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(a thumbs-up/thumbs-down style indicator), and Image Name for saved record files or photos.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":75,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":77,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":79,"site_id":7},199767,1788506957,{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":83},"success",[84,89,94,99,104,109,114,119,124],{"id":85,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":86,"show_sort_weight":87,"slug":88},11,"Presentations",90,"presentations",{"id":90,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":91,"show_sort_weight":92,"slug":93},12,"Resumes",80,"resumes",{"id":95,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":96,"show_sort_weight":97,"slug":98},14,"Invoices",70,"invoices",{"id":100,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":101,"show_sort_weight":102,"slug":103},15,"Posters",60,"posters",{"id":105,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":106,"show_sort_weight":107,"slug":108},16,"Social Media",50,"social-media",{"id":110,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":111,"show_sort_weight":112,"slug":113},17,"Forms",40,"forms",{"id":115,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":116,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":118},18,"Letters",30,"letters",{"id":120,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":121,"show_sort_weight":122,"slug":123},21,"Paper Templates",5,"papers-templates",{"id":125,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":4,"slug":126},158,"general-158",{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":128},{"doc_id":79,"user_id":129,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":130,"doc_module":22,"category_id":125,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":131,"file_id":132,"file_url":133,"file_type":134,"file_size":135,"view_count":55,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":136,"language":137,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":138,"faqs":139,"seo_title":140,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":80,"read_time":26},549758146520,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/avatar/80002397d8c0411e94?_k=1775819394049821470","Using and Managing a Genealogy Research Log  \nThomas MacEntee, of Genealogy Bargains  \n[https://genealogybargains.com](https://genealogybargains.com)  [hidefgen@gmail.com](hidefgen@gmail.com)  \nWhy Use a Genealogy Research Log?  \nIf you’re a beginning genealogist you want to research “the right way” and if you’re an intermediate one, you probably have learned from your early mistakes. While some would argue as to what is “correct” we would probably all agree on these points as to what a research log could and should do:  \n● Create an action plan. Many genealogists have some sort of research plan whether it is written down or in their heads. A research log can help you fine tune that research plan and convert it into an action plan. For many of us, that is the challenge   getting from “What I want to look for” to “Oh, look what I’ve found!”  \n● Keep yourself organized. Do you spend hours just bouncing around on Ancestry.com or another website? What about in-person [at a repository . . . do](at a repository . . . do)[ ](at a repository . . . do)[you use your time wisely or just go from resource to resource? A research log](you use your time wisely or just go from resource to resource? A research log)[ ](you use your time wisely or just go from resource to resource? A research log)can help you not only organize your research finds, but also identify areas where you need to do more research.  \n● Allow instant recall. Even if you are successful at finding the records and information you need in genealogy, what good is it if you can’t locate that information easily and quickly? Especially if you store your finds on a computer, it helps to have a “map” to where all that stuff is! Use links and entries in a research log to find items fast.  \n● Reduce “do-overs.” There’s nothing worse than spending time researching only to find out that you already had that particular record. A research log lets you know where you’ve been and where you should be spending your time.  \n● Help anaylze data. If you’ve located several different records related to an ancestor’s marriage, how can you really analyze all the information and come toa conclusion if you can’t see the details all at once? A research log lets you sort by fields or column headings and also search for specific keywords so you can easily analyze results.  \nWhat To Include in a Genealogy Research Log  \nHere are some data points that you should consider tracking on a research log or any method you use for your genealogy research:  \nImportant  \n● Date: Enter the date you located the record. Not only will this show the evolution of your research process, but the information can be important for source citations. In addition, you can tell if a new record set available in-person or online was even available when you were researching a specific person or topic.  \nUsing and Managing a Genealogy Research Log Page | 1  \n© 2024 , copyright Thomas MacEntee. All rights reserved.  \n● Proof Point: What fact are you attempting to prove? A relationship between two people? A birth date and location? Use a research goal from the To Do list taband make it a proof point. A fact may have two, five or even twenty different line items representing different records that prove or disprove the proof point.  \n● Record Name: Each record should have a common yet distinct name, such as“Death Certificate for John Leehive.” For records that might have several iterations or versions such as an obituary in different newspapers, add qualifiers such as “Obituary of John Leehive, New York Times.”  \n● Repository: Identify where the record is physically located. For online records, you decide if you want to list the website, such [as Ancestry.com](as Ancestry.com), or drill-down to the actual originating repository such as NARA.  \n● Record Type: This is really a “field of convenience” since it simply gives you an easy way to sort and extract entries and group them by a category. Think “death record,”“marriage record,” etc. ","cbCaibCLH004vO0g","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaibCLH004vO0g","pdf",155254,6,"English","# Why Use a Genealogy Research Log?\n# What To Include in a Genealogy Research Log","[{\"question\":\"What is the purpose of a genealogy research log?\",\"answer\":\"It creates an action plan, keeps research organized, enables fast recall of records, reduces duplicate “do-overs,” and supports analysis by organizing details for comparison.\"},{\"question\":\"What required fields does the guide recommend including?\",\"answer\":\"It recommends Date, Proof Point, Record Name, Repository, Record Type, Transcript Extract, Analysis, and Link to capture key information and enable efficient follow-up.\"},{\"question\":\"Which optional fields can enhance the usefulness of the log?\",\"answer\":\"Optional fields include Record Number, Source Citation, Proven? (a thumbs-up/thumbs-down style indicator), and Image Name for saved record files or photos.\"}]","Using and Managing a Genealogy Research Log | PDF"]