I'm really excited to announce that I'm going to be running a series on KYRESEARCH that I think you will definitely be interested in. Back in April of this year I participated in a survey conducted by Barry J. Ewell and later presented at a Family History and Genealogy Conference in UT. Barry then sent all participants in the survey the entire course as he presented at the conference and granted me participation to share it with the subscribers of KYRESEARCH. I am very pleased! Some of the topics he presented have been covered by me in tips past but a fresh prospective can breathe life into our research. Whether you are brand new genealogists or long-time researchers - there's something for you. He entitled the course as Top 20 Lessons Genealogists Need To Know. The topics he covers from his presentation include: Verify, Verify, Verify Data You Receive from Others, Use your genealogy software to help find questionable data. Verifying online genealogy sources, Document Your Sources, Do it right the first time!, Sources you can rely on, Sources establish credibility, Write legibly, Checking sources allow for verification, How valuable is your time?, Six elements of a good source citation, Resource. Check Multiple Sources , Use multiple sources to correlate, Learn what resources contain needed information and where they're located, Searching multiple sources reveals existence of family members, Census records are not always correct, Don't forget the help/knowledge of others, Hit a Brick- wall? Be Patient and Persistent, Brick-walls come and go with patience and persistence, Suggestions for managing brick-walls, Additional resources, Talk to Your Family-NOW!, Interviews provide opportunities to locate family records, Use open ended questions in interviews, Ask the same question to several individuals, Record and write down the information you are told, Check out dates and stories, There are two-sides to every story, Do not edit family stories, Some family secrets/gossips should remain family secrets, Respect the living, Go to family reunions, Ask others to help gather information Share Your Time, Research, and Interest with Others, Share your genealogy research, Share and beware - sharing genealogy in the information age, Share your time with others, Share your interest in genealogy with others, Organize Your Data, Start out organized, Choose an on organization system that genealogists use, Organize the results of your research, Learn About Your Ancestors, Learn about the historical and social context of ancestors lives, Read the history of countries, states, counties, cities, towns, and villages, Maps provide help to track down facts about ancestors, Search out historical resources, Study drawings, paintings, and photographs of the time period. Keep Your Genealogy Research Focused, Stay focused on the research you start, See the big picture. Expect the Unexpected, Surprise, surprise, surprise, Managing the unexpected, Don't be Afraid to Ask Questions, Learning begins with a question, Ask for documentation, Ask the same question to several individuals, Review your written questions before you press the send button, Narrow the focus of your questions, Examples of the questions genealogists ask, Bring Ancestors to Life with Photographs, Putting faces with names and dates, Identifying photographs, Using photographs in your research, Additional resources. Effectively Use the Message Boards, Value of message boards, Think before you send your query or reply. How to keep track of your message board queries, There Are Many Ways to Spell Your Last Name, Spelling Doesn't Count, Conduct Field Research, Where the computer screen ends and shoes hit the street. Learn to Read Old Script, Understanding old script. Backup Your Data - Need we say more, What genealogy data should I backup?, When should I backup?, Where to backup? Backup media pros and cons, Use Genealogy Software, Find and choose genealogy software. Learn to Use the Census, United States census records, State census records, Census records from around the world, Where to find census records, Clues gathered from the census?, Census records have limitations, Census Do's and Don'ts. Learning Genealogy is a Process, Yearnings to know "Whose I am.", A Genealogy Process-Getting Started in 6 Steps, Getting Started, Online resources to help you as you start the journey, Learn How to Use the Web in Your Research, Research from your desktop, Learn to use Google and refine your skills in internet searches, Verify your data, Field research is still a required genealogy skill, Learn to Analyze Your Data, Sherlock Holmes understood analysis, The 5 W's of analysis, Common analysis errors not to make, Organize your research into spreadsheets to simplify your analysis, Seek the Inspiration of Prayer, Genealogy, prayer and inspiration. Quite a training course right? If you are not yet a subscriber to KYRESEARCH, this might be the time to jump on! Send an email to: KYRESEARCH-L-REQUEST@rootsweb.com and put the word subscribe in the subject line and/or body of the email. Nothing else. If you are already receiving my Thursday (once-a-week) posts, you don't need to resub. 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