Genealogy Process Class

Feel like you need to improve how you research?

Avoid going in circles

Give structure to your searches

Make better use of your time

This 4 session course covers genealogy process and problem-solving. We will not be discussing specific places and sources in order to focus on the methods we’ll be discussing. Participants should have a basic understanding of records and sources in the areas where their ancestors and problem people lived. Course is aimed at advanced beginner or intermediate level genealogists. Presentations and discussions are made/given by Michael John Neill.

Actual lectures are video downloads with handouts. Sessions are zoom meetings where there’s discussion of the lecture and time for questions. Zoom meetings will be recorded for those who are unable to attend.

Preliminary session

An introduction to the class.

Session 1

The Four-Step Problem-Solving Process.

We will talk about the four steps of the Problem-Solving Process (understand, plan, execute, and evaluate) and how they apply to genealogical research. The understanding stage is the more crucial and the most involved and we’ll spend most of our time on it as there are several aspects to it. Planning, executing, and evaluating are important as well and will also be discussed in this session.

Session 2

Obtained a Document–Now What?

We will discuss citation, transcription, abstraction, extraction, analysis, comparison, chronology integration, and filing in this session. There’s more to a document than simply obtaining it.

Session 3

Analysis Concerns

We will discuss concepts such as:

• Do you have the same person?
• Purpose of original document
• Reliability of the document and the information it contains.
• Who is the preceived informant?

Session 4

Is Your Process the Problem?

In our last session, we will look at a variety of “tried and true” approaches that can lead to more frustration than solved problems. We’ll focus on a variety of misconceptions, processes that can lead to confusion, and ways to reduce the chance of self-created brick walls.

AI

Students will be encouraged to use AI responsibly in this course where appropriate. We are not having a session in this course on AI specifically. AI does not replace cognitive portions of the research process but can initially assist with some mundane and tedious parts (transcription, extraction, and citation creation). Students do not have to use AI, but we will definitely not suggest AI for the “thinking” portions of this class.

Homework

There will be optional homework. Students can simply listen to lectures if they want, but you will get more out of the class if you participate.

Sessions:

• 21 Oct at 8 pm central-preliminary session
• 28 October and 4, 11 and 18 November at 8 pm central-regular sessions

Lectures will be downloaded. Zoom meetings of discussions will be recorded for those who cannot attend.

Registration is $65.

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Charts, Organizational Approaches, and Color

Need ideas on how to organize information you already have? We will see how to do that in this informative, engaging, and down-to-earth presentation. Order now and savd $5. Download immediate.

Michael John Neill shows a variety of ways to organize information you already have. This presentation is not about organizing the paper and images you have, but the data contained on those pages. Presentation is copiously illustrated with a wide variety of examples. Handout included.

Organizing information can be one of the most difficult parts of the genealogical research process. It is also one of the most important. This session is not about organizing the documents, files, and images you have. It is about organizing the pieces of information those materials contain.

Michael discusses general chart creation strategies that can be applied to a variety of problems.

This presentation is about organizing data in a variety of ways to help you notice trends, patterns, hidden clues, and errors in your own research. We will see how to create charts and forms for your own research use to effectively organize genealogical information--names, dates, and locations. Charts and tables will be ones that can easily be created in any word processor or spreadsheet. Images will be created using inexpensive or free graphics software. Our goal is not to teach you software but to help you see ways to organize information for yourself and the others with whom you share it.

We will also discuss using color and other visual enhancements as well to help sort and organize.

See ways to organize details you've found for your own family in ways that will help you notice things you did not notice before.

A recording and a copy of the handout can be purchased ($22) for immediate download. Regular price is $27.

Family Group and Pedigree charts will not be discussed--everyone knows about them already!