GenTip 5

Genealogy tip 5—Set realistic goals for ancestry research.

Being a history researcher comes with the need to learn and understand how to research records, find the key information and develop a plan that will take you to all available information.  Through the years, I have had the pleasure of conducting historical and genealogy research throughout the United States and Europe. Every time I conduct research in a new location, I feel like I have to learn/relearn how to conduct historical research.  Why? I need to learn where the records are kept, what is available, develop a plan of how to research this location and so much more. I have written a series of Genealogy Tips to introduce you to what I consider to be the most foundational skills I use over and over. In this article, I want to share Genealogy Tip 5: Set Realistic Goals for History and Genealogy.

Genealogy Tip Series

Click on an of the following Genealogy Tips to be taken to the article.

Genealogy Tip  Series for History and Genealogy Research
1. Focus on One Ancestor at A Time 15. Obtain and Search the Record
2. Prayer is an Essential Tool 16. Use Multiple Sources to Correlate Information
3. Nine Ways to Stay Focused in History and Genealogy 17. Every Record Has Value
4. Build An Identity Profile About Ancestors 18. Use and Record What You Learn
5. Set Realistic Goals for History and Genealogy 19. Detailed and Exhaustive Research
6. Follow Every Clue in History And Genealogy 20. Cite and Verify Ancestry Research
7. Remember the Power of One 21. US Census, Vital Records, and Other Records
8. Five-step Process to Discover Your Ancestors 22. Events Create Records
9. Research with Fresh Eyes 23. Search in County and Date Records
10. Genealogy Requires Preparation 24. Start Ancestry Research at Home
11. Expect the Unexpected in Genealogy Research 25. Start Organized and Stay Organized
12. Learning Begins with A Research Question 26. Strategy for Searching Societies and Libraries
13. Learn and Use the Genealogical Proof Standard 27. Genealogy and Social Networking Sites
14. Conduct Evidence Analysis 28. 16 Forms to Gather, Manage and Guide Your Research

Genealogy Tip 5: Set Realistic Goals for History and Genealogy

Suppose you spend a half-day traveling across town to interview a family member. In that case, a full day is traveling to a cemetery two hundred miles away to take pictures of family headstones or several weeks abroad searching for your family roots; having clearly defined goals will help you focus on desired outcomes for your research. Being able to state your goals will require research, preparation, and prioritization.
A fellow genealogist had asked me to provide a little assistance in helping them with a genealogy trip abroad. When I asked what their goals were for the trip, they replied with one goal, “We want to visit the village where our family lived in Wales.”

For the next couple of hours, we took inventory of what they knew, what they wanted to know, and what else they might want to do while in Wales. We discussed questions such as the following:

  1. Where did the family live in Wales? When?
  2. What do you know about Wales?
    • The region where your family lived?
    • The village where your family lived?
  3. When did the family come to America?
  4. Who in the family came to America?
  5. When and where were they born?
  6. Where and when did family members die?
  7. Did they leave any family in Wales?
  8. What did the father do for a living?
  9. What was the religion of the family?
  10. What brought the family to America?
  11. Where were the parents married?
  12. What ship did they come on, and from what port?
  13. What do you wish to know about your family?

The couple pulled out family histories, family group sheets, and other documents that would help answer the questions. We did an Internet search on Wales and related topics. We had a few more ideas of what they might like to do on their trip when we were done. For example, together, we created the following list of goals for their trip to Wales:

  • Visit the city of Swansea in Wales.
  • Visit the church where our family attended church.
  • Find where members of our family are buried.
  • Learn about the history of Swansea.
  • Find out if the family had other children or family that stayed in Wales.
  • Find out who the parents and family of the wife were.
  • Learn about coal mining in Swansea and the area.
  • Learn about the culture in Swansea in the 1840s.
  • Learn what would have caused the family to leave Wales.
  • Learn about common foods of Wales and Swansea.
  • Take a tour of Glamorganshire.

Of course, like any good genealogy researcher, they found that one answer often led to several more questions that needed answers before finalizing their plans for a genealogy trip to Wales. Their pre-trip preparation would range from conducting further genealogy research in the United States to identifying research resources in Wales. They would be learning more about Wales and its history, identifying places to see and visit, evaluating options to participate in organized tours, and discovering Wales on their own.

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