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Monday, October 16, 2017

Getting the most from the Family Search & Stephen P Morse Websites

FamilySearch and the One-Step websites are, for many researchers, mandatory search stops no matter your level of expertise.  You are probably hoping that I will give you hints which will help crush a family brick wall by showing you how to master these types of websites.  Both have a great deal of information in many forms, but unless you have hours to spend every day researching most people never tap their true potential as an outstanding web resource.  In this handout I am going to give you a few strategies you can use on these sites for more success.  These tips are also great for other types of online genealogy research too, just in case you get stuck. 
 
Strategy: Start Broad, Then Refine
One of the simplest things you can do for a successful search is to use the process of elimination.  Beginning with a basic search that includes the minimum amount of information is key.  Sometimes too much information can get in the way. Start with a name, maybe a place, and a date range.  Date ranges are key since not all records have reliable dates on them.   If you have a large number of results start adding more information. One thing people forget about is using the friends, associates, and neighbors (or FAN) network in a search.  If you are looking for a family name that could be easily misspelled, mispronounced, or butchered in some other do not forget to look for as many variations on the spelling as possible.  That includes maiden names when known.  Think about all the ways someone could be found or how an office might have abbreviated a person’s name. 

Strategy: Using Advanced Menu Options
After you type in the basic initial information for the person you are researching you get a results page.  If there are a large number of hits this may seem like looking for a needle in a haystack.  Now is the time for you to narrow your results down by using any advanced search menus options available on many search screens.

Strategy: Using Boolean Searches and Wildcards
Hopefully most of you know what Boolean searches and wild cards are.  For those that need a refresher, in a nut shell, they are ways that you can make your searches broader and can cover a multitude of spellings. Investigate if the website you are searching allows these since it can help you find misplaced or hidden ancestors. Wildcards will give a large number of results however. Make sure you have an idea on how you will pare them down if you need to. 

Strategy: Record Collections
Instead of messing with the filters, because you know exactly the types of records you want to view, why not go directly to them. If the site has a listing of its collections make sure to investigate it completely.  I always use any “learn more” features to see if the information I want is there.  It really stinks to search for hours for a record that does not exist. 

Strategy: Explore the Entire Website
Many people want to hit a site and never go further than what is easy to find in a first search.  I am here to tell you that is a huge mistake.  Take the time to really explore.  Start out by looking for collections, databases, and etc. that your ancestors could be in and just go for it.  By using clues from other sources you can narrow your searches down to a few collections and weed through it all fairly easily. Take copious notes on what you find, and particularly what you don’t find.  One of the ways I track my progress through a record collection is by what I call carrot short hand.  I write each collection name or page and then with arrows I show the clicks I made to get to the next one.  This way when I go back to look at my notes later I knew where I went, what I looked at, and if I found anything.

Strategy: Publications
Did you know that there are entire digitized books out there on genealogy topics?  You can search many of these websites by generic topics (like a surname or a place) or titles if you know the book you are looking for.  Plus there are advanced search features available on many sites to filter by material types (periodical, gazetteers, or books) in addition to languages.

Strategy: Search the Catalog
Catalogs usually contain the listing of all genealogical materials available from a website.   These are really handy if you need to find a record again if you forgot to write down the identifying information the first time.  Or if you only remember part of a name for the record, but aren’t sure where you located it the first time.   Search the catalog and see what comes up.

Strategy: Exploring Wikis
For those of you who are still unsure what a wiki is, simply put it is a website that allows editing of its content and structure by its users through collaboration.   Subjects on genealogy wikis range from advice for researchers to the information you can find in various record collections.  The sites are updated frequently, so the key is to check back often to see if information you want to learn about it there. 

Strategy: Safely using the submitted genealogies
As genealogists, we live on clues and hints.  Do not be afraid to look to other people’s research for help.  Just realize that until you also confirm that information it is suspect.  That is just good research practice.  One good way to weed though the massive amounts of possible results is to look for trees that have source citations and no inconsistencies.

Resources:

Websites:
·        Family Search https://www.familysearch.org/
·        Family Search Wiki https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Main_Page
·        One-Step Website http://stevemorse.org/
·        Basic Search Tips and Advanced Boolean Explained http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/Boolean.pdf
·        What is a Wildcard? http://apus.libanswers.com/faq/2235
·        Genealogy Searches Online http://genealogy.about.com/od/internet/u/search_online.htm

Books:
·        Dana McCullough Unofficial Guide to FamilySearch.org: How to Find Your Family History on the Largest Free Genealogy Website

·        W. Daniel Quillen Mastering Online Genealogy

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