SUCCESS STORY- When I first started investigating family history work, I thought I was researching when I worked on Family Tree. Finally, I realized that the information that has been combined into relationships on Family Tree represents research that has been done. The incorrect information on Family Tree and information that is absent on Family Tree represents research needs. I came to appreciate the fact that the only way I was going to improve Family Tree was to go outside of it and find new information that was needed. When I bring new information into Family Tree I am performing a valuable service.
Unfortunately, I am too busy to learn how to become a good researcher. However, I now have access to three powerful search engines that take my family information, go out to data bases where documents have been indexed, and bring back to me information that I need. My job has been drastically simplified over the past year. I merely go to an individual who needs information and click sources in "Record Hints" in their person screen to have records pertaining to the person pop up. I can then easily verify whether the document pertains to my person, import the source, and correct errors or add missing details.
There are easy ways to determine where you should focus your research. Try the following:
Unfortunately, I am too busy to learn how to become a good researcher. However, I now have access to three powerful search engines that take my family information, go out to data bases where documents have been indexed, and bring back to me information that I need. My job has been drastically simplified over the past year. I merely go to an individual who needs information and click sources in "Record Hints" in their person screen to have records pertaining to the person pop up. I can then easily verify whether the document pertains to my person, import the source, and correct errors or add missing details.
I can view a fan chart of my family tree and easily identify holes where information is needed. I can then focus my research on those areas. When I identify people who do not have a spouse or children, I can often find this missing information and consequently add people to Family Tree who need ordinances performed. I can also find people who could have ordinances performed if I find more information about them.
I can't tell you how meaningful this activity has been to me. Almost none of my information in Family Tree is sourced so we can really have little confidence in its validity. I am able to easily bring in sources that prove details about my relatives. I am being a powerful force in cleaning up problems that exist on my family tree. I also love that I have tons of work just waiting for me to do so that I can plop down for thirty minutes on Sunday and do something meaningful. Research used to be hard, but now I can fit it into the context of my busy life and succeed in spite of my limitations. Finding, correcting, and sourcing information makes me feel like a detective and seems to bring everything together for me so that I am confident in all aspects of family history work.
--Stan
I can't tell you how meaningful this activity has been to me. Almost none of my information in Family Tree is sourced so we can really have little confidence in its validity. I am able to easily bring in sources that prove details about my relatives. I am being a powerful force in cleaning up problems that exist on my family tree. I also love that I have tons of work just waiting for me to do so that I can plop down for thirty minutes on Sunday and do something meaningful. Research used to be hard, but now I can fit it into the context of my busy life and succeed in spite of my limitations. Finding, correcting, and sourcing information makes me feel like a detective and seems to bring everything together for me so that I am confident in all aspects of family history work.
--Stan
There are easy ways to determine where you should focus your research. Try the following:
1.
After you have begun your research by working on your
family tree, login to puzzilla.org so that you can see your family portrayed in a way that will expose holes in
your knowledge. View "Finding Herman" to understand the possibilities associated with this tool. Once you have signed on to Puzzilla, click the "Hints" tab at the left of the screen to highlight relatives you have with "Record Hints" waiting for you to add to their person page. If a relative does not have "Record Hints" you can still easily find sources for them by using FamilySearch's "Record Search" feature (located just below "Record Hints" on the person page), or by searching on Ancestry.com, FindMyPast, and MyHeritage. Go here to sign up for your free membership to partner sites.
2. If you find sources for ancestors that cannot be added easily with FamilySearch's source linker, install Tree Connect and learn how to use it (this video gives detailed examples of using Tree Connect). Don't forget once you have added a source to a person page that you also need to edit information on the page that it provides.
2. If you find sources for ancestors that cannot be added easily with FamilySearch's source linker, install Tree Connect and learn how to use it (this video gives detailed examples of using Tree Connect). Don't forget once you have added a source to a person page that you also need to edit information on the page that it provides.
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