s network graph are related through Cynthia Dillard’s parents. The MRCA of the cluster appears to be Elijah Dillard. In this assignment, Diana made a research plan. First, she created a summary of known facts about Elijah Dillard. Her goal for this...

RLP with DNA Study Group Part 6: Research Planning

Nov 5, 2021

When it’s time to start researching, do you jump right in and start hopping from website to website? Or do you first create a plan, then follow that plan and log your research? If you’ve never created a research plan, you will be pleasantly surprised at how beneficial and satisfying it can be. When adding DNA to the mix, we need to put even more thought into our research plans. DNA tools and methodologies...

RLP 161: RLP with DNA eCourse Part 4

Aug 9, 2021

Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is another interview with Research Like a Pro with DNA eCourse member, Allison Kotter. In this series, Allison shares her experience studying each lesson in the course and how she has applied the lessons to her own family. This episode covers the assignments for lessons 7 and 8 in the course. Allison tells about creating a research plan that includes both DNA and documentary sources. She also talks...