Tricks of the Trade for Effective Genealogy Research
We were all beginning our research at one point in time. Whether you have ten generations of information or just one, sometimes conducting an effective research is challenging. Throughout the years of my research, I've gotten tips and tricks that have helped me a great deal. I've even gotten tips and tricks that while useful, didn't serve the purpose I needed them to. So I've gone through my notes and figured out which ones are the best and which ones I could live without.
I hope you find them most useful!
I hope you find them most useful!
Top Tips for Great Adventurists
1. Organization: If you think that research
is all about - well research, you will be mistaken. Staying organized is the single most effective key to great research. 2. Plan your research: Set a clear goal of what you wish to accomplish and follow it through to the end. While I myself consider myself a "bouncer", being focused on a single task has it's advantages. 3. Understand your Research: When you find a document there are clues and hints to a family's life within it. If there is a town name, look it up. Read it's history. Find the historical buildings. 4. Exhaust all Resources: make a written list of everything that you might possibly need to look for for a particular person. Check them off as you go. 5. Network: In today's modern world, there are a billion websites, forums, groups and sources of information. Make sure you join at least one group that works for you and your personal needs and get a third party view of your research challenges. 6. Master the art of letter writing: Whether it's an e-mail, social media message, forum post or postal letter, learn how to write a written request that makes the person on the end WANT to help you. Sometimes, even if a source's policy is to charge for help, an effective letter will often get the responder involved in your search, offering tidbits of information or entire documents at little or no cost at all. - With that, master the art of a well written Thank You note just in case you need their help in the future. 7. Use your internet: Many times we get in the car and go to a town hall to retrieve a document just to find out that sources online already have them, and they are free. Don't jump to ordering an original copy for $15 or a microfilm on loan to your library unless you know for sure that it is the correct person. 8. Don't abandon old fashioned footwork: There comes a time in your research when you know that the file you want is just not available online, you can't mail away for it. If you can make the trip, great! If not, look for local volunteers who will quite often trek through woods, piles of dusty papers and halls of darkness to get something for someone who's requested it. If someone does this for you, I recommend a well written thank you note in Postal Mail Only, and quite possibly a small token of your appreciation such as book markers or gift cards to a book store. It doesn't have to be much, even just a thoughtful token lets that person know that you appreciate the time they took from their own research to help you. |
Organization
1. Don't completely go digital. A pen and paper come in very handy to jot a quick note between searches
2. 3 Ring Binders keep all your documents loose and handy. Place any documents that you locate in page protectors and place them in your 3 ring binder. 3. Separate your family files. However you organize your families that works for you is great. Some people love alphabetical by Last name. Some people use Generations. 4. Page protectors serve two purposes. Not only can you slide documents in or out, you can use a dry erase marker to make a note, correction or reminder. Understand Your Research
You may have just found an Orphans Court document showing the guardians of your ancestor's children. This must mean their mother is dead too. Guess again. Knowing your history, laws, and traditions will make things much easier. In some instances women couldn't have guardianship. They also often had to purchase their own items from the estate of their deceased husband. In quite a few states, women couldn't purchase land. What do you know about the items you are researching? Make sure you do your homework. History takes time to get a clear picture and genealogy is no exception to that.
Exhaust all Resources
Make the list. You might consider using the following as a guideline but there are so many more too, so keep your mind open to others.
A note about Google. Search. Use whatever terms you come up with, search repeatedly, use Google images and find sites or just website. I've found a wealth of information just by searching a town or person in Google.
Don't forget to talk to your living relatives. They know things. You might have to just drag it out of them kicking and screaming, but if you do it real sneaky like, they'll never know what hit them. :) Don't Abandon old fashioned footworkLocally, you can find places that will help you with your research. Many medium to large towns across the country now house and contain millions of records that are open to the public.
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