YES it counts a ton that you are ESP — !!! ☺️ Thank you so much for more explanation. I am using as a template the template you gave us at BU and in your presentation “Writing as you go”. The only thing I have not figured out is that some times, I cannot figure out or write everything “as I go”, especially when the case involves making charts, timelines, etc. in order to see things and sort out the data. I seem to have to do this before being able to write a proof argument or discussion about what all the data leads to. I like your quote: any of you have also heard me say, "Let the data speak to how it wants to be presented." This means that in the framework of the headings for standard research reports you are free to be creative about other presentations within the report. Your and Elizabeth’s explanations today have done a lot to help me not feel so confused and hopefully I will not struggle so much with report writing (at least maybe not EVERY time! ????) All the best, Ann Family Pictures Genealogy Ann D. Watson ann@familypicturesgenealogy.com<mailto:ann@familypicturesgenealogy.com> www.familypicturesgenealogy.com<http://www.familypicturesgenealogy.com> On Mar 24, 2017, at 11:06 AM, Elissa Scalise Powell, CG, CGL <Elissa@PowellGenealogy.com<mailto:Elissa@PowellGenealogy.com>> wrote: I am not ESM but I am ESP. I hope that counts a little. <g> As many of you know I have also taught in courses and lectures about the "Writing as You Go" method of writing reports so that it is a living document that you work with and not a stand-alone end product to be produced from your research actions. Many of you have also heard me say, "Let the data speak to how it wants to be presented." This means that in the framework of the headings for standard research reports you are free to be creative about other presentations within the report. Standards among these options are timelines, proof arguments, charts, graphs, maps, etc. Anything that helps you communicate to the reader 1.) the story of the subjects of the research, and 2.) the story of the research conducted. You can create these sections as you need them. That is why, although we all may start out with the same research report template, every report will look a bit different. Therefore to your particular questions about proof arguments, you can create a section in the "Research Notes" to discuss a certain question with its sources, their merits, the information, and what it all means, coming to a conclusion which you can use in the narrative "Summary of Research Findings" (or whatever you call it) section. Never put a proof argument in footnotes where the sources are documented. The Summary is a succinct narrative giving the answer to the research question that was the goal of the report. If the reader wants to know more and how you arrived at that final assessment, then they need to read the Research Notes section which is where all the "meat" of the report is. Negative findings, positive, discussion of the quality of the sources, etc. are in this section which can also act like a research log since it should all be in there -- written as you did the research. Hopefully this will help, Elissa Elissa Scalise Powell, CG , CGL www.PowellGenealogy.com<http://www.PowellGenealogy.com> www.GRIPitt.org 25-30 June 2017 and 16-21 July 2017 in Pittsburgh, PA CG, CGL, and Certified Genealogical Lecturer are service marks of the Board for Certification of Genealogists, used under license by board certificants after periodic evaluations. Certified Genealogist and the board name are trademarks registered in the US Patent and Trademark Office. -----Original Message----- From: On Behalf Of Ann Watson Sent: Friday, March 24, 2017 9:12 AM Ms. Mills, What I do not “get” and am struggling with in my reports is, if you have a complex situation and need to write discussion or proof or lack thereof, explaining the research, where does that go? I have been putting that sort of thing in my comments about each source, but there is no narrative to follow in that case and I think it is really confusing and ends up being too much and too complicated. I am really having a hard time with this. My reports end up being really long and convoluted. Thank you — Ann Family Pictures Genealogy Ann D. Watson ann@familypicturesgenealogy.com<mailto:ann@familypicturesgenealogy.com> www.familypicturesgenealogy.com<http://www.familypicturesgenealogy.com> ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to TRANSITIONAL-GENEALOGISTS-FORUM-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message