What are effective reference strategies for genealogy projects?

If you are interested in tracing your family history, you might need some guidance on how to find and use archival sources. Archival records are unique and often fragile documents that can provide valuable information about your ancestors, such as birth, marriage, death, immigration, military, and property records. However, accessing and interpreting these records can be challenging, especially if you are not familiar with the archival system and its terminology. In this article, we will share some effective reference strategies for genealogy projects that can help you locate, request, and analyze archival sources.

1 Identify your research goals

Before you start searching for archival records, you should have a clear idea of what you want to find out about your ancestors. What are the names, dates, places, and events that are relevant to your research question? What are the gaps or inconsistencies in your existing knowledge? What are the sources that you have already consulted or that are easily available online or in other libraries? Having a clear and specific research goal will help you narrow down your search and avoid getting overwhelmed by the vast amount of archival material.

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O Pius Owiny

Certified Marketing and Systems' Librarian, Records and Data Clerk, Full Stack Developer, Graphics Designer, Content Creator, Drone Pilot and ICT Specialist
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- Critical thinking is highly required - Identify a problem - Gather information from different sources - Strategically plan, assign methodology - Share your findings - Recommend for the future

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Joster Hagumba Choombe MBA

I am an accomplished HR practitioner and a Jack Welch Management Institute scholar, with 12 years experience recruitment, compensation, benefits, policy development, employee development, and performance management.
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Genealogical research is much more reliable when verified through recorded data. This could be easy where information is available in archives or libraries. But in cases where recorded information is not available oral sources can be used albeit with a lot of caution to avoid bias and errors. National repositories with strong regulatory enforcement are essential in this regard.

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Jhonatas Couto

Analista de Dados | Cientista de Dados | Desenvolvedor de sistema | Analista Power BI | ETL Alteryx | Dev DB | Dev MongoDb | Dev Javascritpt | Dev Php | Dev React | Dev Python | Excel avançado
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Antigamente consultava em documentação para verificar, porem levava um tempo para saber se está ou não correto, hoje com a ajuda da ia, esse processo é um pouco mais rápido.

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Mohamed Aboudalal

Médecin chez Santé// Artiste Peintre// Écrivain
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Pour faire une bonne recherche, il faut des sources fiables et des méthodes scientifiques, aussi une bibliographie complète pour partir sur des bases solides.

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Keny Mendes

Assistente de Operações de Mídia DOOH & Mídia Programática | Google D&V 360 | Hivestack | Outcon | Admooh | pDOOH / DOOH / Digital
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Use plataformas e redes sociais para se conectar a entusiastas de genealogia. Participar de grupos e compartilhar descobertas pode revelar conexões surpreendentes. Quem sabe quantos primos incríveis estão a apenas uma mensagem de distância? Aproveite aplicativos de genealogia, como MyHeritage e Ancestry, para simplificar descobertas. Mostre como a tecnologia moderna está revolucionando a exploração das raízes familiares, tornando o processo mais acessível e emocionante.

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2 Find relevant archival repositories

Once you have defined your research goal, you need to find out which archival repositories hold the records that might be useful for your project. Archival repositories are institutions that collect, preserve, and provide access to archival records. They can be public or private, national or local, general or specialized. Some examples of archival repositories are national archives, state archives, county archives, city archives, church archives, university archives, historical societies, and genealogical societies. You can use online directories, catalogs, guides, and databases to identify and locate archival repositories that have collections related to your research topic. For example, you can use the National Archives Catalog, the WorldCat database, the FamilySearch website, or the Cyndi's List website to find archival repositories in the United States and other countries.

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Hugo Delgado González

Documentalista. Archivos y bibliotecas.
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Teniendo en cuenta las posibilidades de encontrar la información en diferentes lugares, es preciso identificarlos primero. Mi consejo es no limitarse a lo más evidentes. Comienza por tu propia casa. Pregunta. Tus mayores. Muchas veces conservamos documentos de familiares fallecidos que pueden darnos pistas. Luego pasa por los registros censales y eclesiásticos. A partir de ahí piensa donde puede aparecer el nombre de esos familiares, visita lugares de origen, registros de propiedad. Nunca pases por alto seguir un hilo.

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Muriel SHUM KING

J’optimise le SEO d’un site de eCommerce pour améliorer la visibilité et les ventes avec l’I.A. générative | Montage Video | Videaste | DataVisualisation
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Interroger les archives pertinentes commence souvent par les tables décennales (En France) de l’état civil et pour en savoir plus, les Editions Archive et culture publient régulièrement des ouvrages pour bien débuter sa recherche ou de se former auprès d’une Ecole reconnue qui peut délivrer des attestations. Il est aussi utile d’enregistrer sa recherche avec un logiciel de généalogie pour établir son arbre et de consulter des bases de données officielles en ligne

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Carlos Santos

Técnico de Arquivo na Reisswolf
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Uma excelente ferramenta sobre genealogia é o Family Search programa sobre genealogia da A Igreja de Jesus Cristo dos Santos dos Ultimos é Dias. Em Portugal os 18 arquivos distritais e existentes e os 2 arquivos regionais. Estes arquivos, dostritais/regionais, guardam todos os registos paroquiais com mais de 100 anos desses distritos/regiões autónomas.

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3 Contact the archival staff

Once you have identified some potential archival repositories, you should contact the archival staff to confirm their availability, access policies, and services. Archival staff are professionals who can assist you with your research and provide you with information and advice on how to use their collections. You can contact them by phone, email, or online forms, depending on the repository's preference. You should be polite, concise, and specific when you communicate with the archival staff. You should explain your research goal, the records that you are interested in, and the questions that you have. You should also ask about the repository's opening hours, fees, restrictions, procedures, and facilities. You should also check if you need to make an appointment, register, or bring any identification or documents to access the records.

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Jhonatas Couto

Analista de Dados | Cientista de Dados | Desenvolvedor de sistema | Analista Power BI | ETL Alteryx | Dev DB | Dev MongoDb | Dev Javascritpt | Dev Php | Dev React | Dev Python | Excel avançado
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Normalmente entrar em contato não é uma tarefa facil, a probabilidade por email é maior, agora por outros meios é difícil, mas sim, entrar em contato para melhorias dos arquivos sempre terá

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4 Prepare for your visit

If you plan to visit the archival repository in person, you should prepare for your visit in advance. You should review the repository's website and guidelines to familiarize yourself with their rules and expectations. You should also make a list of the records that you want to see and their reference numbers, if available. You should bring a notebook, a pencil, a camera, a laptop, or a flash drive to take notes and make copies of the records. You should also bring some money to pay for any fees or charges that the repository might have. You should dress comfortably and appropriately, and respect the repository's environment and staff.

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Ana Beatriz Peixoto

Impulsionando o Crescimento Organizacional e o Desenvolvimento de Pessoas
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Acredito que além de toda a preparação previamente dita, é de certa urgência saber também o que estamos procurando. Ir no mercado com fome pode ser sua ruína haha.

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5 Request and analyze the records

When you arrive at the archival repository, you should register at the reception desk and present your identification or documents, if required. You should then proceed to the reading room, where you can request and view the records. You should follow the instructions and directions of the archival staff and handle the records with care and respect. You should use the finding aids, indexes, guides, and catalogs that the repository provides to locate and request the records that you need. You should also use the reference tools, such as dictionaries, atlases, maps, and databases, that the repository offers to help you interpret and analyze the records. You should take notes and make copies of the records that are relevant to your research goal. You should also cite the records properly and acknowledge the repository's source.

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6 Evaluate and organize your findings

After you have viewed and copied the records, you should evaluate and organize your findings. You should compare and contrast the information that you have gathered from different sources and check for accuracy, reliability, and consistency. You should also look for clues, patterns, and gaps that might lead you to further research or new questions. You should organize your findings in a logical and systematic way, using charts, tables, timelines, or software programs. You should also back up your files and store your copies in a safe and accessible place. You should also review your research goal and assess your progress and results.

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Hugo Delgado González

Documentalista. Archivos y bibliotecas.
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En mi opinión, no seguir un estricto procedimiento con la información que se ha obtenido es un error común que provoca la perdida de mucho tiempo. Hay que intentar no volver sobre documentos ya consultados a no ser que sea estrictamente necesario. Anota con celo las fuentes de información y sobre todo la información completa aunque en un principio no parezca tan importante, porque normalmente, termina siendo más importante de lo que pensamos. Mi consejo es que si hay servicio de reprografía, te lleves una copia. Con todo bien anotado, organizar la información será más sencillo.

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Muriel SHUM KING

J’optimise le SEO d’un site de eCommerce pour améliorer la visibilité et les ventes avec l’I.A. générative | Montage Video | Videaste | DataVisualisation
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Une attention cependant pour établir son arbre : veiller à la confidentialité des données des personnes disparues et à diffuser son arbre qu’auprès des personnes ayant donné leur consentement !

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Carlos Santos

Técnico de Arquivo na Reisswolf
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Convém percebermos, ou pelo menos twrmos noções , de paleografia. Também é importante ter muita paciência pois é um trabalho muito demoroso e onde a falta de paciencia e de entusiasmo pode ocorrer facilmente.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Hugo Delgado González

Documentalista. Archivos y bibliotecas.
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No dejes que tus hallazgos queden en saco roto. En la medida de lo posible haz que lleguen al mayor número de personas posibles. Hay que darle uso a nuestro patrimonio bibliográfico y acercarlo a la gente. Todos somos dueños del mismo y hay que cuidarlo y ponerlo en valor. Con estas pequeñas contribuciones se ayuda a activar el interés de otros usuarios para encontrar información importante perdida y dormida durante años.

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Ana Beatriz Peixoto

Impulsionando o Crescimento Organizacional e o Desenvolvimento de Pessoas
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Depois de uma boa visita e alguma leitura rasa e breve sobre o que foi encontrado, acho de suma importância refletir se não estamos perdendo algo. Aprecio compartilhar um pouco do caso com alguém, as vezes um olhas de fora pode nos mostrar mais clareza e novas duvidas que eventualmente se tornam novas respostas ou caminhos.

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Gail Oosthuizen

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It might be a good idea to keep a seperate 'file' or page in a note book for extended or other references. Similar to bookmarking a page while browsing. You may come across data you could use at a later stage. The archivist may sugest other collections. A fellow researcher may mention something in passing. Make a note. Once your main research is done, you may want to expand on or include data.

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What are effective reference strategies for genealogy projects?

1

2

3

4

5

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1 Identify your research goals

2 Find relevant archival repositories

3 Contact the archival staff

4 Prepare for your visit

5 Request and analyze the records

6 Evaluate and organize your findings

7 Here’s what else to consider

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What are effective reference strategies for genealogy projects?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Identify your research goals

2 Find relevant archival repositories

3 Contact the archival staff

4 Prepare for your visit

5 Request and analyze the records

6 Evaluate and organize your findings

7 Here’s what else to consider

Library Services

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