The process of writing a research report is a great way to capture your analysis and collect your thoughts. Although your report does not have to be a formal document, you will want to include your name, the date of the report, and the research question.
Sometimes we find that we have completed an exhaustive search, but perhaps misunderstood a key point in a record, missed a relevant piece of data, or had not properly analyzed all of the data as a whole. Seein
Geography is an important element in your family history research. Did your ancestor contend with mountains, valleys, or waterways? The best way to answer these questions and potentially uncover new research avenues is to take a look at maps, particularly those contemporary to the time periods with which you are researching.
The “idea” of photography dates back to the 10th century “camera obscura” and “pinhole camera” described by the Arab scientist, Abu Ali al-Hasan (or Alhzaen), author of The Book of Optics. The camera obscura was a large dark box with a hole in one end which could produce an inverted image opposite it. It is the forerunner of today’s cameras. All it lacked was a lens and means of fixing the image chemically.
It wasn’t until 1816 that a Frenchman, Joseph Nicéphore Niép
As you begin searching for mentions of your ancestor in the newspaper, you may begin to wonder if you are reading a foreign language. The vernacular or abbreviations that you are reading are the result of the newspaper world, or the general colloquialism of the time.
Abbreviations may be a little more prevalent than you anticipated as a result of the limited typeface of the publisher. Some of these abbreviations may have been encountered in other records inc
You can view the Social Security Death Index (SSDI) online via many genealogy websites including Ancestry.com, FamilySearch, GenealogyBank, Fold3, and Findmypast. A person who died before 1962 is not likely to be on the SSDI. If the date of a person’s death is known, and that person is not on the SSDI, it is likely the family never filed for the death benefit.
From the SSDI, you can glean information such as dates of birth and death; place of last benefit; Social
Newspapers offer a window to the past. They are the real-life recordings of our ancestors’ history. Unlike history books, family histories written years later, or memoirs, newspapers were recording the news at the time it was actually happening.
One of the reasons that many researchers do not investigate what newspapers may be available is because they often assume that searching the newspaper requires going page by page and issue by issue. This is not always the case; there is a me
Marketing Management
Constantly be on the lookout for great marketing strategies, even if the businesses are not within the realm of genealogy. Some of the major elements of marketing are:
Hopefully, your business plan includes a marketing plan. But that is just a start. As time goes on, it is important to re-evaluate your marketing strategies as part of your overall strategic planning proc
US Death Indexes
There are many different death indexes online. Please note that most indexes do not include every year. Remember that a name in an index is not proof that this is the researcher’s person! Often the person you are seeking is not the first to have this name and won’t be the last! Never assume the indexed name is your person and stop your research at that point.
Always be creative in finding various ways to search for what you might be seeking. Go to the FamilySearch website and ch
By Shannon Bennett, Student
Have you ever thought about how many points of view there are within one family story? Each person who was there heard, saw, felt, or interpreted the situation differently. Just ask your family about an event from when you were a child. I bet that while similar, they are all different.
Image courtesy of xedos4/FreeDigitalPhotos.net
These next two modules (Modules 3 and 4 of Demystifying Culture & Folklore ) touched on aspects of this phenomena. Course author Jean Wilco
Sales Management
Marketing goes hand in hand with sales, as it provides a way to get the word out about your services and products, and a way to attract prospective clients. In a small business, however, the owner is often the only salesperson, marketing director, and grunt, along with everything else!
Many small businesses lack a sales strategy. Periodically, you should review your sales strategy. Here is a list of some sales activities:
1. identify prospects
2. prioritize leads
3.
Handling and Sorting
Older photographs are fragile and easily damaged. The best way to reduce damage is to not handle photographs at all. Since that is not always practical, gloves should be worn when they are handled. Gloves prevent transferring dirt and skin oils on the delicate images. When handling images, put on the gloves and hold the prints by their edges.
If the photo is a cabinet card or a carte de visite, do not remove the photo from the cardstock on which they are mounted. Those vinta
Research Logs 101
Are you using a research log? The first step in reviewing the research you have completed to-date is to refer to your research log. Unfortunately, when many of us start our genealogy journey, keeping track of our findings is likely the last thing on our mind.
Typically, a research log is created for each family group, but depending on how you prefer to work, you may want to create one for each person. A research log can help you to quickly see what sources you have already consu
Vital records are the listings of births, marriage, and deaths recorded for a given town, county or state. The vital records that we seek are a relatively new record, in many instances not coming into existence until the 1900s.
When searching for births marriages, or deaths, the first place that we look is the officially recorded records at the town, county, or state level. One of the problems with these records is that as you go from the more local governments to the state, you will quickly disc
By Shannon Bennett, Student with The National Institute for Genealogical Studies
The more we dig into our past the more we come across documents in varying states. Some are pristine and new while others are decades old and crumbling. Which is why I was happy to see these first two modules in Methodology, Part 2covered transcriptions (more in depth this time) and abstracts.
“Period Letters” by Simon Howden/courtesy of freedigitalphotos.n
By Sandy Fackler, PLCGS. Student with The National Institute for Genealogical Studies
I knew little about the aspects of photography when I registered for Photography: Clues Pictures Hold, Editing, Digitizing and Various Projects in December. Now, I want to recommend this course to anyone who has a collection of old or recent photographs because I believe you’ll learn at least 3 things to help you whether it is how to digitize your photos, how to identify people through facial characteristics, o
Shannon Bennett, Student with The National Institute for Genealogical Studies
Shelves Of Files by Stuart Miles/courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net
I am now diving into the second part of the course Methodology to give me the groundwork for my genealogy education here at The National Institute for Genealogical Studies. This course builds on the basics learned from Methodology Part 1, hopefully, so that the student will come out as a better
Once you set up your small business it is not enough to simply sit back and wait for clients to come to you. In order to keep the business viable and successful, you must focus your attention on its overall operation and growth. This is where a Business Plan can help.
via Canva.com
The first process in developing a business plan is strategic planning. The process of developing and updating your plan has many advantages.
Shannon Bennett, Student with The National Institute for Genealogical Studies
I came to the world of genealogy just over three years ago. That is not to say that I was not interested for years before that, but that is when the stars finally aligned and lead me to this path. My little girl dream of participating in the “grown-up” world of family storytelling (aka genealogy) had come true.
Genealogical Tree. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washi
Please join us in a round of applause to CONGRATULATE our newest graduates.
