Fast Accurate Research Tips
Compiled 5/27/2014 Rev4.5 Van Celaya
FastAccurateResearch@gmail.com
Riverton FamilySearch Library
FamilySearch.org - START
• Start with Elder Moon's training site (to improve proficiency with Family Tree): http://broadcast.lds.org/elearning/fhd/Community/en/FamilyTreeCurriculum/level01/levelone.html
Pandora’s Hope Chest – Find GREEN arrows quickly
• Open Chrome – go to https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/pandoras-hope-chest/gjneklbanpnnjdeddbnkkgeljkhpblhp?hl=en
• Click on “+ Free” and follow prompts to add to Chrome
• Log into FamilySearch, then click on “Tree” – there is a tutorial near the top of the tree, with new icons
• Follow the instructions to find “ancestors” AND “descendants of those ancestors” with work to be done
Puzzilla.org - GREAT
• Ancestry and Descendancy – the first page starts with you
• Click any ancestor - the next page will show all of their descendants “that are currently listed in FamilySearch” (many are missing that you need to find)
• Use puzzilla to find dead ends, errors and to find missing ordinances (use in conjunction with each person's page in “FamilyTree,” with RootsMapper.com, and with CreateFan.com)
RootsMapper.com - GREAT
• Locations will help “see” where your ancestors lived or died
• Select several generations - RootsMapper will download from FamilySearch ancestor's “locations,” and display them with links on the World Map.
• To display single lines, and not all of them, here are the instructions: “http://blog.rootsmapper.com/2013/10/feature-focus-expand-parents.html”
CreateFan.com - GREAT
• Print out your own FanChart in color ($ 0.60 or with lamination will cost $1.60)
• NEW *** Use “Source Tracker” for Census, and “Name Cloud” (for fun)
• Use in conjunction with Puzzilla and Rootsmapper AND as a “search log”
• Give as a gift - give family and friends a copy of their (or your) FanChart as a gift
• Laminate FanChart (or any fragile or special documents)
Free-OCR.com – For PDF and Other Picture Documents
• Can convert a PDF (or other “picture document”) into a searchable text, so you can copy it, and save it
SortedByName.com – Search Social Security Numbers
• Follow the instructions, because it is complicated - it will take you 3 to 5 screens in order to get to the names you want
SearchEngineColossus.com
• International Directory of Search Engines by Country
GenealogyInTime.com – GREAT RESEARCH
• Stories, Books, Newspapers, Genealogy links - great place to start research
• Use both (1) Individual, and (2) Family Genealogy searches (Located on left side of page)
• Rare Book Search will take you to “google books” (free) or archives.com (pay site)
TinEye.com- UPDATE – USE http://google.com/images
• Search on a “picture” One of the first places to look – but you will need to scan a picture in order to upload it into TinEye.com
• If anyone is using that same picture on the internet, you will be given the internet locations
MillionShort.com – GREAT RESEARCH
• Many “personal” websites are too obscure to show up in a normal search
• You can eliminate millions of sites using this and find the little know websites you might need
Advanced Google Searches – EXTREMELY Good Help
(you might need to type “http://www.google.com” to see advanced options, bottom right of the google page under settings, and then click on “advanced search”)
• quotes = “ “
• range = .. (two periods between a range of items, for example 1800..1850)
• tilde = ~ (it is on the left of the one key on the keyboard)
• asterisk = * (global character)
• site = site: (type the website after the colon, and you can't have any spaces)
• country servers = in google search type google, then a space, and then the name of the country – then you will be in the “google server for that specific country”
• images = from the google.com page (facial recognition software)
• books = from the google drop down (you can find books relating to your search)
• delimiters = AND, NOT, OR, +, -, INURL, INTITLE (many more = here is just one site that shows delimiters = “http://www.googleguide.com/advanced_operators_reference.html” )
• google “extensions” – like “snip tool,”
SearchForAncestors.com
• Search for your ancestors using this interactive directory of free genealogy search engines
• On Main Page Click on Google Searcher to learn how to use Advanced Google Searches above
BabyNameWizard.com for Indexing
• Use for both: Indexing – displays variations of unusual or difficult to recognize names – and -- Research - helps with unrecognized names.
• Under the tab “BasicName Tools” you can use “Name Voyager” - If you can only decipher part of the name, use this to find different possibilities for that partial name – and -- “NameMapper” - If you need to find if a name reoccurs often, you could use this
Newspapers.com
• Select Browse at the top of the page – put in a name and chose advanced search (date range, state, etc)
(please send any corrections or additions to “FastAccurateResearch@gmail.com” and they will be included in the next revision)
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