73,385
edits
limit scope of decision
(add Using a Research Log) |
(limit scope of decision) |
||
| Line 3: | Line 3: | ||
'''Step 2: Decide what you want to learn.''' | '''Step 2: Decide what you want to learn.''' | ||
Nothing is more important to the research process than deciding what you want to learn. Most researchers have a final destination in mind even before they begin research. This is your ''research quest''. However, to achieve your quest, you should divide it into several achievable ''goals''. Goals are achieved by dividing them into specific research objectives and then accomplishing each objective in turn. A ''research objective'' is a specific piece of information about one person. See the examples in the following box. | Nothing is more important to the research process than deciding what you want to learn. What you want to accomplish may vary, but usually, building up to it with well-documented research will help. It is not practical to thoroughly document <u>all</u> information on <u>all</u> of your lines by yourself. So thoughtfully select a few families of greatest interest to you. Do the genealogical research on those families and do it really well. Have faith that in time someone else will research the families you could not, and join their work with yours through programs like New FamilySearch. | ||
Most researchers have a final destination in mind even before they begin research. This is your ''research quest''. However, to achieve your quest, you should divide it into several achievable ''goals''. Goals are achieved by dividing them into specific research objectives and then accomplishing each objective in turn. A ''research objective'' is a specific piece of information about one person. See the examples in the following box. | |||
{| width="720" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" border="1" align="center" style="" | {| width="720" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" border="1" align="center" style="" | ||
| Line 28: | Line 30: | ||
|} | |} | ||
A single, clearly defined research objective will— | A single, clearly defined research objective will— | ||
* Focus your efforts, one step at a time, on a single task (such as a name, event date, event place, relationship, etc.) | * Focus your efforts, one step at a time, on a single task (such as a name, event date, event place, relationship, etc.) | ||
| Line 39: | Line 41: | ||
At the end of this step you should have a research log that includes— | At the end of this step you should have a research log that includes— | ||
* | * The name of a person you want to research. | ||
* What you want to find (the objective.) | * What you want to find (the objective.) | ||
* If appropriate, the approximate time and place of the event. | * If appropriate, the approximate time and place of the event. | ||
| Line 60: | Line 62: | ||
* '''''Notes about your strategies, analysis, discrepancies, and questions.''''' Logs should be more than just a list of sources. Make your research logs as well the journals of your genealogical thinking and ideas. | * '''''Notes about your strategies, analysis, discrepancies, and questions.''''' Logs should be more than just a list of sources. Make your research logs as well the journals of your genealogical thinking and ideas. | ||
<br> [[Select Records to Search|Next page]] | <br> [[Select Records to Search|Next page]] <!--{120769698898414} --> <!--{120769698898415} --> <!--{120769698898416} --> <!--{120769698898417} --> <!--{120769698898418} --> | ||
<!--{ | <!--{120769698898419} --> | ||