1: Get Organized
2: Learn the Basics
3: Form a Strategy
4: Search Ancestry Records (AN)
5: Search Collections (AN)
6: Analyze Search Results (AN)
7: Develop Search Skills
8: Solve Problems
9: Family History Trip
10: Descendants
11: Reading Handwriting
Translation Tips
Music
Project 4: Research
Goal 3: Forming a Strategy
Goal 3: Form solid strategies to research your selected lines. Vault
A good research strategy will help you get more research done in less time. It will also help you know when to spend more time on a line and when to move on to the next one.
Note : If you have not done so already, you may want to review the Genealogical Proof Standard in Project 1 (scroll down) to learn its basic principles.
(3:17)
Choices
ALearn how to create and use research strategies.
Class Outlines: Basic | Intermediate
Summary
- Genealogy standards include "HOLA": Honesty with the data, Openness to other possibilities, Logical conclusions, Attribution to proper sources.
- "SPDLA" = Short list of objectives; Process & evaluate the information you find; Don't fixate on finding a certain detail; Don't limit the record types you search; Attach notes to individuals in your tree (FamilySearch, Ancestry, etc.).
- Learn the basic concepts of research strategy.
FS Wiki—Principles of Family History Research
LDS—Focusing Your Research - Use the WANDER approach to research, as explained by Amy Johnson Crow.
AJC—The Genealogy Research Process: The WANDER Method - 2020
APL—Finding Ancestors Without Going in Circles: The WANDER Research Method—53:24 - 2022
- Use time-saving tips from these articles to make your research more efficient.
GC—Time-Saving Tips for Genealogists
GC—What You Can Do in Two Days - Read this article to learn how to avoid common mistakes in your research approach. For more ideas see, Goal 7 in Project 4: Discover.
FS Wiki—Rookie Mistakes - Learn about the art of estimating ("guessing") in your preliminary research.
FS—How to Guess Where to Start - Study the strategies for research in these articles.
FS Wiki—A Guide to Research
FL—How To Research in 30 Minutes a Day: Research Like a Pro 14-Day Mini Challenge - 2022 - Learn how to think more like a genealogist.
BYU—Training Your Mind to Think Like a Genealogist—51:35 - 2024
- Explore the FamilySearch Community to read or post questions about research.
- * Good: Write down three strategies from this Choice and decide how you can apply them in your research for one or more ancestors.
- * Proficient: Same as above, with 5 strategies.
BDevise a research plan to use.
Summary
- List what you know (including background info), then what you want to know, then make some best guesses.
- Start with broad goals and narrow them down to focused goals ("who are my grandparents' parents?").
- Trace one or two generations at a time; don't go back too far, too fast.
- Learn how to develop a solid research plan.
LT—5 Steps to Developing a Genealogy Research Plan
GE: How to Structure Your Research - 2022 - Create broad goals and refine them into specific goals, as shown in this video.
AC—Crafting a Research Plan—23:49 - 2012
- Learn more about creating effective genealogy goals.
LT—How To Set a Genealogy Research Goal
HD—How To Elevate Your Genealogy Research With Goal Setting - 2024 - Here is a sample research plan template to use.
Cyndi's Intermediate Research Plan Template - Here are additional tips on building a research plan.
FS—Building a Research Plan—6:03 - 2018
FS—A Research Plan in Action—8:09 - 2018 - Develop a research plan in 6 steps. PR—How To Develop a Genealogy Research Plan in 6 Easy Steps
- * Good: Create a research plan for one of your ancestors.
- * Proficient: Create a research plan for two of your ancestors.
C Take advantage of previous research.
The strategies in this Choice will help you when you search genealogy collections in Goal 4.
Summary- Learn what other research has been done by asking relatives, checking various databases, or locating family histories and genealogies.
- Copy and analyze what was previously found.
- Not all previous research is accurate. Locations, dates, and even names can be mistakenly recorded. Ask questions as you analyze previous research.
- Try the strategies in this FamilySearch Wiki document. Note : This document is titled as a United States article, but it applies well to research in any country.
FS—United States Previous Research - Learn how to find your ancestors in various family trees.
FS—Finding Your Ancestors in Others’ Family Trees, Part 1—12:49 - 2021
- Learn more about using previous research in these articles.
GC—Previous Research in Families
GC—Finding and Using Published Genealogies - Learn how to check information in online trees for accuracy.
RT—5 Steps for Fact-Checking Online Trees—10:22 - 2024
Inherited Genealogies
- Here are some steps to take when you receive family history research documents from others.
FHD—The Simple Steps to Take When You Inherit Family History Research - Learn how to use and evaluate published or inherited genealogies.
AA—Using and Evaluating Published Genealogies—60:31 - 2019
- Learn how to handle inherited genealogy materials.
CR—With to Do with Family History You've Inherited—10:26 - 2022
- Learn to examine inherited pedigrees carefully for possible problems.
LDS—Examine Inherited Pedigrees Carefully - Learn about next steps to take with inherited genealogies.
AA—How to Progress from Inherited Research—63:00 - 2022
- Explore the Genealogies feature in FamilySearch for online genealogies.
Exercise
- * Proficient: Write down 5 key learnings from the resources in this Choice.
D Use the family memories you have collected as sources for research.
- Gather and summarize notes from interviews for clues on family research.
- Examine photos—either those in your possession or those that have been uploaded to your family history site for research clues.
- Examine documents such as letters, wills, diaries, etc.—either those in your possession or those that have been uploaded—for research clues. See Goal 7 in Project 2: Memories for details.
Ancestor Diaries
- Learn about the history of ancestor diaries.
AF—The History of Diaries: Did Your Ancestor Keep One? - 2016 - Get tips on where to search for ancestor writings.
Genealogy: Where to search for your ancestors' writings - 2013
E Study surnames and naming patterns to get clues for your research.
Vault Summary
- Surname research can help find bibliographies, pedigrees, or published family histories.
- Surnames began to be used in Europe around 1000 AD and came from locations, occupations, or descriptions.
- Some cultures use the same given names over and over when naming children. Sometimes surnames are used as a child's middle name.
- Nicknames are very common and must be considered when researching an individual.
- U.S. immigrants were sometimes recorded with Americanized forms of their names.
- The Geneanet and Linkpendium websites can be valuable tools for surname research.
- Read these articles for tips on working with names and naming patterns.
GC—Importance of Names and Naming Patterns
FHD—Finding the Hidden Clues in First Names: A Starter Guide - Learn about tracing surnames in these articles.
TH—Last Name Meanings and Origins
HD—How To Solve Your Genealogy Brick Wall With Surname Research - Read this document to learn more about surname origins. There are many sub-articles, some dealing with international names.
TH—Surname Meanings and Origins - 2018 - Learn about surname research in this article from the Society of Genealogists.
Surname Searching at the SOG - Learn about the Geneanet site in this video. You can Search Geneanet.org to find your surnames of interest.
Geneanet Tutorial—3:04 - 2016
- Investigate single names at the Guild of One-Name Studies site. Watch this video for more information.
FHF—Should You Do a One-Name Genealogy Study?—14:30 - 2019
- Explore surname research in the right column of the Linkpendium site.
- To learn more about meanings and origins of surnames, use the Surname Search screen in FamilySearch.
- * Good: Write down 3 key learnings from this Choice; then explore surname research for an ancestral line.
- * Proficient: Write down 5 key learnings from this Choice; then explore surname research for two ancestral lines.