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Solving Tough Research Problems—Overcoming Brick Walls (view source)
Revision as of 16:04, 20 December 2007
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These methods may not be needed for every problem, but often help solve tougher research questions. | These methods may not be needed for every problem, but often help solve tougher research questions. | ||
=== Force | === | ||
=== Force your === | |||
=== === | |||
brain to think about the problem in new ways. === | |||
14. '''''Draw a time line''''' showing EVERY documented event in John Doe’s life. Include schooling, wars, censuses, births-marriages-deaths of relatives, emigration, everything! Then work to fill in the blanks. | 14. '''''Draw a time line''''' showing EVERY documented event in John Doe’s life. Include schooling, wars, censuses, births-marriages-deaths of relatives, emigration, everything! Then work to fill in the blanks. | ||
15. '''''Organize, review, and evaluate the evidence.''''' | 15. '''''Organize, review, and evaluate the evidence.''''' Summarize the problem. Rearrange relevant sources in a different logical order. Review old sources for overlooked clues. Separate what you assume from what you know. Sort and weigh the evidence. Analyze information for relevance, directness of the evidence, believability of the source, likelihood of the event, transcription errors, accuracy of data, and consistency with other facts. Write a formal research report to clarify your thinking. Write why you searched where you did, what you found or did not find, what that means, construct a [[Cite Your Sources (Source Footnotes)|well-documented]] family group record, and list what should be searched next, why, how long that will take, and the likelihood of success. | ||
16. '''''Use forms to create new brain connections and raise questions.''''' Create in-out lists to help track each piece of family land. Compare changes in census answers over the years. Ask questions beyond the detail that is obvious. Suggested forms: Holes to fill in a person's life, Source citations that need completing, Facts that need better evidence, Facts that seem questionable, Ancestral associates and their roles.<sup>12</sup> | 16. '''''Use forms to create new brain connections and raise questions.''''' Create in-out lists to help track each piece of family land. Compare changes in census answers over the years. Ask questions beyond the detail that is obvious. Suggested forms: Holes to fill in a person's life, Source citations that need completing, Facts that need better evidence, Facts that seem questionable, Ancestral associates and their roles.<sup>12</sup> | ||