After planning, your genealogical research will progress through various stages. The first is the actual physical collection of evidence, from various repositories—online sources, libraries, courthouses, and archives. The second stage is the evidence analysis stage, where you evaluate and glean evidence from each of the individual records you have collected. The third stage is the compilation of your research conclusions.
Many genealogists use various genealogy software programs to record their conclusions. There are many good ones on the market, including The Master Genealogist, Family Tree Maker, Roots Magic, and others.
At a seminar attended by this author, one attendee asked Dr. Thomas Jones, co-editor of the National Genealogical Society Quarterly, which software program he used to record his genealogy research. His answer: “A word processor.”
Professional genealogists write reports to our clients, detailing each step of the research conducted. This includes full analysis of each record individually and all of the evidence together, to form conclusions based on a combination of direct and indirect evidence. Discussion of evidence in these reports may range from a mere mention of direct evidence from a reliable source, to several pages containing full analysis of multiple records containing indirect evidence.
But how many of us write reports outlining our personal research on our own families?
The final part of the Genealogical Proof Standard requires one to arrive at a “soundly reasoned, coherently written conclusion.” Writing up your research in a report to yourself can have many benefits.
First, it forces you to organize your evidence into a logical argument. This often brings to the surface flaws in your reasoning or records you may have missed. On the other hand, it can also help you to connect dots that had been previously overlooked.
Once you decide to write out your research conclusions, you must consider how you would like to write it out. While you may write yourself a private, informal report for your files, with no thought to it ever seeing the light of day, there are other options. One of the most popular methods, and growing in popularity every day, is to write and publish a genealogy blog. The growing list of “Genea-bloggers” encompasses everyone from beginners to professionals to genealogy-centered companies like Ancestry.com. Though not all of them are still active, the GeneaBloggers website currently identifies over 1,300 genealogy blogs. Genealogy blogs cover nearly every state, country, ethnic heritage, and religious affiliation throughout the United States and around the world. Several previous columns have noted genealogy blogs focusing on African-American genealogy columns.
Publishing your research as a blog has several added benefits. First, by making your research public, you open yourself up to review from your peers—other genealogists who can help you by suggesting additional resources or who can otherwise look at your research from a fresh perspective.
Take a moment to read some of the genealogy blogs at www.geneabloggers.com that focus on your area of research. Then take a moment to consider writing up your research, either for your own private files or for your own public blog. However you choose to write it up, your research will definitely improve by doing so.
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