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"Along Those Lines"
5/2/2003 - Archive
The Genealogy Training Pyramid, Part I
Many of us began our family history research odyssey in a casual
way with no training or solid methodology. Perhaps it began in an unplanned,
spontaneous way and then expanded to this all-consuming, addictive, compulsive
quest for more and more information. Or maybe it began with a conversation with
a family member, and then a trip to the library, and then on from there. However
your own research saga began, few of us began by formulating an educational
curriculum to learn how to perform genealogical research and to work with different
record types. It has instead become a kind of lifelong learning experience in
which we learn a bit and then learn some more. While this is one way to acquire
knowledge and gain some skill at genealogical research, it's never too late
to become educated in a more structured way.
In this week's "Along Those Lines . . ." column, I am beginning a multi-part
series concerning something I call "The Genealogy Training Pyramid." The purpose
is to provide you with a structured way to assess your own strengths and weaknesses
in your genealogy education and to begin formulating your own plan to acquire
the education you need to achieve greater success in your research. The pyramid
is an excellent model for our evaluation. It is one of the most perfect architectural
structures, beginning with a solid, broad base and building on that—higher
and higher—until it reaches its apex. And like the construction of a pyramid,
there always seems to be more that can be learned to make the structure bigger
and better. Trust me; I've been working at genealogical research for over forty
years and I still learn more every single day.
Introduction
The Genealogy Training Pyramid consists of multiple levels and we will evaluate
each of these in turn.
Research Methodology
Basic Records and Critical Thinking Skills
Putting the Family and Their Records Into Context
Advanced and Alternative Records
Using Technology: Software, Databases and the Internet
There are many educational opportunities available to you. Despite your experience
and knowledge, you will find that covering even 'the basics' in an organized
and structured way will help put information and processes into perspective.
This process also will fill in many of the gaps in your research methodology.
Attending seminars, conferences, workshops, training institutes, and participating
in online classes such as those offered by MyFamily.com //www.myfamily.com/isapi.dll?c=home&htx=gentraining
will help fill these gaps and open doors for you. With all that said, let's
get started on this educational reassessment journey together.
Research Methodology: The Foundation of Your Research Pyramid
Anyone can look up a marriage record, search a cemetery for a marker, and
use a library catalog to find a book on family history. Anyone. Approaching
your family history research in a 'scholarly manner' is another thing altogether.
There are a number of components to developing a strong research methodology,
and this should occur even before you begin looking for and at the records.
The following skills contribute to a solid personal research toolkit with which
to conduct your investigate and document your results.
How to Formulate a Question
In order to perform any research, it is essential to be able to define the question
you want to answer. Does this sound too simple? Librarians will tell you that
a vast majority of their customers approach the reference desk asking for one
thing when, in actuality, they want something altogether different. We often
don't know how to construct and ask the question because we really don't know
what to ask for. Let's look at an example that we will use in today's column.
Let's say that I want to locate information about my great-grandfather, Rainey
Baines Morgan. Well, what is it that I want to know? Here are some possibilities.
What was his name?
When was he born and where?
Who were his parents?
Did he have any siblings and, if so, what were their names and dates of birth?
Who did he marry and when?
Where did he live?
What was his occupation?
Did he have any children?
When did he die, where, and from what cause?
Where was he buried?
At first glance, these seem like simple questions, and yet I know that this
information is seldom available in one place and at one time unless there has
been a biography or a family history written. Even so, and if I can lay hands
on a copy, I will want to personally verify every fact for myself. That should
also be one of your research goals. Never take anyone else's word for a 'fact'
unless you verify it for yourself. Imagine if Dr. Jonas Salk had taken another
researcher's word for an erroneous fact and, as a result, missed the critical
information he needed in order to have developed a vaccine for polio.
Look again at the list of questions above. These are all valid basic research
questions. If you were planning a research trip, you would want to know which
questions to ask in order to next determine what kind(s) of record(s) might
help answer them. Imagine the reaction of the reference librarian if I approached
the desk and said, "I want information about my great-grandfather Morgan.
Do you have a book on him?" After suppressing a chuckle, he or she will
need to help me focus on what my questions really might be, and in turn would
probably ask some or many of the questions in the list above.
How to Develop a Research Plan
Identifying the information you want to locate and/or verify and formulating
the questions needed to elicit the responses is critical. Once you have developed
the right question(s), you then can prepare a research plan for the individual.
Let's say that I want to learn the name of the woman that Rainey Baines Morgan
married, when they were married, and where. There are several questions I need
to ask before proceeding, beginning with, "What do I already know?"
1. Where did Rainey live at the time?
2. Do I know his religious affiliation and the name of his church?
3. Do I know the bride's name and anything about her?
4. Do I know where his bride lived before marriage?
5. What records might exist that could answer the question?
Based on the answers, I can develop a research plan. In this case, I know that
Rainey Baines Morgan was born 27 November 1851 and lived in Caswell County,
North Carolina, for most of his life. I know he died on 13 September 1891 and
is buried in the Bethel Methodist Church cemetery in Caswell County. His bride's
name was Caroline Alice Whitefield but I am not sure where she lived before
marriage (and this might be critical in determining where to look for a marriage
record). I also know that they had three children, and that the first (my grandfather)
was born on 6 April 1879.
As a result of this information, the types of records I might want to research
include:
Census records for 1870 to locate both Rainey and Caroline, and determine
if they were married already or living with their parents or guardians.
Maps and geographical resources to determine the date of formation of Caswell
County, its boundaries, and history about its county seat, courthouse, and records
availability there. (Have records been lost or relocated?)
Information concerning the location of Bethel Methodist Church, the date
of its founding, the county in which it is located, and how to contact the church
today.
These are the primary questions with which I would begin, but there might be
more that come up as I learn more. In this case, I located both Rainey and Caroline
in the 1870 census in Caswell County, Rainey living with his parents and Caroline
with the Vellines family (an aunt and uncle). I learned that Caswell County
was formed in 1777, its county courthouse is in Yanceyville, and that marriage
books are located there. I also learned that the Bethel Methodist Church has
been there since the mid-1800s but I know little more.
With the information I have, I now know that the marriage should have taken
place between 1870 (the census) and 1879 (the date of birth of the first child).
I might therefore contact the Caswell County courthouse in Yanceyville and the
Bethel Methodist Church to determine what records they might have concerning
the marriage of the couple. (If I were traveling in the area, I might call to
make appointments to meet with persons to examine the records.)
Next Week
As you can see, determining the right question to ask, formulating the question,
and developing a research plan is an orderly way to approach a research problem.
Using this methodology, you greatly improve your chances of identifying the
materials you need, the different types of records that might exist, and of
successfully locating where they may be housed. A structured approach is what
professional genealogical researchers use to improve their success rate, and
you can do the same.
In next week's column, I'll continue with Research Methodology by discussing
the skills you can develop to succeed in library and archives research, how
to accurately record the data you locate, and the importance of citing your
sources.
Happy hunting!
George
Editor's Note: George will be teaching several online classes through
MyFamily.com in upcoming weeks. See today's Fast Fact for more information.
George G. Morgan would like to hear from you at atl@ahaseminars.com
but, due to the volume of e-mail received, he is unable to answer every message.
Please note that he cannot assist you with your individual research. Visit George's
website at http://ahaseminars.com/atlfor information about speaking engagements.
Copyright 2003, MyFamily.com Inc.
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