Genealogy Do-Over, Cycle 2 Week 2

Week 2 of the Do-Over consists of 1) Setting Research Goals, 2) Conducting Self Interview, and 3) Conducting Family Interviews

What I did:

• I thought I had documented all the important information on myself. Boy, was I wrong! I had input the usual data into my FTM: birth, marriage, children, etc. What I never thought about doing prior to this was including ALL of the milestones in my life. I had never thought about how many years it would be before family could find me on the census records! It would 2042 before they would find me listed as a 9-year-old in the 1970 census! Since, my dad did contract work and we traveled a lot. I sat down and wrote a timeline of where I lived (in as far back as I could remember - wish I had thought to ask him about all of that before he passed!), schools I went to, clubs I joined, and colleges I attended. I learned how to cite a first hand knowledge source (i.e. my self-interview). I used this citation for all of the information I entered. I then located and scanned diplomas, transcripts, and other documentation when possible to prove these facts. One thing I realized when I started this Do-Over during Cycle 1, was that although I had recorded my birth date, I didn't even have a copy of my birth certificate. So, I ordered mine and my husband's back in January. They just recently came in, so I added them to my FTM along with the citations! Thanks, Thomas MacEntee! Without this do-over, and taking the time to slow down and start with myself, I wouldn't have even realized I was missing these important documents.

• Sadly, most of my older relatives have all passed, so I am unable to glean any more tidbits from them. I am working on an interview for my mother, but it will be a few weeks before I can make it down there to see her. She doesn't do Skype, and trying to have a conversation on the phone usually goes awry. I have been in touch with my siblings to get as much information from these as I can. I am going to continue to seek out extended family members and interview them.

Citation for self-interview using EE 3.32 Private Holdings: Interviews, p 147.

Ford-Collier, Renita. Glenn Heights, Texas. My Self-Interview by Renita Ford-Collier. 08 Apr 2015. Transcript. Privately held by Ford-Collier, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Glenn Heights, Texas. 2015. 

• Set research goals. After completing my self-interview, and gathering information from other family members, I sat upon the task of setting my research goals. I have been using my To-Do list in my research log to keep me more focused. This has been the hardest part for me - writing it all on the list. This is what it looks like. I think I will make some changes, but for now, it works.

Although I am anxious to do research, I know that this week has been very enlightening! It has taught me the importance of slowing down, setting goals, and looking at things in a different way. It was important (and fun) to touch base with other family members and learn more about them and to document their lives. 

Genealogy Do-Over Cycle 2: Week 1

Although I have been working on my family tree since the 1980s, I made many mistakes in those early years. I didn't always cite my sources, and when I did, they weren't always done correctly. I've decided to join Thomas MacEntee's Genealogy Do-Over. I won't be doing everything on his do-over list; it's more of a go-over, but it will give me the time to slow down and go over everything from the beginning.

So here goes:

Week 1 of the Genealogy Do-Over is about 1) Setting Previous Research Aside, 2) Preparing to Research, and 3) Establishing Base Practices and Guidelines.

Setting Research Aside

• Rather than setting aside all of my previous research, I have been organizing my files, both the digital and the paper. I chose an image/document naming format and began changing all images previously saved to the new format. My format is LAST NAME_First Name_What it is_Year_Place.  The majority have been converted, but I still have a few more to work on. I also purchased binders, archival quality sheet protectors (a lot of them) and tabs. I have been working on sorting through all of the old handwritten notes and putting them in a basket to look at later when the Go-Over is completed. 

• Since I am not doing a complete Do-Over, I needed a way to keep track of when I had checked all the facts for an ancestor, so I added a GoOver section in my FTM 2012. This allows me to add the date everything has been verified.

• I then created binders for each of my four grandparents lines and began putting all of the printed family group sheets and information in the appropriate binder. All of the birth, death, and marriage records that I have purchased over the years have been put into one binder for future review.

Preparing to Research 

• TIME! - Make sure I have the time needed to begin the research. This will keep me from rushing the process.
• My research spreadsheet needs to be open, so I can input any additional research that needs to be done in the future. This will keep me from getting sidetracked with all of the BSO's!
• A copy of Elizabeth Shown Mills "Evidence Explained: Citing History Sources from Artifacts to Cyberspace" must be beside me, so I can make sure to cite my sources correctly.
• A copy of Thomas W. Jones' "Mastering Genealogical Proof" will be readily available. 
• Notepad and pencil

Establishing Best Practices and Guidelines

• The last thing to do this week, was to create my list of My Genealogical Best Practices and Guidelines.

What I gained from this week's assignment was that I really needed to slow down. As a teacher, I usually only have the summer to devote to extensive research, so I tried to make the most of my time during those three months. This, along with other inexperienced research methods, left my family tree in somewhat of a mess. I vow to take as much time as I need to research, track my work, and to analyze each bit of information and only add new information to my software when I am certain it belongs there.