STUMBLE "E"

This pretty much wraps up the Stumble series, and I really hope that I have encouraged you to think about how you have been researching. If you've been struggling maybe some of the things you've been reading here will help change that.

Today's STUMBLE letter is the final letter - "E". The word I chose for "E" is evaluate. When I say EVALUATE it refers to the process of looking at exactly how you are researching. Are you making the best of the tools & resources you have available to you? Are you making the best of your time that you spend searching? Is there anything you could change to make your efforts more productive?


When was the last time you re-evaluated your filing system - the way you file your materials, the way you keep notes & information in your genealogy software? By evaluating the way that you search, the way you use your time, the way you file (yes you do have to file things!), and even the way you mange the materials in your software all figures into your success in researching.

Being disorganized leads to duplicate documents, wasted funds, wasted time better spent chasing something you don't have. Using the same boards on line & not getting responses - is it because of the way your questions are posted? Is there enough info given or maybe not enough? Have you gotten to know your search engines so that you searches are the most productive they can be? Do you have databases on line that you subscribe to but have never taken the time to figure out how to best put the collection to YOUR GOOD USE?

By evaluating your time, your files, your methods and even your genealogy software, sometimes you find that maybe you need to tweek things just a bit so that the time & energy you spend doing your family history research is more productive and a bit less stressful because you have a plan and you are going to follow that plan.

Happy Researching!


Karen