Questioning the Question

Thinking carefully about a research question before diving in can help to a) highlight what I already know and b) define what, precisely, I want to answer with my research.

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Try to Prove Yourself Wrong

If we honestly try to find flaws in our assumptions and in our theories with every piece of evidence we examine, and if our hypothesis stands, then we can feel much more confident that we have come to a reasonable conclusion.

Preserving memories using old photo albums…as conversation starters

Lately, I've used old photo albums as conversation starters with the family members who know more than I do about what’s in the photos. Recording conversations about photo albums has given me more detail, context, and fun anecdotes than I had before.

Looking Back and Looking Ahead – Learning from Others

As we enter a new year and I approach the first anniversary of starting this blog, I’m taking a moment to reflect on my research in the past year and to think about some things I’m looking forward to in 2019. Up first - how I've been learning from other people.

Using Google Scholar to search for – and keep up with – scholarly publications

You may be using Google for your research. You may even have Google alerts set up to let you know if any new hits come up for your favorite search(es). But have you tried Google scholar for published works?

Adding up indirect evidence – and grabbing all those bits of information

I love finding stuff like this. My husband’s grandmother, Dorothy (Keane) Burns, was listed in the 1930 U.S. Census as a little girl (age 5), niece of the head of household (Edmund Sweeney), and living at 523 West 135th Street in Manhattan, New York.1 Also in the household were: Ellen Sweeney, Edmund’s wife (age 36,...

Refining a Research Strategy

The start of my genealogical "research" a couple of decades ago consisted mostly of reading through things my family had done already and drawing pedigrees of my ancestors. At some point, my dad and I visited cemeteries where we knew family should be, took some pictures, and added a few names and dates to our...