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Research Compass Description (view source)
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A Family History Research Compass | = A Family History Research Compass = | ||
by David Earl Perry, PhD | |||
<br>Family history research does not need to be an uncertain trek through forests of library shelves. Guidance is available, and that guidance can be prioritized and digitally available right on your own computer. Imagine a “research consultant” right at your elbow, coaching you to take the next step, and then the next. How much easier that would be! Basically, this would be a research compass directing you to the records of highest priority, and then making it possible to log your findings at the same time. I call it a “strategic research log.” But a compass is not sufficient if it only gets you to the destination—it must also get you back home, and then guide you on several return trips. That is where computerized linking is essential. | |||
<br>A Total Research Compass<br> | <br>As researchers wade through mountains of paper, or large numbers of computer files, an organizing system becomes urgently important. All of this can be on the computer in one integrated system and be easily accessed. Using computers implement document linking technology wisely is like following a compass over a mountain trail full of twists and turns, eventually arriving safely at our destination and then returning. This makes it possible for us to do family history research in a paperless manner, creating links between electronic copies of text and image sources, a research log, an analysis table, and our choice of records management software. | ||
== <br>A Total Research Compass == | |||
Automating family history processes can improve effectiveness. Choosing first to create all of my research materials in digital format, I next decided to organize them in a simple structure, like the points of a compass. The four cardinal points of this research compass include:<br> | |||
* 1. Training (learning from materials that help in research, and then filing for easy retrieval); | |||
* 2. Research (prioritizing sources, finding, logging, documenting, analyzing, and reporting); | |||
* 3. Temple work records; and | |||
* 4. Family records preservation (files from a records manager, photos, audio recordings, videos, etc.). | |||
The following description of the research compass shows how to build menus to organize documents, strategic research logs as reminders of important sources to search, and hyperlinks to retrieve key documents quickly. It then transfers the data to an analysis document to facilitate making good research decisions. The final output is to a records manager, where family group sheets, pedigree charts, and other reports can be created. A<br>key principle is to keep all documents linked together for data verification and updating. | |||
<br>This illustration displays the relationships of these elements.<br>Notice that a hyperlink audit trail exists from beginning to end, from the sources clear<br>through to the records management software. That software ideally needs to allow OLE<br>(Object Linking or Embedding) so that the research log and analysis table can be opened<br>from within it, using the native software in which they were created. For example, if the<br>log and the table were designed in Microsoft Word, we should be able to create an OLE<br>link to these from the records management program. This allows us to update the log and<br>table while involved in updating family group sheets and pedigree charts. Although the<br>log and table do not automatically populate fields in the records manager, they are close<br>at hand and will be less likely to be forgotten in the update cycle. | |||
== <br>Building Menus == | |||
<br>First in importance in family history research is coming to an understanding of the<br>sequence of tasks involved. As we get the training we need in a specific area of research,<br>for example U.S. southern states, the lesson manuals, handouts, copies of Internet sites,<br>and other things can be saved digitally in an organized manner. Observe the structure I<br>used in studying research for England:<br>This page in a word processor was created using simple hyperlinks. Clicking on them<br>takes me to other documents, such as the files of class notes, a list of forms, or copies<br>from Internet sites. An important link goes to Research Strategy & Sources, where I<br>placed templates of documents that can be used in specific family research projects. The<br>first of these is the Strategic Research Log. | |||
== <br>Strategic Research Log == | |||
<br>We can easily forget other things, such as searching in certain types of sources. The<br>sample Strategic Research Log shown below was adapted from a typical research log. It<br>contains a prioritized list of sources in expandable mini-tables (the only one shown here<br>being Birth Certificate) that we do not want to forget for the particular period shown<br>(England―1837 to Present). It is sorted in priority order based on the birth column.<br>Note that the marriage column and the death column also have priority numbers. In other<br>words, certain sources are important for birth data but may be of lesser importance for<br>getting marriage or death data, and vice versa. The full log contains, in sequence after<br>Birth Certificate, other mini-tables reminding us to search marriage certificates, death<br>certificates, census records, church records, family histories, military records, on through<br>a total of twenty-two prioritized sources.<br>A sample appears here, showing how to fill in the data:<br>After entering the date of research, I copy electronically the entry from the Family<br>History Library Catalog for a specific source, pasting the data in the “Source” field of the<br>table. I then make my comments in the column to the right, indicating by color code<br>(yellow) if something is especially good, or pink for something needing yet to be done.<br>In the far right column I enter the key data elements discovered and create a hyperlink<br>from these to the electronic files that have either an image or a text extract. These files<br>are stored in the computer under the “Documents” folder, as shown in this example of a<br>file structure for a one-person case study. | |||
== <br>Research Analysis Table == | |||
<br>The next logical step after gathering all and sundry data available is to analyze it. Careful<br>analysis is necessary to avoid making mistakes in conclusions. In order to transfer data<br>as simply as possible, without errors, I copy it from the Strategic Research Log to a form<br>that is similar in design, but simpler because it is condensed to the conclusion stage—the<br>Research Analysis Table. Here is an example of how I would use this form, having<br>copied the data from the Strategic Research Log:<br>From among over thirty sources that I searched and logged, I copied only the pertinent<br>data to this form. If, for example, I had found two other possible candidates for my<br>ancestor Jane Beck, I would have listed them also and then given appropriate comments<br>to discuss the issues and possible resolution. As it was, the other sources yielded either<br>unimportant data or none at all.<br>This file is now ready to be linked as an OLE file in my records manager.<br> | |||
== Temple Work Files == | |||
<br>After submitting names for ordinance work in the temples, I like to keep a log of the<br>transaction. Obviously this goes from New FamilySearch back into my records manager,<br>but it is also good (I believe) to keep a record of names submitted. This can provide a<br>means of double-checking on progress as well as sharing with other family members.<br>The following simple form is a means of recording such temple work: | |||
== <br>Records Manager Software == | |||
<br>At this point, the Research Compass points to the Family records that I have saved in<br>folders on my computer. These include research logs, images scanned, text documents,<br>research files for each person’s case study, and the files stored by my records manager<br>software. The file structure is set up as indicated above. In that software, it is important<br>to set OLE hyperlinks that connect to the files.<br>As mentioned at the beginning, the concept of a paperless research method is to have a<br>continuous link or audit trail from beginning to end. The records manager becomes<br>extremely important in focusing on the research efforts for each person. | |||
== <br>Conclusion == | |||
<br>A major key to productive family history research is to become organized in advance of<br>launching a research project, however small. Digital computers make it possible to do<br>this in a superb way. Careful backups and regular printouts of key documents are also<br>necessary to preserve these vital records. Digital files can be shared more readily,<br>however, particularly by posting them on the Internet. Family members can then benefit<br>from your provident organization efforts.<br>Anyone interested in developing a menu system such as I did for England research, with<br>prioritized search strategies, could do it for another country or an area of the United<br>States. The prioritized lists of sources for other countries are available at FamilySearch.org under "Research Guidance." | |||
I hope this will stimulate interest in digital linking and organization, for it has<br>been very beneficial to me in my research.<br> | |||