Hello my genealogical friends! I hope you are all still enjoying your journey of discovery as you continue to build up your family trees! Recently I have taken a break from talking directly about your research process instead opting to cover specific source uses and projects you might want to consider to supplement your work. If you have missed these previous blog posts, I encourage you to scroll up and read through them. You may feel inspired to start a new project, pick up on a new project, or look at the sources you’ve gathered in a different light. Speaking of sources and really more generally, the foundation of genealogy–research, today I hope to bring to your attention how putting together a research notebook can help you organize your research process.
In the last blog we talked briefly about how timelines can be a project and organizational technique to lay out your research. Research notebooks on the other hand can help you not only organize your sources, but also your thoughts, notes, and, place. Beginning a research notebook is simple. The first thing you have to decide is the format of your notebook. This could be anywhere from a digital one to pocket file folder, or, binder. Secondly, you’ll need to set a concise and attainable goal. Perhaps an event or individual that you would like to research further. Then detail what sort of information you might need to accomplish this goal. For example, if you choose an event, you might write down that you need the place it occurred. You could also use a planning form/list such as this to aid in the writing of your goal:
- Name of Person to Research
- Date or Span of Time of Event or Person
- Event: Research at least one event for each of your goals
- Location: where did that event happen
- Goal and Objectives for Research Project
- Background Information: What will you need?
As you write these things down it will help you narrow your area of focus to make your research more attainable. Beginning your notebook could be an especially helpful tool if you are feeling stuck in your genealogy journey or overwhelmed by the number of sources you have found or have yet to find.
Now you might be keen on starting a research notebook after seeing how it can simplify your research process. Maybe you have even written down your goal or goals as you have read along today and are feeling confident enough to begin your notebook. However, before you do let me lay out some important sections you should include. You might consider:
- A Business Card: This can help others identify this as your journal in case it is misplaced.
- Your Planning Form/List: See the above paragraph for an idea of what this might include.
- To Do List for Your Ancestors: Helps you to remember what it is you need and should be looking for.
- Blank Research Log Pages
- Family Group Sheet: Filled out with family information that you are researching.
- Information Known About Your Ancestor You’re Researching
- Pedigree Chart
- Blank Paper
If you haven’t yet heard of some of these forms listed, please don’t be alarmed that’s ok. Fill your notebook with the forms listed that you do know and if you still are confused on what one particular form is please see my webinar for more in-depth information.
Starting a research notebook can be overwhelming, just as so much in this field is. We tend to work with and accumulate a lot of information about our ancestors, however if we focus on each little task such as choosing what format we want are notebook to be these big tasks that seem difficult get a little easier. I hope that you are more seriously considering a notebook as a way to organize your process and make the overall task of recording your family history a little less overwhelming. Again, if you have any other questions that have not been answered by this blog or previous, please check out my webinars where I go over this and other subjects in more detail. If your questions are still not answered feel free to reach out via my contact information listed above. Happy researching!
Winona Laird, “The Genealogy Granny”
