A Sunday Walk Around the Blogs

Elizabeth Shown Mills has posted QuickLesson 16: Speculation, Hypothesis, Interpretation & Proof on Evidence Explained, the companion web site to her book of the same name. This woman’s mind is amazing.

Vivian Price Saffold has worked hard to gain support for the Georgia Archives, in part through her blog, Georgia Archives Matters, and can at last report a small victory: at the end of the 2013 session of the Georgia General Assembly, the Archives was budgeted $300,000 in funding for the upcoming fiscal year, slightly more than had been expected.

The National Genealogical Society, via Diane L. Richard at UpFront with NGS, announces a hands-on research week in Washington, D. C., to be held November 3 – 9 this year. The session is led by Craig Roberts Scott and Patricia Walls Stamm, and will include research at the National Archives and Records Administration, the Daughters of the American Revolution Library, and the Library of Congress. This one’s definitely a must-do!

Judy G. Russell has an epiphany regarding War of 1812 pension files, to every researcher’s benefit.

Happy Easter!

Four Years and Counting

It’s been four years today since I moved my blog to WordPress. To all my readers, a big and heartfelt thank you, and to my family and friends, thank you for your support. Here’s to the blogosphere and the wonderful opportunities it offers!

Photo courtesy of Jon Sullivan

A Sunday Walk around the Blogs

Barbara Matthews discussed the 2011 Model Act and Regulations and its potential effect on genealogical research on the Massachusetts Genealogical Council’s blog, the MGC Sentinel. The Model Act regulates vital records. The latest version includes recommendations that would prohibit public access to these records well beyond what most states require now.

Angela McGhie of Adventures in Genealogy Education shares unexpected lessons (part one and part two) she learned from Thomas W. Jones’ recent lecture, “Variables in Professional Genealogists’ Approaches to Research,” presented at the Association of Professional Genealogists‘ recent Professional Management Conference in Salt Lake City, UT.

Speaking of Tom Jones, his highly anticipated new book Mastering Genealogical Proof is now available for pre-order through the National Genealogical Society.

A Sunday Walk Around the Blogs

I’m catching up on several weeks of blog posts and news articles with this one.

For those who are concerned about issues surrounding the Georgia Archives, Georgia Archives Matters has published a series of updates on legislation concerning funding and the possible move of the Archives to the University System of Georgia. Please read these posts and contact your state legislators in support of the Archives.

Dave Tabler of Appalachian History published an interesting story on a local-ish family, The Meaders Family of White County GA keeps pottery traditions alive.

Charlie of Carolina Family Roots shared some excellent tips on newspaper research and Chesterfield County SC research sources. If you’ve ever considered joining a lineage society, you might also be interested in his post, Pitfalls: Some Approved Genealogies Are Wrong.

Brenda Joyce Jerome of Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog discusses The Value of Researching Deeds.

Robyn at Reclaiming Kin shared an interesting post on the Legacy of the Rosenwald Schools.

Heather Rojo of Nutfield Genealogy published Photograph Friday ~ The Battle Road between Lexington and Concord. This area is definitely going on my travel bucket list!

Judy G. Russell, The Legal Genealogist, brings another look at the law, this time the the laws of the church. (When I read Judy’s blog, I’m nearly always struck with a Who’da thunk? change of perspective.)

And just in time for St. Patrick’s Day…

• Heather Rojo found an Irish ancestor
• Dave Tabler tries some Appalachian-style Gaelic in Cead Mile Failte, says Kentucky
• Alison Murray at North Carolina Miscellany shares some St. Patrick’s Day recipes from the University of North Carolina’s collection.

Saturday Skills: Setting Research Goals

Over the past little while, I’ve had several inquiries by researchers asking if I could point them in the right direction with their research. In some cases, I was able to help because the researchers could explain exactly what they needed. The remaining researchers did not, and in return, I asked a series of questions designed to elicit their research goals for the particular individual or family they needed help with.

The thing is, we all have goals in the back of our minds for the research we’re conducting. When we look at a particular ancestor or family, we think, Wow, it sure would be great to know who Dixie Lou’s parents were or I wish I could figure out where Bobby Jean is buried.

Go ahead, try it. Now, see what I mean? The goals are there whether we articulate them or not.

Unfortunately, formal goal setting is one simple action researchers fail to do, yet it is a necessary step in the research process. Defining and articulating the research focus (i.e. the goal of the research) can keep research on track and help the research process flow efficiently.