Research Series taught by Professional Genealogist Peggy Ash begins Jan. 13
This article was contributed by a local member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The views expressed may not represent the views and positions of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. For the Church's official site, visit churchofjesuschrist.org.
This free Research Series, which starts Monday, Jan. 13, is for those who are interested in furthering their genealogical research and education by working on a simple research project from beginning to end. Each class is held upstairs at the Mesa Temple Visitors’ Center, 455 E. Main St. in downtown Mesa.
Learn how to do things properly from the start so you don’t have to redo or revisit those topics and records again. A basic understanding of family history is helpful. Following accepted genealogical standards, attendees will start a simple family history project and carry it through to a conclusion. (A more advanced project may be chosen if you have taken the class before or are an advanced genealogist.) Attend all the series or pick and choose your topic. Taught by accredited professional genealogist Peggy Ash.
No registration is neccessary, but please plan to attend all the classes. For questions, please contact the Visitors’ Center at (480) 964-7164.
13 JANUARY 1 pm – 2:30 pm – Research Series Class 1-Choose a Project, Research Log, and Digital Organization Method
To begin the research series, you will learn how to choose a simple project. Many ways of recording your research findings will be presented as well as different digital organizational methods. You choose what works best for your brain, way of thinking, and your project. Assignment: Choose a project, a research log, and an organizational method.
27 JANUARY 1 pm – 2:30 pm – Research Series Class 2-Research and Methodology Guides
Learn where to find the best resources for the locality and time period of your research and how to implement the most efficient methodologies to find what you are seeking. How to create tables in a word document will be shown. Assignment: Start a research guide for your project.
10 FEBRUARY 1 pm – 2:30 pm – Research Series Class 3-Super Search Techniques
Search for hard-to-find individuals most effectively at FamilySearch and Ancestry by leveraging their search tools and creative iterative searches. Also learn how to check to see if the record for your location or time period is even in the record collection you are searching. Assignment: Find records for your research project.
3 MARCH 1 pm – 2:30 pm – Research Series Class 4-Records Beyond the FamilySearch or Ancestry Search Field
Many records are available online but are not name searchable. Find out how to use image only collections and locality specific online and offline repositories. Assignment: Conduct research at an online or offline repository you have never used before.
17 MARCH 1 pm – 2:30 pm – Research Series Class 5- Source Citations
Learn how to write source citations by learning the basics of what is needed and the information that you can learn about records in the process of writing a source citation. You will learn a lot about U.S. Federal censuses as we walk through their source citations and some vital records citations also. How to easily create footnotes in a word document will also be shown. Assignment: Write at least two source citations.
31 MARCH 1 pm – 2:30 pm – Research Series Class 6-Transcription and Document Analysis
Learn how and why transcription of documents is so important. Once you have gleaned all of the information from a document, learn how to analyze that information. Assignment: Fully transcribe and analyze at least one record.
14 APRIL 1 pm – 2:30 pm – Research Series Class 7-Correlation: Discovering and Resolving Conflicts; Tree Databases
Good research involves correlating evidence across record sources. Correlation and analysis can confirm answers to research questions, reveal surprising conflicts, or lead to new discoveries. The use of personal tree databases to protect proven information will be briefly discussed. Assignment: Correlate the various records discovered in your research.
21 APRIL 1 pm – 2:30 pm – Research Series Class 8-Writing: Proof Statements, Summaries, and Arguments; Sharing
Write the results of your research project using footnotes and source citations. A genealogy writing lexicon cheat sheet will be provided. Discover options for sharing your research with others so your hard work has purpose and benefits others. The basics of using FamilySearch memories will be included as an option. Assignment: Write and share your simple research project.
5 MAY 1 pm – 2:30 pm – Research Series Class 9-Wrapping it up
Review, Q and A, sharing, treats, gift drawings, and research completion celebration.
