Last night I was browsing through the companion book (by Megan Smolenyak) for the upcoming PBS Ancestors series. The book is titled In Search of Our Ancestors: 101 Inspiring Stories of Serendipity and Connection in Rediscovering Our Family History (http://www.pbs.org/kbyu/ancestors/products/), and it is composed of stories that document "the wonderful luck, unexpected kindnesses, and amazing serendipity encountered by researchers exploring their family histories." Some of the stories are absolutely amazing, and I plan to keep this book around for those times when I feel like I am spinning my wheels! It is a guaranteed pick-me-up.

But as I read these incredible stories, it occurred to me that although we would all welcome a helping hand from lady luck, there are many things that we can do to "make our own luck."

Have a Game Plan
With the wealth of information the Internet is bringing to our fingertips, we may often find ourselves wandering around aimlessly. We may check out the latest databases or browse through various Web pages that reference our particular area of interest, and we may even take screen prints of possibly useful information for future reference. But if we don’t know exactly what we are looking for, we may be wasting our time. Sure, there is always the chance of some serendipitous discovery, but a search that has a specific goal is much more likely to turn up results. By reviewing the information we have and determining what we need, we can often form a "wish list" and use that list to guide us as we search.

Educate Yourself
Nowadays, this is an easy task. You are educating yourself by reading this newsletter. By subscribing to periodicals, both online and off, you can greatly increase your genealogical skills. A plethora of books have been written to guide you through the various phases of your research, and there are even courses available online. With the Ancestors series coming to PBS stations this month, you can even educate yourself in front of your TV from the comfort of your recliner. (More information on the "Ancestors" special is available on the PBS site.)

If All Else Failes, Read the Instructions
My dad used to tell me this one all the time, and as usual, father knows best. Have you read the manual or browsed through the help functions for your genealogical software? You may discover helpful functions you were previously unaware of.

Most search engines also have a help page or tutorial for users that provides important facts to help you get the most from your searches. For example, Lycos’ Help page contains the topics General Search Tips, Understanding Search Results, Advanced Search Tips, Boolean Expressions, SearchGuard (a search filter that allows users to "filter adult, violent, hate, and weapons-related content" from results), Tips for Locating Pictures and Sounds, SeeMore (an advanced function that, when enabled, allows you to right click on a word or phrase in your results and see more categories that pertain to that selection), as well as information on computer viruses, site personalization, shopping, submitting your Web site, help with games and chats, and more.

This same tip applies to indexes and databases. Many times we skip over the introductory information that comes with publications in print and online. By reading the "fine print," you can discover where the information comes from, what is included, and the scope of the information. In cases where the information is abstracted from original records, you may also learn that some information was omitted. More information on this can be found in "Evaluating Indexes."

Review for New Clues
As we go along in our quest for information about our ancestors, we gather tidbits here and there that often don’t quite fit in. We may file them or set them aside and forget about them. By going back and reviewing our collection of odds and ends, we may find that these formerly useless tidbits have taken on new significance in the light of recent discoveries. For more on this, see George Morgan’s article "The Second Time Around."

Get Out There
While it is true that more and more of what we seek can be found online, there is still no getting around the fact that there is much that can only be found by visiting courthouses, cemeteries, archives, libraries, and other repositories. Also, it is important to remember that the vast majority of records online are only secondary sources and need to be verified with original sources anyway. "Preparing for a Library Trip" may help you to get the most from your research trip.

Connect with Others
The Internet has made it easier than ever to connect with others that have similar research interests. GEDCOM collections like the Ancestry World Tree allow users to post their data for free in a location where millions of visitors search for their ancestors every month. Message boards like those at FamilyHistory.com create forums for users to collaborate, share information, and post queries. See our tips for posting an effective query.

One thing to keep in mind, though, as you meet new people on the Internet: these people are, in most cases, complete strangers. Just because they know what surnames you are researching doesn’t make them honest. Be wary of what information you share with them. Would you share the same details with someone who called you on the phone? When I am contacted, the information I share begins a few generations back.

Standards for Sound Research
The National Genealogical Society has established standards to guide you as you perform and publish your research. These guidelines can save you from wasting time researching the wrong people, and help you present your findings in a manner that is accepted and understood by others, thus adding value to your hard work. Adherence to these standards will also uphold the reputation of researchers everywhere when researching in archives, libraries, and other repositories, and the "Standards for Sharing Information with Others" can help you to avoid sticky situations encountered when genealogical data is passed around. See the NGS standards for more detailed information.

Further Reading
"Serendipity in Research," by Michael John Neill

"Problem Solving," by Sherry Irvine, CGRS, FSA (Scot)

"Tigger's Family Tree Search: What We Can Learn from Him," by Michael John Neill

Juliana Smith is the editor of the Ancestry Daily News and author of The Ancestry Family Historian's Address Book. Juliana has written for Ancestry Magazine and Genealogical Computing. She works from her home in Indiana, where she lives with her husband and their four-year-old daughter. She is searching for ancestors from Ireland, England, France, Germany, Poland, and Hungary (now Slovakia). Juliana can be reached by e-mail at: editor@ancestry-inc.com, but regrets that she is unable to assist with personal research.