Techniques for Successful Searching

Date:

Friday, Mar 22

Time:

3:00 - 4:00 pm

Room:

255D

Session ID:

W10

Type:

Hands-on Workshop

Difficulty:

Intermediate

Track:

Genealogist

Description

Using an actual family for which information is given in the session materials, we will compare results from different websites using a variety of search strategies, demonstrating why a single, simple search is sometimes unsuccessful even though the desired ancestor’s record is there. The workshop is about search techniques, interpreting results, and adapting search to fit the search tool, the records, and the extraction or transcription used in compiling the database. While the workshop is not designed to teach how to use specific websites, it will demonstrate search principles and differences using FamilySearch, Ancestry, FindMyPast, Google, and various local databases in England, Canada, Australia, and the United States. The session also looks at how one might document searches, including unsuccessful searches.

Presenters

Alan E. Mann, AG

Alan is senior British Research Consultant at the Family History Library. Author, presenter, reviewer on British Family History and the use of technology in genealogy.