Research Like a Pro – Class 1

This is the first of a four-month series in which we will cover the eight chapters of the book Research Like A Pro. This book is designed to enhance the skills of those who want to learn some of the tools professionals use to further their genealogy research. This is not a beginner class. We recommend that those who register have some skills in researching. Two chapters will be covered in one month until all eight chapters are completed. While not required, we strongly recommend that participants purchase Research Like a Pro, by Diana Elder, $18.89 (or $2.99 for Kindle) at Amazon. You may be able to obtain a copy of the book from your local library. The class will include a brief overview of the chapters by the mentor with the remaining time being devoted to discussing the different assignments. You will get the most from this series if you have read the appropriate chapters and completed the tasks at the end of each before each class. Choose a person from your own research to use as a subject for the entire series of classes.

YOU MUST REGISTER FOR THIS CLASS by sending email to mdbfrisco@gmail.com. There is a limit to the number of participants.

Class 1, covering chapters 1 and 2 of Research Like a Pro, will show you how creating a research objective will help you stay focused and on track in your research, saving you time as you search. By defining a precise question either to identify an individual, prove a family relationship or to discover an event your ancestor participated in, you can hone in on specifics rather than searching at random. The next step in focusing your research is to conduct a research review of what you already have so that you don’t repeat the research, and also to analyze what you have to glean all of the information from each source before you move on to other sources. Putting your evidence along with your research objective into a timeline will help you identify holes in your research, and show where conflicts may exist that need to be resolved.

Make sure you are registered so we can inform you of changes due to illness or weather. Register at mdbfrisco@gmail.com.