Find your National Treasure in the Nation’s Capital – Day 2

You know it’s going to be an interesting day when you see s Twitter message that says

“dengenjourney Denise’s Gen Journey

OMG @dearmyrtle as a scientist at Fairfax GenSoc Spring Conf!! And @hrworth as assistant …. wish it were on video!! #genealogy

7 Habits of Highly effective Genealogists

That is how the day started. A scientist and an assistant. But what does that have to do with Genealogy. The scientist walked around the class, clipboard in hand, taking names and notes and the assistant changed the slides showing important steps in our research. Several items were discussed several times over the course of this class. Record or document what you find and Cite everything. We were reminded that a Citation is NOT created so that others can find the document that you have found, but more for you, the researcher, so that you don’t go looking for it again but also for us to evaluation what we have.

Learning from others, experts, organizations within the Genealogy Community, was another message. That is why I attended this conference. To learn from others, to hang out with other researchers.

We were reminded that not everything is found on the Internet. Examples of the 7 steps were presented. The scientist ended with the notion that we should share with others. Lots to think about.

Integrating Genealogy Software with Online Discoveries

Issues of handling some of the information that we find, and the importance of recording the information, citing the sources, AND attaching this information to the people in our file. A number of techniques on how to take advantage of our computers to record this information. But this is all on a home computer.

The sharing was then discussed, Blogs and online trees, and the steps to do this were talked about. Current technology is allowing us to do this. It’s getting easier.

Another example was then presented, by the assistant, of how Family Tree Maker version 2012 and an Ancestry Member Tree work together. An example of the Sharing of an online tree, where a collaborator in this tree, added an Image of a record to the shared tree, added 31 updated to new pieces of information to that tree, with the use of FTM2012, then using the Sync feature, to update the online tree.

BUT that is only a step to where the “industry” is going. We, the end users of our various software programs want to share our research, no matter what our genealogy database management program we are using. This was a peek into the future.

Clothesline Approach to Documentation and Evaluation

Dear MYRTLE then gave a number of examples of that various documents that we have found, cited, and now must evaluate, using a Clothesline where one end of it is Very Reliable and the other not so much (Less Reliable). Where on that clothesline do this document belong. Reminding us on the need to evaluate our findings. Findings just not being what we find Online, but all of our findings.

Finally Get Organized

Dear MYRTLE handed out 12 “pink slips” to members of the class. The person with the “pink slip” read the assignment and agreed to complete or work on the assignment for a week, or a month, to complete the project. For example, gather and store our documents in weatherproof filing boxes, Scanning, Digitizing our pictures and documents, or preserving what we have. But not stopping there, sharing what we have. Tell a story about one of those heirlooms that we might have.

What was very interesting about the 12 people accepted their assignment, but I suspect that each member of the class too at least one of the ‘assignments’ to heart, will take them home, and complete the assignment.

For me, I was honored by be a part of the class, and to be able to help my cousin with these classes.

Thanks Dear MYRTLE for a great day.