What to Expect from Our Professional Genealogical Research

Today, a large quantity of genealogical information has been made readily available in print, on CDs, and on the Internet.  This flood of information is wonderful and appeals to our desire to do research quickly.  However, this plethora of published records in an easily searched format has given some beginning genealogists the illusion that all records searching and lineage research is similarly easy. Ancestry research involves more than merely locating a set of records, looking at the index and then copying the document. Sometimes, this is the way research can be done. However, most of the time it is not.

A great deal of lineage research involves detailed examination of unindexed, illegible, molded, and otherwise difficult to read records.  Sometimes the importance of these records is easily grasped and the context readily understood.  Yet other times the information in these records must be placed in historical or legal context in order to be fully understood and appreciated. This is where a professional genealogist can be of the most service to his/her client.

When a client orders in-depth research with us, we follow the outlined steps below:

• Analyze the data received.  The first thing that we do is examine the client's research goal to make certain that the goal is a realistic one given the information in hand. If not, then we work with the client to revise the client's expectations about what can be done in the time allotted. Then, we make sure we have collected from our client all of his or her previous research and we thoroughly examine it. We may build a database with the information, depending upon how extensive it is. This examination allows us to determine the reliability of the source records upon which the family group sheets and pedigrees are based and ensures that no research that we do for the client is repeated unnecessarily. 
• Check on the availability of Records. Based upon our analysis of the client's goal, we then check the Family History Library card catalog searching for records that will assist in the fulfillment of the client's goal. If the records are not available at the FHL, but are thought to be extant, we will correspond with the library or archives holding the necessary documents in order to assess their availability.
• Develop a research strategy. Taking into consideration 1) the type of documents available and 2) the research goals of the client, we then develop a research strategy that will compliment the two. For example: Suppose a client wants the birth record for her male Virginia ancestor born about 1791. We know from experience that statewide Virginia birth registration did not begin until 1853, so a "birth certificate" will not be available for her ancestor. Thus, alternate sources are sought in the order of direct relevance to the client's goal. For instance, church christenings, parish records, and bible records, if they existed for the area in which her ancestor was born would be examined. If those records did not exist or were not available, then census records would be examined. Census records after 1850 listed the individual's name and age and state of birth. If the client wants to know the identity of the parents for her ancestor, too, then VA personal property tax lists and probate records could be examined for reference to her ancestor. So, it is evident that developing a research strategy is a multifaceted process - one that requires the professional genealogist to know which records to examine and to understand the relevancy of the data held within each set of records.
• Search and evaluate the documents. After a research strategy has been developed, the available records are searched and the results evaluated. The evaluation will determine whether or not the data contained in the record(s) will provide the necessary information to fulfill the client's goals. Often a specialized knowledge of law and history (as in the case of probate and tax records) will be necessary in order to fully understand the relevancy of data within a document.
• Keep track of each source studied and label all documents. This is a vital and ongoing part of the research process. Upon completion of the research project, the client should be able to examine the list of source records and view labeled documents so that they might quickly visualize the scope and reliability of the completed project. We keep a calendar which describes in full each source studied, the author, editor, publication date, and the Family History Library call number (see sample). Each document that is photocopied for your perusal will be labeled with the same detailed source information.
• Summarize the research. Upon completion of the research session, a summary of the results will be provided. This summary will include a description of the research process, the records studied, and a brief analysis of the most important documents found.
• Provide suggestions for further research. No research project would be complete without a game plan for future research. We will provide suggestions listing records that might be examined in any future research sessions along with a brief explanation of the logic behind each of the suggestions.

So, at the end of the research time allotted by the client, the client should expect to see considerable progress made on his/her stated goal. In other words, the client's goal may or may not have been met in the one research session. Whatever the case may be, the client should see that there were several relevant sources thoroughly examined and evaluated in the time he/she allotted.