how to write a genealogy research report

Gray Stabley Genealogy Services

How To Write A Professional-Looking Genealogy Research Report

In the world of family history, digging into our past isn’t just about finding names and dates. It’s about telling the stories of our ancestors in a way that’s respectful and accurate. That’s where the genealogy research report comes in. It’s like a roadmap of our discoveries but also a reflection of how seriously we take our work.

Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting, learning how to create a polished genealogy research report is important to staying organized and telling our ancestor’s stories. In this blog post, we’ll break down the essential steps to help you turn your findings into an account of your ancestor’s life that anyone can understand.

I’ll be using the example of finding my 3x great-grandmother to help you see that you, too, can write like a professional.

person s hand on laptop writing a genealogy research report

Disclaimer: The original research report contains source citations. To enhance clarity, I have omitted these from the post.

Step 1: Craft a Research Question

What do you want to know? Who do you want to find? These are wonderful questions, but we need to be a bit more specific.

In my case, I’m looking for my 3x great-grandmother – or in other words the mother of my 2x great-grandmother, Susanna Krewson.

Here’s my question: Who is the mother of Susanna Krewson, born about 1829 in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and married Andrew Bothell on 26 August 1847 in Newtown, Bucks, Pennsylvania?

Notice I included identifiers that make it clear of the exact person I’m working with. There will only be one Susanna Krewson with that birth and marriage information (hopefully). If not, I’ve got work to do to narrow the field to one.

Write this in your Word or Google doc and keep it close by to remind you of your genealogy research question.

You can read more about Susanna in a previous blog post here .

Step 2: Background Information

What information do you already know about your subject? Did you find a document that is key for starting this phase of your research?

Here is the background of my research report:

The starting point for this research session is the marriage record of Susanna Krewson and Andrew Bothell on 26 August 1847 in Newtown, Bucks, Pennsylvania. The father is listed as John Krewson, with no mother mentioned. It is the scope of this project to discover the mother of Susanna Krewson.

In Newtown, Bucks County, Pennsylvania during the time frame of this project, there were two John Krewsons. One was a mason and one a carpenter. During a previous research project, it was discovered that John Krewson mentioned in the marriage record was a carpenter. His occupation stayed consistent throughout his life.

The surname Krewson has many spelling variations. The following are just a few: Krewson, Kroesen, Krusen, Crewson, Croeson, Crusen, Cruson, Crusin. The spelling used throughout this research report will be Krewson, except in the case of abstracts or transcriptions. Only then will the author use the spelling that appears in the document.

This section doesn’t have to be long or even in paragraph form. If you want to write what you know in bullet points, that’s fine. Whatever works for you. Remember this report is for you. Keep it simple.

Step 3: Limitations and Repositories

This section is a staple in professional reports. Limitations are usually in the form of time or money. For example, you may have a limit of 10 hours or online genealogy research only.

The repositories list will grow as you find new places to research (both online and in-person). Your research report is a living document until you finalize everything at the end.

Here is what my section looks like:

LIMITATIONS : 20 hours for research, analysis, and writing. Online repositories only.

REPOSITORIES : Ancestry.com Familysearch.org Findagrave.com Genealogybank.com

Step 4: Summary of Findings

This section is simply a summary, as titled. When we take clients, it’s good to have a condensed version of the report near the top in case they just want to know the bottom line. This is what the Summary of Findings section is all about.

When I start a genealogy research report and know what record groups I want to search, I make a list of them in this section. As I research each record and write about it, I modify that entry to reflect the findings.

For example, my list may start like this:

1860 census – John Krewson, Bucks County, Pennsylvania 1850 census – John Krewson, Bucks County, Pennsylvania

But then in my Summary of Findings, I changed it to reflect what I found:

In the 1860 census, John and Jane were in the household with their presumed daughters Elizabeth and Mary. Also in the household was Elizabeth’s son, John, and Mary’s family which consisted of her husband, Mahlon, and daughters, Emma and Henrietta. The 1850 census listed John and Jane in the household with their assumed daughter Amelia and her husband William S. Scott.

In the end, I have something that looks like this:

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS:

The objective has been met. Jane Parker was the mother of Susanna Krewson. The following evidence supports this parent/daughter relationship:

In John Krewson’s will, he listed his children (women by their married names) including Susanna Bothel. The will did not include his wife.
John Krewson and Jane Parker Krewson have memorials on Find A Grave. They are buried next to each other and list 3 of their 5 children.
John Krewson and Jane Parker married in 1814. A marriage announcement was found in the Pennsylvania Correspondent newspaper.
Two of Susanna’s siblings, Elizabeth and Samuel, had baptism records that listed John Krewson and Jane Parker as their parents. Also, Jane’s baptism record was found stating she was the wife of John Krewson.
The baptism record for another sibling, Mary, was discovered with John Krewson and Jane Parker listed as her parents.
In the 1860 census, John and Jane were in the household with their presumed daughters Elizabeth and Mary. Also in the household was Elizabeth’s son, John, and Mary’s family which consisted of her husband, Mahlon, and daughters, Emma and Henrietta.
The 1850 census listed John and Jane in the household with their assumed daughter Amelia and her husband William S. Scott.

Step 5: Genealogy Research Notes

In this section, I look at each record, analyze it, and correlate it with other information I’ve found.

This section of the report is not a travelog, which is the order in which you found the records. Instead, rearrange the records in an order that makes sense to the reader and helps build your case for a possible conclusion.

Here is an example of one of the records and the notes I made:

Will – John Krewson – Newtown, Bucks, Pennsylvania

Abstract : Will of John Kruson Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Will Book 16:376 Written 3 January 1866; proved 28 February 1866

I, John Kruson of Newtown Township Bucks County. Executor to sell my Real Estate & personal property; to my five children to be equally divided: Elizabeth Bethel, Samuel Kruson, Mary Worthington, Susanna Bothel, and Amelia Scott. I appoint Nicholas W. Willard Executor. 3rd day of January 1866.

Witnesses: Chas. Willard, Robert M’Master. [Signed] John Kruson

Proved 28 February 1866, on oaths of Charles Willard and Robert M’Master, witnesses.

H. R. Sager Register of Wills, Bucks County, letters testamentary were granted to Nicholas W Willard Executor.

Analysis : This is a digital copy of a derivative record of the will of John Krewson, written on 3 January 1866 in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. The book is in good condition with legible writing and for the most part, easy to decipher. The entries were most likely recorded by the Register of Wills, H.R. Sager. It was the job of the Register of Wills to maintain documents relating to probate files. Bucks County probate began in 1684, shortly after its creation in November 1682.

This document is direct evidence of the parent/daughter relationship between John Krewson and Susanna Bothel, as he directly names each of his children: Elizabeth Bethel, Samuel Kruson, Mary Worthington, Susanna Bothel, and Amelia Scott. The women have all married and are listed by their married surnames. The one person who is not mentioned in this document is his wife. It is presumed that she is deceased at this time, but more evidence is needed to prove this.

Repeat this section for every record you find.

Step 6: Conclusion

In a genealogy research report, you may or may not reach a conclusion. If you do, state it here. If you don’t, write about what you did find and what you think will help you in another research session. When clients pay for a certain amount of time, there is no guarantee of reaching a conclusion. Even doing research for yourself, you may not get an answer.

Here is my conclusion:

There is direct evidence for the parent/child relationship between John Krewson and Susanna Krewson Bothel through Susanna’s marriage record and John’s will. The will is also direct evidence of the sibling relationships between Susanna, Elizabeth, Samuel, Mary, and Amelia. There is direct evidence of the parent/child relationship between John and Jane Krewson and their children Elizabeth, Samuel, and Mary through baptism records. There is indirect evidence of the parent/child relationship between John and Jane Krewson and their daughter Amelia through the 1850 census and their daughters Elizabeth and Mary in the 1860 census.

Since the relationships are established between John, Jane, and all their other children, and Susanna is directly listed as a child of John Krewson in his will, we can therefore determine that Jane Parker is also the mother of Susanna Krewson Bothel.

One piece of feedback I received when I submitted this report as a ProGen Study Group assignment questioned whether Jane could have been John’s second wife. I conducted further research and confirmed that Jane was John’s only wife.

Step 7: Future Research

This section is to help your future self or tell your client what can be done in a future research session. Did other questions come up during this project that you’d like to explore? Was a conclusion not reached and you have more records to look at that may lead you to an answer? Did you run out of time for this project and want to record your thoughts for another session?

Here is a list of what I’d like to know in a future project:

In the newspaper article giving the marriage date of John Krewson and Jane Parker, Jane is listed as Mrs. Jane Parker. Research to see if Jane had a previous marriage.
In John Krewson’s probate record, the land he owned was to be sold and the money distributed between his five children. Look for land records for this sale and to see if the children are named.
Andrew Bothel and Susanna Krewson’s marriage license cost 35 cents and it was returned because they were so poor. Discover more about their financial life.

If you know what record set or repository can help you for your next session, include them here. Go ahead and write in a source citation to save you time later on.

Sometimes the key to writing is just staying organized. If you write as you go, you will always be in control of your report and you may make connections in your brain that you hadn’t before. This may lead you to find an answer much faster than if you left all the writing until the end.

All professionals write genealogy research reports, but as you’ve learned here, you don’t have to be a professional to write like one.

Genealogy tip: Use the steps outlined in this post to make a research report template. Keep a master copy so you’ll be consistent each time you want to research an ancestor.

Do you need a professional to find your family? I’d love to hear about your project and how I can help. Schedule a free 30-minute no-obligation consultation below.

One Way To Organize Your Genealogy Research

Writing Your Family’s Genealogy Report (Step By Step)

Table of Contents

1 The Importance of a Genealogy Report
2 Types of Genealogy Reports
3.1 1. Choose a format for your family history
3.2 2. Define the scope of your family history
3.3 3. Choose the right plot and themes
3.4 4. Focus on background research
3.5 5. Organize your research
3.6 6. Choose where to begin
3.7 7. Include an index, source, and citations

Regardless of which genealogy service you ordered, our genealogists understand the importance of writing accurate genealogical reports. After all, inside every genealogist is a hidden detective. Compiling a report about your family history automatically takes your search to the next level. This is a much better alternative than presenting your family history in the form of a chart that may not be too easy to understand.

Each page of a genealogy report is solely dedicated to telling the life history of your loved ones – who they were, where they were born, whether they were married, where they worked, as well as providing other important information. We believe that the best family history is that which perfectly describes the lives of those who came before you.

A genealogy report will enable you to leave a family legacy behind. This is not only important for your existing family members but also an important one for those who will come in future.

The Importance of a Genealogy Report

A genealogy report is a powerful investigative tool. It is written concurrently with family history research or after every research session. As such, it becomes easy to track personal research and share vital information about your ancestors. Multiple reports can be written on your family, depending on how much research is done.

Family historians can spend a long period of time developing a family history. Sometimes, their best information may come from a report. This also makes it easy for future family members to conveniently pick up beneficial in information about their descendants.

Types of Genealogy Reports

Narrative Report – This report takes into account all parts of a family history. It is more expressive and biographical in nature and may not necessarily detail the research procedures that underscore it. Usually, these narratives include the story teller’s interpretations of events.
Letter Report – Used to answer simple genealogical queries, this report details brief request that a professional researcher makes to a librarian or archivist in order for them to provide documents that will essentially further the research.
Formal Report – Just like the title suggests, the formal report is written in a consciously-developed and professional manner. It represents expertise and reputation. A tone of familiarity or chattiness does not have any place here.
Software Program Report – This report contains a summary of relevant information in a number of data fields. This report contains excellent supplements such as charts and graphs that further elaborates the information.

Ultimate Steps for Writing Your Family’s Genealogy Report

Although writing your family history report may seem like a daunting task, our experts are well-versed in the process. Worry not! You are in the best hands. We are well-equipped to find all the information that you seek. Here are 7 steps to writing your family’s genealogy report, step by step:

1. Choose a format for your family history

We allow you to decide on the format that you envision for your research report. As discussed above, there are various formats to write a report. You may choose a narrative or factual report depending on the depth of information you are looking for.

2. Define the scope of your family history

It is important to decide whether you want information about a particular relative or everyone who is part of your family tree. Thus, you should choose a focus for your report. You may include everyone who comes from the same descendant line or write about all of your general descendants. However, these suggestions are easily adapted to suit your interest.

3. Choose the right plot and themes

The report should include the problems that your ancestors faced such as their immigration, survival during wartime and even how they rid of slavery. These are the best themes for any report, especially one that is written in a narrative nature.

4. Focus on background research

Forget about dull and dry family histories. Instead, focusing on background research to ensure that the reader has an eye-witness perspective of your family history. It is best to have an idea of how far back you intend to go into research. You may want to create a story of your immediate family or alternatively, you can choose to begin with your great, great grandparents and slowly incorporate your family members.

5. Organize your research

By creating a timeline or duration for every ancestor that is part of your report, it is easy to spot any mistakes that may be in your report. You can easily sort a number of photos or records for every ancestor, thereafter identify what should be included in the report. Once all the right decisions have been made, use the set timelines to create an outline for your report. It can be organized geographically, chronologically, by theme or character.

6. Choose where to begin

You may choose to begin the report from interesting parts of your family history. Maybe you may choose a duration in which they escaped war or an era when an interesting invention was developed. Interesting facts make your report more exciting. Remember, you do not have to start writing your family history from the beginning, you are free to choose any starting point.

7. Include an index, source, and citations

An index is an important feature of a genealogy report. It makes it easy to find the portions of the report for easy reading. As such, no level of confusion will be experienced.

Once the report is completed, you can confidently sit back, relax and read it with pride. Our professionals will certainly enable you to meet all of our research objectives and encourage you to make strides in the right direction. Regardless of the kind of format that your report is in, it is important to have a backup copy and save it in a flexible manner so that you could access it anytime-anywhere.

Thinking of writing a family history report? We’re here to help you get all the answers that you need – step by step.

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how to write a genealogy research report

Writing Genealogical Reports

Learning how to write accurate genealogical reports is an essential skill that every aspiring genealogist must learn. While at first they may be daunting, writing genealogical reports can become part of your research routine, will help you sort your thoughts about your ancestors and will make your work accessible for others to read. From what we learned in Hints and Tips 5: Standards and Good Practice in Genealogy, there are many principles of genealogical research. These principles also apply extensively to genealogical report writing. There are many types of reports that you could write, including Research Reports, Proof Summaries, and Narrative Family Histories.

Research Reports

Research reports are usually written concurrent with research, or after a research session. They are usually written to track your personal research, to share with family, to report to a client or to eventually become a professional genealogist. These reports are meant to tell a reader what records were searched and what was found in those records (nil searches as well) during a research session. They become a valuable resource when coupled with a detailed research log. Multiple research reports can be written on one genealogical family, depending on how much research is done. When writing a research report, try to follow a format that works best for your research topic. Here is a basic outline that can help with writing your own research reports:

Title : The research report can be named anything; most common names are the family you are researching and the region they lived.
Focus of the Research : What your research goals were, if you found what you expected, etc. Quick overview of the research process.
Record by Record : If your research was done searching record by record, rather than by person or surname, write the research report in the order of records searched.
or Person by Person : If your research was done searching for specific persons in a record, organize the report generation by generation, and then person by person. This will help the reader understand your train of thought and will be much more efficient for writing.
Conclusion : Any final thoughts on the research process and what was accomplished.
Further Research Suggestions : This can include a step by step guide of what research still needs to be done and where to find the required records. This will make it much easier for you or someone else to pick up the research where you left off.

When writing a research report, you can use many different things to make the report informational and interesting. Graphics, tables, charts, abstracts, and timelines help make the research report more accessible. Detailed footnotes and source citations will help the reader know where the resource came from. It is also useful to separate your report into sections with headers, page breaks, and creative white space on the page. For specific examples of research reports and how they are written, please visit the Board for Certification of Genealogists (US) website, http://www.bcgcertification.org/ .

Proof Summaries

Proof summaries are reports meant to analyse a specific genealogical question, rather than an entire research session. Proof summaries can be about any genealogical question (who are the parents of my ancestor, where was my ancestor born, etc.), although they are most commonly written to establish parentage of an ancestor. It is difficult to outline what goes into a proof summary, because each report is different depending on the research question and what records were available for searching. Proof summaries can be in two different formats: line style and narrative style . A Line-style proof summary outlines the record that was searched, a description of what information was in the document, and how that helps solve the genealogical problem. The records are not in the order originally searched, but are ordered in a way that solves the genealogical problem. Here is an example of an entry from a Line-Style Proof Summary:

1.) Dorset Militia Lists, Sturminster, Dorset, 11 May 1764. List of men ‘chosen by lotts’ at Cast Meetings of the Subdivision Term of three years, or men who provided substitutes to serve in their place and stead. Summary of important points: John Smart took the place of West Stower, a servant. John Smart was from Hazelbury Bryan, Dorset, a laborer, age 19, 5’7”, single.

• John Smart’s baptismal record states his baptism in 1747, which would make him sixteen years old at the time of his service (someone had to be eighteen to serve in the militia). John’s older brother, Robert, who was actually nineteen, was mentioned on the same page as John on the militia l lists, which suggests that John may have lied about his age and served with his brother in the militia.

Source Note: John Smart (11 May 1764), Hazelbury Bryan, Sturminster District, “Dorset, England, Militia Lists, 1757-1860,” digital images, original at Dorset History Centre, L/A 1/2/1, www.ancestry.co.uk.

A Narrative Proof Summary will use the same format as a line-style proof summary, but the information will be written in an essay style, rather than with bullet points. Here is an example of the same entry in Narrative style:

The only other record found before John’s birth was found in Ancestry’s collection of Dorset Militia Lists 1757-1860. John Smart was listed in the Dorset Militia Lists 11 May 1764 in Hazelbury Bryan, Dorset. According to the record, John Smart was chosen ‘by lotts’ from all the men in Hazelbury Bryan to serve for the term of three years in the Dorset militia. John was a substitute for West Stower, a servant living in Hazelbury Bryan, Dorset. On this record he was listed at nineteen years of age, was single, and was 5’7”.

Although the militia list stated that John was nineteen, the information from his baptismal record suggests that he was closer to sixteen years of age. It was likely not an issue that he was younger than his proposed age. Also found on this same page of militia lists was a Robert Smart, who may have been a brother of John Smart.

Narrative Family History

Narrative family histories are very different than research reports or proof summaries; these are reports that contextualize the lives in the family group. Along with original sources, these types of records bring in information from secondary sources and scholarly articles to help bring genealogical events to life. There is a specific style of narrative family history that can be written, called a compiled lineage. Compiled lineages normally report on each generation searched, which includes every individual in that family group, similar to the pedigree form used by Burke’s Peerage. Compiled lineages have a specific way of formatting that should be followed. A compiled lineage can be formatted as ascending or descending, depending on how the research flows. It is then started with the father of that family group, followed by the mother, and then the children. Here is a basic outline for the first generation: First Generation

Ancestor CONDICK, son of Grandfather Condick and Grandmother Yarlett, was born...
Wife BROOME, daughter of... i. Child CONDICK was born... ii. Child CONDICK was born... iii. Child CONDICK was born...

As you can see, a compiled lineage has a specific numbering system, starting with numbers for the parents and roman numerals for the children. This numbering is continued after the last number for the parents, (ex. 3) and the next generation of children pick up the next roman numeral (ex. iv). Many genealogical programs, such as Roots Magic, have a function that can create the basic format of a compiled lineage, (including the numbering system and source notes) but they normally need some editing before they can be presented. The types of sources that can be used to supplement the vital information from a genealogy can vary, depending on the event that you describe. For example, if a child was born during WWII, there will be many secondary and scholarly sources that will outline what life was like for children during the war. Use many different secondary sources and scholarly articles to place your family in their historical context. By writing genealogical reports, you will be able to get more out of your research. Your research will be elevated, as well as your writing skill, and you will be closer to becoming a more successful genealogist.

Further Resources

Ancestry, The BCG Genealogical Standards Manual . Washington DC: Ancestry Publishing, 2000. _____________________________________________________________________

Written by Abbie Black 2013

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Learning Genealogy Made Easy

Taking Better Notes in Your Genealogy Research

Generations Cafe Podcast, Episode 48 You can listen to this episode by clicking the play button below. (You can also listen on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Stitcher , and most other podcast apps.) Length: 14 minutes.

The choices now are much broader than back in the days of deciding between spiral-bound notebooks and loose-leaf notebook paper. But it’s still a struggle for many of us.

There is more to the genealogy research process than gathering records and filling the blanks. We’ve talked before here on the podcast about the WANDER method for genealogy research :

What do you want to find
Analyze what you already have
Note what is missing
Discover new records
Evaluate everything
Repeat as necessary

Because research isn’t a straight line, things start to get messy because we have different needs as we go through the process .

Why We Need a Good Note-Taking System

A bigger part of the note-taking problem is that we try to force everything into one system. We try to combine note-taking, analysis, to-do lists, and conclusions into one tool. We need to analyze what we already have. We need to discover new records. We need to evaluate those new records. And it’s likely that we’ll need to repeat as necessary.

All of that is a lot to ask just one tool.

Genealogy software or an online family tree is a great way to organize your conclusions or your working theories, but it’s a fairly lousy way of keeping track of your research as you’re drawing your conclusions . That software is best for organizing the people you’re researching and keeping track of their relationships to each other. But that family tree software isn’t going to help you analyze the records you’ve found. It isn’t going to help you keep track of what you need or want to look for next.

What do we do with the records we find, whether on paper or digital, that we collect as we’re researching? How do we keep track of it all?

Unfortunately, there is no one single solution that will work for everyone. It’s like organizing. The system that works well for me might not work as well for you. I know I’ve shocked a fair number of my colleagues when I’ve told them that some of my research is organized by location rather than by surname.

When we think about research as a process, we realize that not everything is going to fit neatly into our family tree software or chart. One tool likely isn’t going to cover all of our needs. What we need is a system where the tools can work together.

What Makes a Good Genealogy Note-Taking System

It needs to be simple. The more complicated you make it, the less likely you are to keep it up. It will also be more difficult for all of the parts to work together.

It needs to be flexible. The whole point of taking notes and saving records is so that you can analyze them as you need to and how you need to.

What you want to avoid is using a tool — whether it’s a piece of software or a piece of equipment — just for the sake of using it. If it helps your research process, awesome! Keep using it. If it doesn’t help — if all it’s doing is making more work for you — then stop using it. The key is to keep things simple.

For example, for a long time, I tried to use Evernote in my research. But it always felt like a struggle. I could never quite get it to feel like a natural part of the process. Finally, I decided to stop using it.

Your note-taking system will likely evolve , much like your organizational system does. Back in the old days, before I took a laptop or a smartphone everywhere, I kept a separate research log. They were pre-printed forms with columns for where I was researching, the date, the resource I used, what I was looking for, and a summary of what I found (or didn’t find). It was kind of like a table of contents into my full research notes.

But as I started to use my computer everywhere, I stopped keeping a research log that was separate from my research notes . Instead, I started using a document that combined the two. I still use that basic format today, even though now I more often use Google Docs than a Word document.

In this document, I record where I’m researching (which is especially helpful later if I need to revisit a book or record group that I used in person) and I record what it is that I’m using (essentially writing a source citation).

Here’s something that I have always found useful: I record what it was I was looking for . If I’m searching in a county history of Marion County, West Virginia, I’ll record that I was looking for references to any Hibbs or Masons. Later, when I’m reviewing my notes, I can see that I didn’t look for anyone with the surname of Amos.

I’ll record what I found . If it’s something short, I’ll just type it into my notes. If it’s longer or it’s something online that I can download, I’ll make a note that I made photocopies or downloaded images.

Just as important, I record what I didn’t find . (Yes, I looked in this county history for anyone with the surname of Hibbs, but I didn’t find any.)

It’s also important to note any limitations to the source . Going back to the county history example, I’ll note that it doesn’t have an every-name index and that the Masons I found were the ones listed in the biographical section. When I review my notes later, I can see that there might be more Masons in books; they just weren’t in the main list of biographies. Maybe I could follow up to find a digitized version of the book where I could do a full-text search to find more.

Sample of genealogy notes showing how to record information

Note-Taking a Step Further: The To-Do List

Speaking of follow-up, that’s really what the N in WANDER is about “Note what is missing.” It’s the second type of note-taking that I do: the to-do list or the idea list.

I don’t try to force my ideas for follow-up in my notes document. To me, it’s too easily jumbled and lost. Instead, I keep a separate document. How I maintain that document depends upon the project and how I’m researching and analyzing at that moment.

I do have a running to-do list for my various projects. But when I’m in the moment, analyzing things and collecting new information, I almost always have a notepad with me. I’m constantly jotting down ideas for things to look for next and why I think something might be important.

Yes, I know I could do that on my computer, either in a Word document or a Google Doc (or any other piece of software). But I like the immediacy and the flexibility of writing it down. I also like how I’m more likely to retain the information if I write it versus if I type it.

If you’re wondering, yes, those scribbles get added to my files in some form or another. I’ll either add the task to my to-do list and/or I’ll take that piece of paper and add it to that research folder.

Avoiding Rabbit Holes by Note-Taking

I’ve recently taken note-taking and follow-up a step further. You know those rabbit holes we find ourselves in? Those ones that we get lured into with a bright, shiny object? (“Oh that database looks so cool, I have to look at it right now!”) Which leads to another database, which leads to another website, which leads to a digitized book… I think part of the reason we follow those so easily is because we’re afraid we’ll never get back to them again.

What I’ve started doing is keeping a Google Doc with those “cool things.” That way, I don’t feel the need to stop everything and go explore it right now; I have a way of getting back to it later when I do have the time.

As you’re developing your own system for taking notes, I encourage you to keep it simple and also not to try to force all of the functionality that you need into just one tool. Find the best tools for the various jobs that you need and come up with a system that works best for you.

More from my site

The Genealogy Research Process: The WANDER Method

9 comments on “ Taking Better Notes in Your Genealogy Research ”

I find Google Keep to be quite helpful. I can easily save URLs, images (JPGs), and text in separate Keep items.

Amy, This was a very helpful article. I’m putting some new things into use right now. Thanks!

I too found Evernote an awkward tool for me. Like you I much prefer the written method of taking notes. Then I type them into a notes file on my computer for a particular person or file the piece of paper into a folder for that family. So old school, but it works!

Thanks for sharing your process. I tried to use Evernote and discovered that for me it’s like taking a thought or document and carefully labeling and storing it in a box in the attic never to be seen again. I’m going to try your suggestions this weekend. Thank you!

Has anyone tried Rocketbook? it’s a blend of handwritten and digital notes. I carry a tiny one in my purse for occasions when I need to write something down, research or not. Take a look here: https://getrocketbook.com/pages/how-rocketbook-works

I have started keeping a paper notebook and different colored pens to record different items like what I already know, what I found ,and any new questions I developed that need answered. I’m more likely to keep up with writing rather than typing. I have tried Rootsmagic’s research log, but it’s not right in front of me like my notebook! I do like all the options that RootsMagic has, but like you said, it must work for you

Thanks, Amy. You shared some really good thoughts. I struggle with note taking and research logs and remembering what I have already searched.

I use my Legacy software to keep notes. This has been my method for over a dozen years. I date each entry. When I come back around to a particular ancestor I can easily see what I was researching and my conclusions. Legacy has notes in several sections of the program. I also use Evernote, but only for keeping track on DNA correspondence.

Thank you! Great tips. I’ve used several different approaches and find myself reverting to pen and paper often. I also like keeping a running google doc handy.

5 Tips for Writing a Good Genealogy Report

November 20, 2020 by Legacy Tree Genealogists Leave a Comment

Whether you are writing up a genealogy report for a client, for your family, or just to document your research for future researchers to understand what has already been done, writing a genealogy report can be tricky. We share five tips to writing a cohesive genealogy report.

Why write a genealogy report?

Tips for writing a genealogy report

How do you distill all of the research and information you have found into a coherent genealogy report that even a non-genealogist can follow? We share five tips to help you in your quest:

Limit the scope of the report . Do you want to discuss one family group (parents and children), one family line, a topic (like a biography of one person) or a list of goals? It is usually not realistic (or possible!) to write one single report that encompasses your entire genealogy. So find some way to narrow it down.
Determine how to organize the information . It might make sense to group results by generation, to move forward or backward in time (pick one!) , or to organize it by topic. How you organize a report depends on how you want to present the information —for a biograph ical narrative , it often make s sense to start with someone’s birth, and then move through their life chronologically. However, if you are tracing one family line backwards in time, sometimes it makes more sense to start with the more recent generation and move back, mimicking the flow of research.
Use guideposts like headings, maps, charts, or tables . With all those names, dates, and places, it can be easy to get confused about which family is being discussed and how they are related, so these tools can help the reader keep the information straight visually . Headings help the reader get their bearings and understand which family or topic is being discussed. Maps can help the reader picture where the family was living and make sense of geography , while tables can present facts and compare data in a way that’s easier to understand. Including charts to show relationships can also help clarify how people are related to each other.
Use transition sentences and pay attention to the flow of the report . Transition sentences help to link together different ideas and help the reader follow your logic. Try reading your report out loud to see if the paragraphs fit together in a way that makes sense and is enjoyable to read or listen to . T ry ing to jump between multiple ideas too quickly or jumping back and forth in time without explaining why can lead to confusion for a reader.
Always, always, always cite your sources ! Footnotes are an easy way to do this without disrupting the flow of the report. A genealogy report without sources is not helpful to a future researcher because there is no way to know where the information came from and whether it is trustworthy ; as a result, research will inevitably have to be redone to confirm or refute claims. A sourced genealogy report , however, points the reader to the exact source , and is much quicker to verify or build on. Learn how to write proper citations in our article, The Humble Citation: Vital and Invaluable .

If writing a genealogy report is outside of your skillset, time, or interest, Legacy Tree Genealogists is always available to assist. We have tens of thousands of hours of experience crafting proof summaries and biographical narratives for our clients. Contact us today to request a free quote!

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How to Create a Genealogy Research Plan : The Secret Solution

Ready to find the secret to creating a genealogy research plan? Here's what this blog post covers...

How to create a custom research plan template
Parts of a genealogy research plan template
Super efficient digital plan recommendation

How do you create a research plan?

That's a popular question genealogists ask when they reach that exciting (or is it terrifying?) stage where their progress has slowed but they are now totally addicted to genealogy!

You know what it's like.

You've been researching for a little while, maybe even a "long while" and suddenly you have to figure out another way to grow your family tree.

Somehow, you've learned you should have been creating a "research plan" all along.

If that's you, no matter how long you've been wondering how you're going to start research planning, you're in good company.

Research planning for family history is an odd skill. It is sooooooo important. But it also seems so elusive. I mean, how hard can it be, planning to research, when you've been researching all along. And then you sit down to do the planning and...

[nothing happens]

Or maybe you feel you've been successfully planning research but honestly, it seems like such a waste of time.

Don't worry, this is perfectly normal.

This is a little diversion from this post's main topic of "how" to research plan. If you had these questions I wanted to answer them before moving on. If you don't, feel free to skip ahead.

Q: Do you have to create a formal research plan or are they only for professional genealogists?

The answer is "no" to both. But with that being said, you should create a written research plan. What I describe below can be a formal research plan. Research plans are always customized to the project so they don't have one "formal" format. So don't worry about that. A good place to start is to follow the suggestion below and then adapt it to fit your personal preferences, even if you are a professional genealogist!

Q: Why should you create a research plan?

Planning is essential for busting genealogy brick walls. It also helps you avoid distractions, you know, all those bright shiny objects you chase down. Whether we're talking about brick walls or avoiding distractions, planning helps you focus , whether that's on a particular family or a particular ancestor, specific topics or a type of record, etc.

Chasing every shiny object is a major problem for modern genealogists but working through all the necessary research is a universal genealogy problem, no matter the time period!

You need to create a research plan to make sure you are doing the research necessary to reach your goal. You also research plan to make sure you have used all the appropriate (and available) sources for your goal. Finally, create a research plan to make sure you do the above two items instead of chasing down something that catches your attention (a shiny object) but isn't really helpful.

This isn't a fairy tale so I'm going to cut to the happy ending at the start.

That is the secret solution to how to create a genealogy research plan.

How to Create a Genealogy Research Plan Template

A good research plan should be a simple plan. To simplify this even more, you can use a research plan template. I've created a few over the years but the biggest problem is some people want to use paper, others want to use Google Docs, some like Evernote, and on and on.

If we're keeping this simple, a good idea is to create your own template. Here is what you should include as you're learning to plan.

a " header " that makes sure you know what the plan refers to, where it should be filed, etc.
the exact question you are trying to find a solution to with this plan
why you need to find this solution
a list of the 1-5 sources you will use with a "citation" and why you think that source will help
any information that is relevant to getting or using those sources
room to make notes if your plan is interrupted or isn't completed

Don't worry, I'm going to explain each of these items in just a moment!

Additionally, I actually recommend you turn your plan into your notes and then turn that into your "report" to yourself. This really only works if you're using a digital document because you will ideally insert the notes and report into parts of the plan, not tack them onto the end (more on that after I explain the parts of the template).

If you are using paper , make sure you are:

keeping notes,
writing reports or summaries,
and keeping a research log.

I'll explain each part because I know just the descriptions above don't have you heading off to create your template (yet!).

Parts of a Genealogy Research Plan Template

The first thing in your plan is the header of your template. It will be the section that varies the most depending on your own process. It should at least include the date you create your plan. Trust me, when you create a plan in 2006 and don't look at it again until 2018, you know it has to be re-done. Even if you haven't worked on the actual research and found new information, what sources are available and how you access them has changed. Date your plan, just in case.

You also need information to know what research project this plan belongs with. This is quite personal.

Are you working on a book? Describe it well enough this is clear. Are you in search of a common ancestor among your DNA matches; looking for a death certificate, birth certificate, or church marriage record; seeking certain family members, trying to find a marriage date, death date, or other fact? Maybe this particular project isn't about such specific goals but is researching one family line or brick wall ancestor.

Describe your research goal, even if it is the same as your research question but especially if it is broader than the specific research question this plan is designed to answer.

The details in the header supplement what is in your question so you know "where to file" your plan.

If you have a paper filing system, your header may contain the file name or number. If you're working in something like Evernote, you might put in some keywords (and you'd of course add tags to the Note). You might have a far less formal "filing" system because you can search for what you need electronically. Just make sure what your system needs is included in the header.

For some people, the header will be very brief. For others, it will have a lot of details. If you don't know what to include, it needs the date and any surnames or locations not mentioned in the question. If it is a paper plan, make sure your pages are numbered ("1 of 5" not just "page 1").

The next thing you should include in your template can really change how you plan.

I've labeled this next item "question" but I prefer to create a "hypothesis" to test for each plan. This is the extremely specific question this round of genealogical research is trying to answer. It's easier to keep it narrow if you test a hypothesis because a hypothesis is a statement you test as true or false. A question can be open-ended and that doesn't create a simple plan.

To create a simple plan, decide what hypothesis you should test first. This might be an obvious answer you want to test or it might be the only answer you can test. Here are some examples of a hypothesis:

"John and Mary married in Smith County, Tennessee, between 1852-1855."
"My grandfather lived at 2306 N. Broad Street when the 1950 census was enumerated."
"Rita Wilson sold her livestock between 1884 and 1886 so she could buy lot 261."

The above are quick summarized examples. You should come up with a hypothesis of this style but when you put it on your plan, make sure you have full details like John and Mary's last names, maybe even if your hypothesis is they married in a certain type of church. Give the name of your grandfather and the city. The location and full details of lot 261 need to be included.

Imagine you were going to give this hypothesis to a genealogy friend and they are going to actually create the plan for you. What details would they need? Because, if you get interrupted, you might essentially be a stranger trying to finish the plan!

This post covers the question of hypotheses very quickly. If you want to learn more about creating simple, better, and then great research plans, my book Essential Skills for the Occasional Genealogist has an entire chapter on hypotheses (as well as several chapters that lead up to it so you develop the simple, then better, and eventually great genealogy skills needed). Learn more about the book and buy it here .

"Why" is why you need to find the solution you're seeking or why you are creating this research plan. Those should be the same reason although you might answer each why differently. That's the reason I've listed two variations.

I struggle with including "why" I'm creating a plan. It always seems too obvious at the time. A few months (or years) later, you've completely lost your train of thought and wonder why you decided to test that hypothesis.

In professional genealogy, we have more time and write longer reports. Much of this "why" gets taken care of either by completing a series of research or writing a detailed report about the research problem.

Just assume you'll get interrupted. Leave yourself a hint as to why this hypothesis was important and/or why you are testing it. This might be because that is the only source you have access to for this project (details of the project should be in the header if they aren't obvious from your hypothesis).

For example, why would I test if my grandfather lived at that address during the 1950 census? First, my goal is to find my parents in the 1950 census, the first they would appear in (FYI, that is two different goals but this is often how we start before creating a plan). I created this hypothesis before the 1950 census was indexed for the state I'm searching. So the type of record available to me is the unindexed 1950 census. Once it is indexed, I would have a different plan because I can use the record differently.

My father described (in an email in 2002) where he lived shortly after he was born. I was able to use that to find the enumeration district and read the census records but couldn't find the family listed. Then I discovered my grandfather listed in a 1951 city directory. So, my goal is to find my father, who was an infant. I have an address for my grandfather in 1951. The family should have been living together and I don't have an exact address for my father so I will test the address I have for my grandfather.

I've explained the background , which is helpful to include in your plan, but you can summarize it with a why. Here's how I'd create a succinct why for this problem:

"I can't find my father in the 1950 census based on the details he put in his email in 2002. Instead, I'll look for my grandfather at the address he was listed at in the 1951 city directory."

BTW, originally I tried to give a "why" example for the hypothesis about Rita Wilson but it involved so much background information it was too confusing. You might run into that kind of situation when creating your own research plan.

Many plan templates include a "background" section. I don't list it because if you turn your plans into notes and then a report, the background should actually be summarized in the previous report. If needed, write a longer "why" for clarity. You can also copy and paste from your previous report to create a "background" section if that is important.

If I only recorded my hypothesis, I won't follow my train of thought when I'm doing future research on this project. Hopefully, I'll write a report to myself after I complete the plan but in case I don't, I need to explain to myself what I'm thinking.

Your plan should only involve between one and five sources. One and three is even better. If you have more than five sources, that is not a simple plan.

Limiting your sources relates to what hypothesis you test. In the example with Rita Wilson, the goal is finding her maiden name. I've done so much research, I have to create a hypothesis that seems unrelated. That's to keep the plan simple. If I used the particular question "what is Rita's maiden name," it is either an impossible plan-- i.e. there's no clear place to start-- or a plan involving hundreds of sources. I went from this big question to a very specific hypothesis to keep my own research plan simple.

As you get experience, you can fudge the number of sources a little bit but think of it this way. We don't create plans for hypothetical situations. What I mean is, you don't say, "if I find x I'll then check source 2, if I find y I'll check source 4." If what you do next depends on the results, create a plan only for the first source. If you are going to check four sources, no matter the results you find, list all four.

Digital options are your friend when we're talking about short simple plans. You can very quickly create a new plan by copying the research plan you just finished and making a few updates (or have a plan without sources listed ready to be updated as soon as you finish the first plan, you don't have to start with a blank research plan template, you can copy one where all the information but the sources is the same or similar and edit it. That's a way to do very efficient research!). It's more important to finish the research process (plan > notes > report) than create a long plan. Long plans cause problems!

You can also create a list of potential sources you'll pop into a plan once you see the results of the first plan. This isn't a "must do" but an option if that is more efficient.

Tip: If you're on a research trip where there are original records, or any type of unique genealogical records, having a list of them ready to go into a plan is a great way to have a clear picture of the "best" sources to use in that situation. This allows you to create plans testing the best hypothesis while maximizing the types of records available to you in this unique situation.

Compare this to researching where you decide the next step based on randomly moving from source to source. A good plan doesn't need to take a lot of time to create or complete! The important thing is to plan. You can create a detailed plan quickly using a customized template and when appropriate, a list of sources.

Create short simple plans where it's easy to finish them, take notes, and summarize your findings. If the research is so easy your plan, with notes, and summary is one page, good job. You kept it simple!

Source with CITATION

Now let's talk about the dreaded "citation." You want enough details the source is clear. In some situations, you need to capture additional source information (parts of a citation) once you start researching. Obvious examples are the page number where information is found, you can't know that ahead of time.

Make a note, if needed, of any "citation" details you should capture while doing the research.

You don't want any confusion in future over what source you intend to check so be clear. I specialize in "Occasional Genealogy" for a reason. I know creating a research plan is often easier to do (when you're short on time) if you do it before you have a chance to do the research.

But sometimes you don't get to that research as soon as you think you will. You want to know exactly what source you intended to use so you can execute the plan or so you know you've already used that source and you can trash that plan.

Why (again) for Sources

As with your hypothesis, make sure it's clear why you think that source will help. Sometimes this really is obvious. If you're looking for a marriage in Smith County, Tennessee between 1852-55, you check the marriage records for those dates in that county, you probably don't need to include a "why" in that case. Why you created that plan is sufficient explanation of why . Sometimes you should explain to your future self why that single source is important, though.

Just in Case

I've already said it, assume you'll get interrupted. If you find your plan in future, you don't want to start using it if you've already completed it. Make a note on the plan to indicate its "status." Better yet, use the following suggestion for digital plans...

The #1 Way to Create a Genealogy Research Plan (and actually use it)

Taking your notes on your plan and then turning the whole file into the summary/report is about as efficient as you can get in genealogy.

What you should include for a plan is only slightly different than what you should capture in your research notes . Most of the parts of the plan are also included in a reporting template. Why bother creating separate items?

Back in the paper-age, we had to create each item separately. With digital files, it makes far more sense to make it one seamless process.

There is one warning.

You still need to finish a plan. They still need to be simple.

You could just keep adding on to your plan in a single file but this gets confusing in various situations. You never know if you'll be in such a situation in future.

Include the parts for a plan template (see if you want to add any of the note template sections from this post ) and then focus on creating the shortest, easiest, simplest plans you can.

If you only need to check one source before you decide on the next source, make a plan with just one source to check. I bet it'll be really easy to copy that plan and update it to create the next plan.

What happens when you run out of plans to create? It's time to review all your reports (because you turned each plan into a report) and see if you can write up a solution to your problem. If not, you usually have some ideas for other sources you can check or there's something you need to learn more about.

If this post got you interested in creating great plans but you want to learn more, get my book Essential Skills for the Occasional Genealogist . It walks you through the genealogy research process, which planning is just one part. You'll get not just tips to do great (not just good) genealogy but also shortcuts designed for modern genealogists. The book goes more in-depth on research planning and the shortcut to use one digital document for planning, notes, and reporting.

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Certificate in Genealogical Research, Boston University
B.A., Carnegie Mellon University

If you like mysteries, then you have the makings of a good genealogist. Why? Just like detectives, genealogists must use clues to formulate possible scenarios in their pursuit for answers.

Whether it is as simple as looking up a name in an index, or as comprehensive as looking for patterns among neighbors and communities, turning those clues into answers is the goal of a good research plan.

How to Develop a Genealogy Research Plan

A major goal in developing a genealogy research plan is to identify what you want to know and formulate the questions which will provide the answers you seek. Most professional genealogists create a genealogy research plan (even if only a few steps) for each research question.

The elements of a good genealogy research plan include:

1) Objective: What Do I Want to Know?

What specifically do you want to learn about your ancestor? Their marriage date? Spouse's name? Where they lived at a particular point in time? When they died? Be really specific in narrowing down to a single question if possible. This helps keep your research focused and your research plan on track.

2) Known Facts: What Do I Already Know?

What have you already learned about your ancestors? This should include identities, relationships, dates and places that are supported by original records. Search family and home sources for documents, papers, photos, diaries, and family tree charts, and interview your relatives to fill in the gaps.

3) Working Hypothesis: What Do I Think the Answer Is?

What are the possible or probable conclusions that you hope to prove or possibly disprove through your genealogy research? Say you want to know when your ancestor died? You might start, for example, with the hypothesis that they died in the town or county where they were last known to be living.

4) Identified Sources: Which Records Might Hold the Answer and Do They Exist?

Which records are most likely to provide support for your hypothesis? Census records? Marriage records? Land deeds? Create a list of possible sources, and identify the repositories, including libraries, archives, societies or published Internet collections where these records and resources can be researched.

5) Research Strategy

The final step of your genealogy research plan is to determine the best order to consult or visit the various repositories, considering the available records and your research needs. Often this will be organized in order of the available record's likelihood of including the information you're looking for, but may also be influenced by factors such as ease of access (can you get it online or do you have to travel to a repository over 500 miles away) and cost of record copies. If you require information from one repository or record type to be able to more easily locate another record on your list, be sure to take that into account.

A Genealogy Research Plan in Action

Objective Find the ancestral village in Poland for Stanislaw (Stanley) THOMAS and Barbara Ruzyllo THOMAS.

Known Facts

According to descendants, Stanley THOMAS was born Stanislaw TOMAN. He and his family often used the THOMAS surname after arriving in the U.S. as it was more "American."
According to descendants, Stanislaw TOMAN married Barbara RUZYLLO about 1896 in Krakow, Poland. He immigrated to the United States from Poland in the early 1900s to make a home for his family, settling first in Pittsburgh, and sent for his wife and children a few years later.
The 1910 U.S. Census Miracode index for Glasgow, Cambria County, Pennsylvania, lists Stanley THOMAS with wife Barbara, and children Mary, Lily, Annie, John, Cora, and Josephine. Stanley is listed as having been born in Italy and immigrating to the U.S. in 1904, while Barbara, Mary, Lily, Anna, and John are also listed as having been born in Italy; immigrating in 1906. Children Cora and Josephine are identified as having been born in Pennsylvania. Cora, the oldest of the children born in the U.S. is listed as age 2 (born about 1907).
Barbara and Stanley TOMAN are buried in Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Glasgow, Reade Township, Cambria County, Pennsylvania. From the inscriptions: Barbara (Ruzyllo) TOMAN, b. Warsaw, Poland, 1872–1962; Stanley Toman, b. Poland, 1867–1942.

Working Hypothesis Since Barbara and Stanley were supposedly married in Krakow, Poland (according to family members), they most likely came from that general area of Poland. The listing of Italy in the 1910 U.S. Census is most likely a mistake, as it is the only record located that names Italy; all others say "Poland" or "Galicia."

Identified Sources

1910, 1920 and 1920 census for Stanley & Barbara TOMAN/THOMAS in Cambria County, Pennsylvania
Passenger lists for the ports of Philadelphia, PA; Baltimore, MD; and Ellis Island, NY.
Marriage records for the children born in Poland
Social Security Death Index and Social Security application records (SS-5) for Barbara and Stanley TOMAN/THOMAS
Naturalization records for Stanley, Barbara, Mary, Anna, Rosalia (Rose)or John

Research Strategy

View the actual 1910 U.S. Census to confirm the information from the index.
Check the 1920 and 1930 U.S. Census online to see if Stanley or Barbara TOMAN/THOMAS were ever naturalized and to confirm Poland as a country of birth (disprove Italy).
Search the online Ellis Island database on the chance that the TOMAN family immigrated into the U.S. through New York City (more likely they came in through Philadelphia or Baltimore).
Search for Philadelphia passenger arrivals for Barbara and/or Stanley TOMAN online at FamilySearch or Ancestry.com . Look for the town of origin, as well as indications of possible naturalizations for any of the family members. If not found in the Philadelphia arrivals, expand the search to nearby ports, including Baltimore and New York. Note: when I originally researched this question these records were not available online; I ordered several microfilms of records from the Family History Library for viewing at my local Family History Center .
Check the SSDI to see if Barbara or Stanley ever applied for a Social Security card. If so, then request an application from the Social Security Administration.
Contact or visit the Cambria County courthouse for marriage records for Mary, Anna, Rosalia, and John. If there is any indication in the 1920 and/or 1930 census that Barbara or Stanley was naturalized, check for naturalization documents as well.

If your findings are negative or inconclusive when following your genealogy research plan, don't despair. Just redefine your objective and hypothesis to match the new information you've located so far.

In the above example, initial findings prompted an expansion of the original plan when the passenger arrival record for Barbara TOMAN and her children, Mary, Anna, Rosalia, and John indicated that Mary had applied for and become a naturalized U.S. citizen (the original research plan included only a search for naturalization records for the parents, Barbara and Stanley). The information that Mary had likely become a naturalized citizen led to a naturalization record which listed her town of birth as Wajtkowa, Poland. A gazetteer of Poland at the Family History Center confirmed that the village was located in the southeast corner of Poland—not too terribly far from Krakow—in the portion of Poland occupied by the Austro-Hungarian Empire between 1772-1918, commonly referred to as Galica. After World War I and the Russo Polish War 1920-21, the area in which the TOMANs lived returned to Polish administration.

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DNA Research Reports – the Ultimate Finish

You’ve analyzed your DNA, compared it with family history information and records, and worked diligently to gather information about your family—What’s next?

The final step in the Research Like a Pro with DNA process is to write your conclusions and correlate the information in a report. This report may be written to yourself, family members, or clients. It’s a summary of the information about your DNA matches, common ancestors, and verification of biological connections to your relatives. DNA plus genealogical records give the ultimate confirmation that your ancestors’ identities are verified and that they are biologically connected to you.

Some people write the report as they research. This involves having two windows open on your computer screen as you research. This way, you can describe your findings while you are discovering them. You can also have your research log open and write your findings in the “Notes” section.

In her blog post, Research Like a Pro Part 6: Write it Up , Diana Elder wrote the following:

“Why write up your results? After you’ve gone through all of the steps of the Genealogical Proof Standard, doing thorough research, citing your sources, analyzing and correlating the information and resolving conflicts, you arrive at step 5 which reads: “Soundly reasoned, coherently written conclusion eliminates the possibility that the conclusion is based on bias, preconception, or inadequate appreciation of the evidence. It also shows or explains how the evidence leads to the conclusion.” ¹ As you’re researching you are constantly thinking and analyzing your findings. You create hypotheses and correlate the evidence, whether you know it or not. The simple act of looking at a census and thinking, “great grandpa’s parents are listed as born in Virginia. I need to look there for records” is analysis. If you don’t record your thoughts and ideas, when you come back to researching this family, you’ll waste time going through your findings again.”

Writing the report can help you make additional connections and links to records, stories, and family members. As you look at DNA results and genealogical records, you are analyzing the information and deciding if you should include it in your conclusions or not. You will learn as you write and find ways to explain concepts to your reader. Writing will help clarify connections in your mind as you describe your research to your reader(s).

A report can be formal or informal. When you are writing, think about who will be reading the report—what will the reader want to learn about their family? Here is a suggestion of items to include in a formal research report.

Items to Include in a Formal Research Report

Research objective:.

-This is the research objective that helped you focus on a definitive answerable question and guided your research.

-Combine your DNA research question with key identifying information such as birth, marriage, death, and location.

Background information:

What did you know before you started the project?

For Example:

-Known family relationships to DNA matches

-Family Group sheets

-Oral history

-Migration or location information and the impact it had on your research subject

-Known ethnicity from the family, if it may be important for this project

Limitations:

-Include the amount of time, DNA databases available, travel limitations, and the type of DNA available for use in this project.

-List the DNA companies that have results pertaining to this project.

-DNA itself does not give family history information. DNA information must be used in conjunction with genealogical records for it to mean anything.

Body of Report:

Write the details of the research findings, including explanations of DNA, and records that were searched

-Include the names of DNA matches with family trees attached to their account that helped you answer the research objective.

-List the amount of DNA the DNA matches share with you.

-Write about the genealogical records that established the relationship connections between the people in your search.

-Explain how the DNA matches, relationships, and records identified helped answer the research question.

Use charts or tables to display information

-Use Lucidchart, Draw.io, or other charting software to illustrate your DNA matches and ancestral and family relationships.

-Remember that you must ask permission of the DNA matches to share their information. If permission is not expressly granted, you must privatize the names of living people and/or DNA match pseudonyms if you are publishing or posting the information online.

Explain the meaning of the DNA connections

-Include a brief summary of how the type of DNA you are using in your project is inherited (Autosomal DNA, mitochondrial DNA, and Y-DNA).

-Explain the meaning and limitations of Ethnicity results.

-Include information about the possible relationships that are expected when specified amounts of DNA are shared with a DNA match.

-A copy of the Shared Centimorgan Project chart could be included.

-Explain which DNA matches shared common ancestors that helped lead to the conclusion.

-Include the locations that were involved in your research.

Citations:

-Citations include the location of the information that you used in your research. They are essential because they can lead an independent researcher to find the same information you did. Citations give credibility to your work and show that you didn’t take a creative license and write a great fiction story.

-Find more information about DNA citations in my blog post, DNA Source Citations, and Diana Elder’s blog post Using DNA Source Citations in a Research Report.

-If the report will be published, all of the DNA matches included must give permission for their names or DNA match pseudonyms to be used. If no permission is given, the names must be privatized.

Conclusions:

-The parents of ___________ were identified.

-Genetic connections to 3 rd great grandparents were verified.

-The identity of a previously unknown ancestor has been established.

Further Research Suggestions

-Transfer raw DNA from Ancestry and 23andMe to other DNA testing companies such as Family Tree DNA, MyHeritage, LivingDNA, and GEDmatch.com.

-Use DNA to verify other family lines.

-Find additional documentary evidence.

-If a previously unknown misattributed parentage was identified, research this line using DNA and genealogical records.

-Search other record collections online or in repositories.

The conclusions you made after the in-depth research and analysis will be helpful to you and your readers. The first report you write may be challenging because you are developing a way to write your findings and explain the DNA evidence you have analyzed. After writing the first report, the next report will be easier because you have already discovered a way to explain how DNA evidence and the genealogical records were used together to come to a conclusion.

It’s exciting that you have reached this step in your research process! Writing a report or summary of your findings will give you great satisfaction and help you to share your research with others. You can use the report to explain the resolution of a family mystery or to teach about the verified genetic connection between you or another DNA test taker, and their ancestors.

Remember that DNA analysis plus traditional genealogical research equals a more extensive and more complete family tree. A significant benefit of using DNA in genealogical research is that it helps you to identify and connect with your distant cousins who may know more about particular ancestors or lines of the family than you do. The information you learn from those cousins could be just what you need to move beyond a genealogical brick wall. After you discover more about your family history through research, writing DNA research reports brings you to the ultimate finish!

Best wishes as you continue to use DNA in your family history research!

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About Robin Wirthlin

Robin Wirthlin is a professional genealogist specializing in DNA. Her background in genetic research, B.S. in Molecular Biology from BYU, and Certificate in Genealogical Research from Boston University, helps her solve complex genetic genealogy research problems. Robin loves using genetic genealogy to solve family history mysteries and break through “brick walls.” Her first solved case involving adoption and identification of birth parents was in 2015, and she has gone on to solve many others, including identifying the parents of previously unknown members of her own family. Robin teaches genealogy classes on local and county levels, and, most recently Healing and Family History- the Emotional Side of DNA, at Rootstech 2020. She attended I4GG Genetic Genealogy conferences: 2014; 2016; 2017, and NGS 2018. She completed studies at: Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP) – Chromosome Mapping in June 2018, Forensic Genealogy in July 2018, and Advanced Genetic Genealogy in July/August 2018; SLIG – Advanced Genealogical Methods, January 2019; SLIG Academy for Professionals – DNA and the 21st Century Professional, January 2019, and Project Management Essentials in Genealogy Research, January 2020. Robin blogs about streamlined ways of using DNA in family history research and helped develop the Research Like a Pro with DNA method.

Leave your reply.

Really great article!

Thank you, Henri! Research reports not only help summarize what we have learned in our study of our DNA matches and genealogical records, but they also help us have a great sense of accomplishment and closure.

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Diana Elder, AG®, and Nicole Dyer We are mother & daughter professional genealogists sharing ideas for finding ancestors and keeping them close to the heart. Read more about us and our research team here. Thanks for visiting!

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Writing and Publishing a Family History: 10 Steps

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In her RootsTech 2019 presentation, Penelope Stratton discussed how to make the transition and mental shift from research to writing, printing, or publishing your family history.

Her 10 steps are:

Shift mental gears—it’s a story, not a research project, with a beginning, middle, and end
Consider your audience and time frame
Choose a genealogical format
Define your scope, outline, and make a table of contents
Create a style sheet
Add narrative and images
Read, refine, repeat
Print or publish

Watch her whole presentation today!

Share your family history publishing journey with us online! You can find us on Facebook , Twitter , and Instagram .

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A Genealogist’s Guide to Artificial Intelligence

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AI is a difficult topic to avoid these days. You read about it in the news and see it mentioned in social media and even in day-to-day conversations with family and friends. Should you be concerned? Do you know what AI really is? Should you be using AI in your genealogy and family history research?

In this article, we will explore what AI entails, how the worlds of AI and genealogy often intersect and even how you could harness its powers to assist you in your genealogy research.

The Basics of Artificial Intelligence

What is ai.

AI stands for Artificial Intelligence and represents computer-based systems that can “mimic” human intelligence and thus perform human tasks.

A task could be as simple as entering a customer service-related question on a company’s website and having AI generate a response. Now that might appear like simple stuff – the computer just “looks up” a response and posts it to the chat panel. But AI-based systems might prompt you with more questions in order to generate the most helpful answer. And the system could capture your questions and “learn” more about the way you use the product in order to better respond in the future. The most discussed features of artificial intelligence are “deep learning” and “generative AI.” Deep learning mimics the human brain in that it looks for patterns using vast amounts of information to interpret photos, audio, and text. Generative AI actually “generates” new photos, audio, and text, based on information provided by the user, and again, uses its own database of “training data” to understand patterns and generate output that matches the user’s query.

AI Platforms

While several of the big names in genealogy like Ancestry and MyHeritage are incorporating artificial intelligence into the features they provide to users, there are some popular general-use AI platforms open to the public that you might want to consider using. Some of the most popular platforms include:

Bard: Developed by Google, Bard describes itself more as a conversational chatbot that can “generate text, translate languages, write different kinds of creative content, and answer your questions in an informative way.” Bard is the main competitor to the ChatGPT platform.
ChatGPT: Meaning “Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer,” ChatGPT is the most popular publicly-accessible artificial intelligence platform.
Perplexity: A relative newcomer in the world of AI platforms, Perplexity presents a curated list of sources when answering user queries.

Current Uses

Believe it or not, genealogists have already benefited from artificial intelligence whether it is just spelling and grammar check in Microsoft Word when writing a family story or genealogical report. Below are some specific ways in which AI has helped carry out significant projects and functions in the world of genealogy.

Family photos: Over the past three years, MyHeritage has been offering a variety of photo enhancement tools , including ways to colorize images and make them clearer. It has also released Deep Nostalgia , a unique feature that can “animate” an ancestor based on a photo and even help determine the date of an image based on characteristics such as fashion styles, hair styles, and more. Finally, its recent Reimagine tool offers all these tools in an easy-to-use app.
Transcription: T he National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) , in conjunction with Ancestry and FamilySearch, used artificial intelligence to index the 1950 US Census population schedules released in April 2022. Entries made by enumerators were scanned and transcribed then released for use at a much faster rate than what was accomplished with manual indexing performed for the 1940 US Census release in 2012. For the 1950 US Census, users were encouraged to review the transcriptions and submit corrections as part of a community effort by genealogists and other researchers.
Suggesting records: Ancestry and other genealogy platforms have been listing “related” or “suggested” records in the sidebar of the webpage when a user is viewing a record as part of a search. In addition “hints” will often pop up suggesting records and family trees that a researcher might want to review due to similarities in data.
DNA matches: With over 30 million people having used personal DNA testing kits, 23andMe, AncestryDNA, FamilyTreeDNA, and MyHeritage all leverage AI to find connections between testers based on shared DNA data. Given the sheer amount of information involved, these match results are only possible with artificial intelligence.

AI: Benefits and Concerns

With all the “hype” surrounding artificial intelligence, it can be difficult to critically measure the technology’s pros and cons, especially when misinformation is still prevalent. Below I outline both potential benefits and drawbacks of AI, especially when it comes to its use for genealogy.

The Benefits

New technology often brings with it endless opportunities for exploration, and AI is no different, especially when it comes to searching for ancestors. Here are some notable benefits of using AI for this purpose:

Analyzing vast amounts of data: There is a lot of information available online for genealogy research, but humans cannot possibly analyze that information as quickly as artificial intelligence. Leaving this task to AI can lead to the discovery of new connections between data points and better understanding migration patterns and motivations, F.A.N. club relationships, the impact of social history on our ancestors, and more. In sum, what is not obvious immediately to our human minds can be quickly determined by using artificial intelligence.

Block chaining: I’ve long been an advocate of using block chaining for genealogy data, especially DNA data. Block chaining involves tagging data with specific information including ownership and tracking its use by others. The chain of use is kept in a public “ledger. The owner can better understand who is using that data and why, which is a common concern when it comes to DNA testing and who has access to that personal information.

Translation and transcription: As already demonstrated with the release of the 1950 US Census images, AI promises to make the transcription and translation of record images faster and easier. I recently uploaded a newspaper clipping from a historical newspaper that has not yet been digitized, and the AI platform did an amazing job in transcribing the content (see below for more details, as well as the newspaper clipping in question).

Timelines and mapping: For those genealogists who want to fill in the “dash” between an ancestor’s birth date and death date, artificial intelligence can help build complex timelines and “map” event dates to locations for a better understanding of how our ancestors lived.

The Concerns

Copyright: Many copyright and intellectual property issues related to AI have popped up in the past year. U.S. courts have ruled that content created by artificial intelligence cannot be copyrighted. In addition, several content creators have sued major AI platforms such as ChatGPT and Bard for scraping copyright protected content from the internet to help create AI-generated content.

Privacy violations: Artificial intelligence can quickly collect data entered at genealogy platforms when performing research and creating family trees. In addition, users are tracked as to searches performed and this data is analyzed to create new features and products. More importantly, DNA data is captured and despite privacy policies that ensure the use of only metadata, recent computer hacks at vendors such as 23andMe have caused a steep decline in the number of people using personal DNA test kits.

Lack of transparency: One of the most pressing challenges for AI users is the inability to determine the source of the reference material used when generating content. Another issue: recognizing AI-generated content. Most users are not adding source citations to AI-generated content or watermarks to AI-generated images.

Bias: Studies have proven that many AI platforms can be biased, especially since content used as reference material is supplied by humans. The same biases we see in terms of race, gender, and age are easily replicated by artificial intelligence. Recent examples have included a bias towards generating white or Caucasian faces rather than people of color when asked to create certain types of images.

False information: When one uses AI to gather information, who or what is determining what is true and what is false? A recent example of a law firm submitting a legal filing created by artificial intelligence – resulting in a list of fictitious court cases to support legal arguments – demonstrates the problem. This is another reason that “human review” is often required before relying upon AI-generated content.

High costs: While not often discussed, deploying artificial intelligence can be expensive for many organizations and individuals, resulting in higher prices for the genealogy consumer. The machines and servers used for AI processes require more powerful chips as well as simply just more power to run. Besides an increase in costs, there are environmental and climate impact costs through the need for more energy to power AI computers.

More on Copyright and AI

There are several issues involving artificial intelligence and intellectual property that should concern you. Some of these issues have already been discussed and decided by agencies and courts. Many of them, however, have not been resolved.

The two main issues are:

AI-generated content: Can content that is created by artificial intelligence based on your query be copyrighted? What if you ask Bard to generate an image of what your 5th great-grandfather who fought in the Revolutionary War might look like? And the query was based on your research information as to his physical description taken from letters or diaries? Who owns the resulting image?

Currently, lower courts have stated that AI-generated content cannot be copyrighted since there is no human author. Much like the case of the “Macaque monkey selfie” where a monkey took a selfie photograph using equipment set up by a British photographer, there is no “consent” involved. Animals cannot give consent or enter into a legal agreement so it was determined that the resulting image was copyright free. The courts are using the same method to determine who owns that ancestor photo you generated using artificial intelligence.

Source or reference content: Another common copyright concern involves how AI platforms are gathering their reference information used to generate content. When one asks ChatGPT to generate a sonnet about genealogy in the style of Shakespeare, the algorithm must have Shakespeare’s sonnets in order to understand his writing style and create the genealogy sonnet. In this case, all of Shakespeare’s works are in the public domain according to United States copyright laws. But what about an author such as Tom Clancy or Stephen King whose works are still under copyright? And what about AI-generated images or even recordings based on a celebrity’s image and voice? Most platforms are not transparent as to what reference content is being used and how it was acquired. This becomes an ethical issue and only furthers general fears about artificial intelligence.

Your Personal Information and AI

Some common question many newcomers to AI have are simple: What query information is captured by AI platforms? How is that information used? As a rule in genealogy, personal information for living persons is never disclosed publicly in family trees. But what if you create a query for a living person that includes their birth date or current address? What does Bard or ChatGPT do with that information? Do they save it and use it to train their platform to respond to future related queries?

ChatGPT and other platforms do have ways for you to keep your input data private, but these preferences or settings are not by default. To avoid any uncertainty, you should always review a platform’s Terms and Conditions or Privacy Policy, which will typically include language regarding how personal information is stored and used.

The Ethics of AI

When you hand over any task to an artificial intelligence platform, the issue of trust comes into play, especially since you are essentially allowing the platform to perform a task for you. How do we know there isn’t some bias towards a person based on geographic location or other information?

One main concern is the lack of transparency overall in the AI world. Initial versions of ChatGPT did not disclose the reference information for generated content. Currently, the platform does use footnotes for some content with links to the information it used in the algorithm to answer a query.

What about full disclosure when using AI-generated content? Should genealogy societies be concerned about article or presentation submissions being generated by ChatGPT or another platform? This concern carries over to AI-generated images as well. Should digital watermarks be required for all photos, videos, and audio recordings generated by artificial intelligence?

The myriad of ethical questions and concerns has fueled a push for governmental regulations. The European Union has already passed a basic set of regulations and the United States government – including the US Copyright Office – are working on implementing regulations. Regulations may be needed to assure users of AI, but they also could be too restrictive so as to deter further growth of the technology.

My recommendation is to always disclose when you are using AI-generated content and include source citations when possible. Below I provide a guide to help you cite properly.

Source Citations

Those new to genealogy and family history quickly learn the importance of source citations in proving relationships as well as facts about an ancestor. Usually, source citations document how we find and use records such as census population schedules, death certificates and even letters or diaries.

For the most part, you won’t find records when making queries on an AI platform. But you may find information that serves as a clue for further research or, more likely, as social history about how an ancestor lived. In these situations, a method of citing AI-generated content is needed.

Citing sources need not be intimidating or time consuming. Stick to the basics: the information found, how it was found, information about where it was found, and locator data so another researcher can find the information.

For artificial intelligence content, here’s the formula you might consider using as proposed by the Modern Language Association of America (MLA):

“[QUERY]” prompt. [NAME OF AI PLATFORM], [DATE OR VERSION OF PLATFORM], [NAME OF AI COMPANY], [DATE OF QUERY], [PLATFORM URL]

So, if I asked Bard to determine the value of my great-grandfather’s home in the 1930 US Census listed as $80,000 in 2023 dollars, here is the source citation I would use:

“Value of home in the 1930 US Census listed as $80,000 in 2023 dollars” prompt. ChatGPT, 25 September 2023 version,OpenAI, 1 October 2023, https://chat.openai.com/share/712a395f-c0be-4c42-86c0-72037d7c5ba4

Examples of Genealogy Projects Completed with AI Tools

Above, I showed examples of how AI has assisted big-name companies and organizations with major genealogy functions. Here are a few examples of how you yourself can use the major AI platforms when searching for ancestors, as well as some personal examples from me.

Social history

Hugo Freer, my 9th great-grandfather, settled in New Paltz, New York along with other Huguenot settlers about 1675. His house – the Freer-Low House – built in 1699 is still standing. Wanting to know more about how Freer lived, I used this query at ChatGPT: What was life like in New Paltz, New York in 1699?

The information provided is extensive but also rather generic for any location on the East Coast of the United States. In addition, the section on housing states the use of wooden buildings with thatched roofs, when in fact New Paltz was known for its early homes built using stones excavated from the fields.

Record Sets

My 3rd great-grandfather Gustave Henneberg arrived in New York from Germany about 1881. I posed the following query at Perplexity in order to determine which records I should use for research purposes: What records can I use to locate an ancestor who arrived in New York City in 1881?

Perplexity bills itself as different from ChatGPT and Bard in that it curates sources which are presented at the top of the generated content.

Transcription

Robert Austin was the brother of my great-grandfather John Ralph Austin (1896-1976). Robert drowned in 1924 at Long Beach, New York while trying to rescue a child. I uploaded a newspaper article about the incident to Bard and in the query prompt entered “Transcribe.”

Bard did a great job despite the article image having some clarity issues!

Relationship Clarification

During my genealogy research, I’ve located a person to whom I’m related via a maternal great-grandmother. The document I am using for research states that the person was my great-grandmother’s niece. I want to determine how I am related to this person. How am I related to my great-grandmother’s niece?

Future Uses for AI in Genealogy

The concern over artificial intelligence in general, and specifically in family history research, is similar to the concern over social media almost 15 years ago. Remember when genealogists were worried about Facebook and X (formerly known as Twitter)?

We are experiencing the “First Phase” of using artificial intelligence when it comes to genealogy and family history research. Five years from now we should be in “Second Phase” mode. What does this mean?

Remember when Netscape was THE browser everyone used when the Internet became popular in the early 1990s? The second phase of a new technology usually brings vast improvements in terms of functionality, ease-of-use, and value.

Here’s a short list of what you can expect to see in the next five years:

DNA triangulation tools that will quickly determine relationships on family trees.
Conversion of handwriting into searchable text including older forms of English and German handwriting.
Creation of source citations for a variety of records using specific formats such as MLA, Evidence Explained, and AP style.
Discovering connections between F.A.N. club members using digitized historical newspapers content and other records.
Identification of ancestors in old family photos based on “traits” such as facial features including connecting family members based on similar traits.
Suggesting records for expanding genealogical searches including those records not yet digitized.

Artificial intelligence may seem valuable in its scope but also intimidating in its relative newness. It isn’t much different than how our earliest ancestors reacted to the discovery of fire. That new technology had great benefits and advanced progress in many areas of human life. But fire also brought new dangers and uses that might not have been anticipated.

The best way to cut through the current hype and misinformation around AI is to stay informed. Learn from other genealogists how they are using artificial intelligence to improve their genealogy research. Stay up to date on how companies like Ancestry and MyHeritage are incorporating AI.

Whether you decide to take a full plunge or just dip your toe in the AI pond, you’ll discover amazing possibilities and ways to take your search for your roots to the next level.

How Software Can Help You Build Your Family Tree

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Learn how to enhance the look of your genealogy research report using these techniques. Stylizing your text, inserting images, and adding a bibliography are ...
Writing and Publishing a Family History: 10 Steps
In her RootsTech 2019 presentation, Penelope Stratton discussed how to make the transition and mental shift from research to writing, printing, or publishing your family history. Her 10 steps are: Shift mental gears—it's a story, not a research project, with a beginning, middle, and end. Consider your audience and time frame.
A Genealogist's Guide to Artificial Intelligence
Believe it or not, genealogists have already benefited from artificial intelligence whether it is just spelling and grammar check in Microsoft Word when writing a family story or genealogical report. Below are some specific ways in which AI has helped carry out significant projects and functions in the world of genealogy.
Local History and Genealogy Research Guides
Local and family history research requires you to access and evaluate numerous original and published records in a variety of repositories and collections. If an online tree or published book includes your lineage, make note of it and give the researcher credit for any help their work provides to you, but always do your own research.

How To Write A Professional-Looking Genealogy Research Report

Step 1: Craft a Research Question

Step 2: Background Information

Step 3: Limitations and Repositories

Step 4: Summary of Findings

Step 5: Genealogy Research Notes

Step 6: Conclusion

Step 7: Future Research

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Writing Your Family’s Genealogy Report (Step By Step)

The Importance of a Genealogy Report

Types of Genealogy Reports

Ultimate Steps for Writing Your Family’s Genealogy Report

1. Choose a format for your family history

2. Define the scope of your family history

3. Choose the right plot and themes

4. Focus on background research

5. Organize your research

6. Choose where to begin

7. Include an index, source, and citations

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Writing Genealogical Reports

Research Reports

Proof Summaries

Narrative Family History

Further Resources

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Taking Better Notes in Your Genealogy Research

Why We Need a Good Note-Taking System

What Makes a Good Genealogy Note-Taking System

Note-Taking a Step Further: The To-Do List

Avoiding Rabbit Holes by Note-Taking

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5 Tips for Writing a Good Genealogy Report

Why write a genealogy report?

Tips for writing a genealogy report

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How to Develop a Genealogy Research Plan

1) Objective: What Do I Want to Know?

2) Known Facts: What Do I Already Know?

3) Working Hypothesis: What Do I Think the Answer Is?

4) Identified Sources: Which Records Might Hold the Answer and Do They Exist?

5) Research Strategy

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DNA Research Reports – the Ultimate Finish

Items to Include in a Formal Research Report

Background information:

Limitations:

Body of Report:

Citations:

Conclusions:

Further Research Suggestions

Other articles in the Research Like a Pro with DNA series:

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