Using Research Logs and other Charts to Track Your Sources

In my post from June 1, 2012, I briefly mentioned research logs and where to find them on the web. But these had to be printed and filled in by hand. Just yesterday I found an on-screen fillable and savable research log created by the folks at Brigham State University. I had seen the same form on the site of the 1997 Ancestors TV series but it was not savable. However, this site has several very useful forms for conducting research that I will discuss in this post.

One step in my preparation for an upcoming research trip to Chicago (third week of Sept, 2012) is to have a research log showing the sources that I have consulted so far and what I have discovered. The log will also show the questions that still need answers.

At the Ancestors TV site, I found a Research Questions log that serves as a lead-in to the research log. It is a brainstorming tool to help you focus on the areas you want to explore in an ancestor’s life, the questions you are seeking answers to in your search, and the possible sources that might have this information.

A third research chart that appears on the Ancestor TV site is Source Notes This chart makes it easy to document each source that you find and provides lots of space to record the information found.

You can be sure that I am going to make several copies of these forms to use in my upcoming trip to Chicago. When I locate my first source at the Newberry Library or other research site, I can pull out my Source Notes form to record the information. Use of this form will prevent me from jotting down notes on random sheets of paper. With these three forms, the researcher can achieve an organizational level that will guarantee a more successful search.

Categories: genealogy education, research terms

A Webinar for the Genealogist with New York Forebears

On May 30, 2012, Legacy Family Tree presented one of its series of free webinars: “Researching Your New York Ancestors” by ThomasMacEntee. It is available at Legacy Family Tree for free viewing until June 11, 2012.

Thomas MacEntee is well known as the host of Geneabloggers Radio, a radio show devoted to genealogy. He has 60 shows available at geneabloggers website that cover a wide range of topics. And listening to Thomas is a wonderful way to increase your knowledge and add resources to your genealogy tool box.

Of the many tips, Thomas gave in his Knickerbocker’s Approach to tackling NY ancestral research (and as Thomas said these suggestions can help with your research in any state), I will highlight three:

1.      Consulting off-line sources -- 90% of records have not been digitized and they are not online -- to do a diligent, “reasonably exhaustive” search that may turn up information you would never have found just by using on line records. In other words, cover all your bases.
2.     Using a research log will exponentially improve your research by preventing repeat searches and by giving you a snapshot of your efforts for reference and for analysis. RandySeaver wrote a blog post on research logs that goes into the software side, particularly how to use the research log in Legacy Family Tree. 

   

   From http://tracingyourgenealogy.com/articles/free-forms-and-charts/
   
   
   
   

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3.     Following genealogy blogs on your geographic area of interest (state, county, locality) or your target surname(s) (I immediately googled some Chicago genealogical blogs) can bring unexpected rewards.

 In another section of the webinar, Thomas shared his Top Ten Resources for New York research. I’ll give you a taste of the fabulous fare by citing just two:

1.       The New York State Archives Thomas said that he goes to this site often due to its rich array of NY resources, including an online searchable catalog of the Archives Library, searchable database of NY Civil War soldiers and information on naturalization, probate and vital records.
2.      The New York portal of the New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS) As a member of NEHGS, I have used the New England resources but never knew about the New York portal. Thank you, Thomas.

 In the final segment of the webinar, Thomas discussed five “Secret Links,” sites that may be unfamiliar to many researchers but that will give you access to some great information – some even go beyond NY. Here are two to whet your appetite:

1.       Atlas of Historical County Boundaries This is a publication of the Newberry Library in Chicago. It gives the county history for every state in the US. Another site that I think complements this is N2Genealogy.com. Here you can see how the counties for every state evolved through map overlays.
2.      Did you know that there is a state law in NY that requires every county to have its own historian? Again, Thomas, thank you for alerting us to this law and to New York History Net  which maintains an alphabetical list (by last name) of NY historians. You may also wish to consult the Association of Public Historians of New York State as they provide a list by county. However, at the moment, APHNYS is updating their list.

 Remember, the webinar, “Researching Your New York Ancestors” is available free of charge at Legacy Family Tree until June 11, 2012. After that date, you will be able to purchase the program CD at Legacy.







Categories: genealogy education, genealogy groups, research terms