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4. List the most important internet sites for U.S census indexes and images is the Research Wiki at wiki.familysearch.org under the topic [You Name It State] Census which links to: | 4. List the most important internet sites for U.S census indexes and images is the Research Wiki at wiki.familysearch.org under the topic [You Name It State] Census which links to: | ||
{{Block indent|A. Familysearch (free) [https://www.familysearch.org/ Family Search] }} | |||
{{Block indent|B. Ancestry.com (subscription) [http://www.ancestry.com/search/ http://www.ancestry.com/search/] }} | |||
{{Block indent|C. HeritageQuest (subscription) [http://www.heritagequestonline.com/hqoweb/library/do/index http://www.heritagequestonline.com/hqoweb/library/do/index]}} | |||
5. '''''Principle:''''' If your first search fails, keep trying. Try again with a different index, different spelling of the name, different search data, or different location. If necessary find your ancestor via relatives or neighbors, in previous or later censuses. | 5. '''''Principle:''''' If your first search fails, keep trying. Try again with a different index, different spelling of the name, different search data, or different location. If necessary find your ancestor via relatives or neighbors, in previous or later censuses. | ||
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#What to do when an ancestor is not in an index when they should be there | #What to do when an ancestor is not in an index when they should be there | ||
{{Block indent|A. Try a different spelling }} | |||
{{Block indent|B. Try a different index of the same source (for censuses) }} | |||
{{Block indent|C. Ignore the index and go through the source line-by-line looking for your ancestor.}} | |||
=== What I Wish Someone Had Taught Me When I First Started === | === What I Wish Someone Had Taught Me When I First Started === | ||
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1. What the end product of good genealogical research will be. | 1. What the end product of good genealogical research will be. | ||
{{Block indent|A. Well-documented family group records reaching back in time as far as possible. }} | |||
{{Block indent|B. Research logs documenting the research process used to compile the family groups. }} | |||
{{Block indent|C. Sharing your genealogy is one of the best ways to find ancestors.}} | |||
2. Expect to find ancestors names spelled in unexpected (wrong) ways. Guess variations. | 2. Expect to find ancestors names spelled in unexpected (wrong) ways. Guess variations. | ||
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3. How to guess where to start research. '''The more you know, the better you can guess.''' | 3. How to guess where to start research. '''The more you know, the better you can guess.''' | ||
{{Block indent|A. How to guess places—use the other places as a guide. }} | |||
{{Block indent|B. How to guess dates }} | |||
{{Block indent|1. Births: oldest child 1 year after parent's marriage, 2 years space between children |2}} | |||
{{Block indent|2. Marriages: 1 yr before 1st child, 25 yrs after groom's birth, 21 yrs after bride's birth |2}} | |||
{{Block indent|3. Deaths: about the same age as siblings |2}} | |||
{{Block indent|C. Look for '''one event''' at a time in '''one person’s''' life. }} | |||
{{Block indent|D. Work from the easiest-to-document event to the hardest-to-document event on a family group record. The easiest to document is the most recent event that is on the family group with a specific date, place, and source cited. Consider what is exact, partial, or missing. The hardest to document is the earliest possible event not mentioned on the family group and lacking a full date, place, or source citation (all of which you will have to guess).}} | |||
4. Thoroughly search a full nuclear family in community context<ref>Elizabeth Shown Mills, "Genealogical Mindset and Principles of Scholarship " (lecture in Course 4 Advanced Methodology, Evidence, Institute for Genealogical and Historical Research at Samford University, Birmingham, Ala., 13 June 2005).</ref> one event-person at a time | 4. Thoroughly search a full nuclear family in community context<ref>Elizabeth Shown Mills, "Genealogical Mindset and Principles of Scholarship " (lecture in Course 4 Advanced Methodology, Evidence, Institute for Genealogical and Historical Research at Samford University, Birmingham, Ala., 13 June 2005).</ref> one event-person at a time | ||
{{Block indent|A. Extract full information on people in the area with the same surname. }} | |||
{{Block indent|B. Extract full info on people by another surname living in same household. }} | |||
{{Block indent|C. Identify census neighbors, at least 12 before/after. Note who owned land. }} | |||
{{Block indent|D. If near a state or county line, study people with the same surname in nearby areas. }} | |||
{{Block indent|E. Comb the neighborhood for families with similar naming patterns, origins, or occupations.}} | |||
5. What to do when you don't find it (the event-person sought) on the first search. | 5. What to do when you don't find it (the event-person sought) on the first search. | ||
{{Block indent|A. Write "nil" on your research log. }} | |||
{{Block indent|B. Keep the same event-person as a research goal and try switching one of the following: }} | |||
{{Block indent|1. Switch spelling of the name (or skipping the index and looking page by page) |2}} | |||
{{Block indent|2. Switch record (different edition or different author) - |2}} | |||
{{Block indent|3. Switch record type (use a Record Finder to find substitutes) |2}} | |||
{{Block indent|4. Switch jurisdiction (up, down, or sideways) |2}} | |||
{{Block indent|5. Switch repository |2}} | |||
{{Block indent|6. Switch to kin and associates|2}} | |||
6. What to do when you do find it.<ref>G. David Dilts, “Research Logs: The Most Important Tool for Organizing Your Family History,” ''Genealogical Journal'' 30, no. 1 and 2 (2003): 30-13.</ref> Organize and document AS YOU GO! | 6. What to do when you do find it.<ref>G. David Dilts, “Research Logs: The Most Important Tool for Organizing Your Family History,” ''Genealogical Journal'' 30, no. 1 and 2 (2003): 30-13.</ref> Organize and document AS YOU GO! | ||
{{Block indent|A. Photocopy the new source document. }} | |||
{{Block indent|B. Identify the source (footnote information) on the front of the photocopy. }} | |||
{{Block indent|C. Write your own document filing number on the back of each photocopy. }} | |||
{{Block indent|D. Log the new document number, and summarize the events/people you found on all appropriate logs. }} | |||
{{Block indent|E. Transfer new family data from the source to appropriate family group records. (sometimes need to add a custom event in PAF). }} | |||
{{Block indent|F. Enter new source footnotes for every piece of data on a source, even if that event already has a note. }} | |||
{{Block indent|G. Add a preliminary assessment of the data and its reliability to the end of each source footnote. }} | |||
{{Block indent|H. Print the updated family group record. }} | |||
{{Block indent|I. File the new family group and photocopy.}} | |||
7. How to get a good education about genealogical research. | 7. How to get a good education about genealogical research. | ||
{{Block indent|A. The FamilySearch community is great! Wiki at}} | |||
{{Block indent|*[[African American Research#Key_Internet_Links|African_American_Research#Key_Internet_Links]] |2}} | |||
{{Block indent|*Category:Beginners at|2}} | |||
{{Block indent|B. Other reading, classes, travel to ancestral homes.}} | |||
=== Homework === | === Homework === | ||
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