Over the last few days, I have worked on the topics for my Genealogy Do-Over Week One. The Topics for this week are:

• Setting Previous Research Aside
• Preparing to Research
• Establishing Base Practices and Guidelines

Setting Previous Research Aside

Putting previous research aside was fairly easy for me. Most of it is digital and I can ignore that. I will set up new digital files for this project and access old files only as needed during the Do-Over. I’ve got most of my paper files in binders or file folders and it’s in pretty good shape.

Preparing to research

My desk is cleared off, except for two books:

• Evidence Explained:Citing History Sources from Artifacts to Cyberspace 2nd Edition by Elizabeth Shown Mills
• Red Book: American State, County & Town Sources, Third Edition (free online version available at rootsweb wiki here).

Set up a more organized file structure for my online files and photo’s.

• I will be filing my documents under each individuals name:
  !Ancestry>surname>document type>documents named: Lastname.Firstname-Middlename-what-when. (I will use maiden name for married women, although may set up an alias for married name.)
• For each person I will have following document type folders: Census Records, Vital Records, Newspaper, Other Records, Photos. The research log will be in each persons main directory.
• I will alias Family Records (such as census records) that apply to multiple family members.

Select Software for my Do-Over:

I have selected Family Tree Maker Mac 3 as the software I plan to use for my Do-Over. I have installed it and set up a new tree starting with me. I have linked it to a new tree on Ancestry.com.

Learn to use Evidentia:

I have downloaded Evidentia software and am reviewing the tutorials this week.

Learn How to Use Evernote for Genealogy:

I am beginning to use Evernote and Evernote Clipper. I plan to take some tutorials this week. I’ve also installed Evernote and Evernote Clipper onto my laptop.

Establishing Base Practices and Guidelines.

This one is the most challenging for me, but putting it down in writing has already helped me.  I have put a lot of thought into this, but as with anything, it may need to be tweaked once I put the process in place.

I plan to set aside 10:00 am to 3:00 pm (my most productive time) four days each week for my research.

• I will use Evernote to place search interests when I want to go off on a tangent.
• Track all of my work (including dead ends and negative evidence) and Cite my Sources (what, where and when info about a record).
  • Use a research log to document all research.
  • Write my Sources in correct format (using Evidence Explained
    guidelines).
• Document honest results of my own research and acknowledge all use of other researcher’s work.
• Use words carefully, e.g. “probably” or “possible” and state reasons why.
• Evaluate each source and analyze the data in detail using Evidentia, when appropriate.
• Once I’ve verified the connection, enter it into Family Tree Maker Mac 3 along with Source Citations.

Note: I have included some of my referral links in this post. If you click through them and make a purchase. I will make a small commission. This is at no extra cost to you. I really appreciate your support in this way.

The Genealogy Do-Over journey is a 13 week challenge from Thomas MacEntee, of GeneaBloggers.