

The Research Like a Pro Genealogy Podcast
Nicole Dyer
Research Like a Pro is a podcast about genealogy research methodology. Diana Elder and Nicole Dyer of FamilyLocket.com discuss how to take your family history research to the next level and uncover more of your family tree. Learn about research objectives, analysis, locality research, research planning, source citations, report writing, case studies, and more. Diana and Nicole are the mother-daughter team at FamilyLocket.com and the creators of the Amazon bestselling book, Research Like a Pro: A Genealogist's Guide. Diana created the Research Like a Pro method after becoming an Accredited Genealogy professional through the International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists. Discover the process that a professional genealogist uses and make progress on your own brick walls.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Apr 22, 2019 • 34min
Family Search, Family Tree, and the GPS
In our podcast episode today, Diana and I discuss how to apply the genealogical proof standard (GPS) as you work in collaborative trees - specifically the FamilySearch Family Tree. We talk about each element of the GPS and how you implement it with small changes in the way you add reason statements, sources, and additional explanations about your research to the tree. Links How to Improve the FamilySearch Family Tree with the Genealogical Proof Standard - post by Diana and Family Locket Genealogy Standards, 2nd Edition - affiliate link to Amazon.com Information about the Genealogical Proof Standard on the Ethics and Standards page of the Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG) website, including additional links to more articles Research Like a Pro eCourse Study Group - more information and email list Research Like a Pro: A Genealogist's Guide by Diana Elder with Nicole Dyer on Amazon.com Thank you Thanks for listening! We hope that you will share your thoughts about our podcast and help us out by doing the following: Share an honest review on iTunes or Stitcher. You can easily write a review with Stitcher, without creating an account. Just scroll to the bottom of the page and click "write a review." You simply provide a nickname and an email address that will not be published. We value your feedback and your ratings really help this podcast reach others. If you leave a review, we will read it on the podcast and answer any questions that you bring up in your review. Thank you! Leave a comment in the comment or question in the comment section below. Share the episode on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest. Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, or your favorite podcast app. Sign up for our newsletter to receive notifications of new episodes.

Apr 15, 2019 • 35min
RLP 40: DNA, Mind Maps, and Diagramming
In our podcast episode today, Diana and I discuss one of our new favorite tools, Lucid Chart! After Robin Wirthlin, our genetic genealogist friend and guest blogger, wrote about using LucidChart, and helped Nicole get started using it, we quickly realized how useful it is when doing client projects involving DNA matches. We talked about how Diana found her sister's biological parents with DNA diagramming complex relationships of matches with MindMup, a free open source Mind Map program. Now she uses LucidChart. We also mentioned some other alternatives. Links Seeing the Big Picture: 3 Ways to Chart Your DNA Matches - by Robin Wirthlin at Family Locket LucidChart.com - our favorite way to diagram DNA matches Draw.io - free open source software like LucidChart MindMup - the mind map program Diana used in her sister's case Using DNA to Find Biological Parents: 3 Tips to Get Started and a Case Study - Diana's search for her sister's biological parents Solving an Adoptee Case with DNA Networks and Mind Mapping PowerPoint Smart Art - Hierarchy - another way to chart DNA matches Draw.io - free open source software like LucidChart Research Like a Pro eCourse Study Group - more information and email list Research Like a Pro: A Genealogist's Guide by Diana Elder with Nicole Dyer on Amazon.com Thank you Thanks for listening! We hope that you will share your thoughts about our podcast and help us out by doing the following: Share an honest review on iTunes or Stitcher. You can easily write a review with Stitcher, without creating an account. Just scroll to the bottom of the page and click "write a review." You simply provide a nickname and an email address that will not be published. We value your feedback and your ratings really help this podcast reach others. If you leave a review, we will read it on the podcast and answer any questions that you bring up in your review. Thank you! Leave a comment in the comment or question in the comment section below. Share the episode on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest. Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, or your favorite podcast app. Sign up for our newsletter to receive notifications of new episodes.

Apr 8, 2019 • 41min
RLP 39: Tools for Using Your Ancestry DNA Matches
In our podcast episode today, Diana and I discuss three tools we love in AncestryDNA for sorting and using cousin matches. In addition to those three tools, we discuss some of the new features that AncestryDNA just announced at RootsTech as well! We talk about adding notes to your matches, using the shared match tool, and using unlinked family trees. We also discuss the new beta features called "New & Improved DNA Matches" that you can sign up for. This includes new ways to filter, relationship probabilities, and adding colors to groups of matches. Lastly, tune in to hear how Diana makes an exciting discovery (during the podcast) using the new AncestryDNA ThruLines™ Tool. Links Screenshot of Diana's ThruLines Discovery - Benjamin Cox Ancestry Beta - click here to sign up for the beta features Ancestry Tools in Beta for Genetic Genealogy - Nicole's blog post about the new AncestryDNA tools Ancestry DNA Matches: 3 Tools You may not be using - Diana's blog post Relevant blog posts Ancestry Tools for Genetic Genealogy by Kelly Becker and Neal Varner - RootsTech Video 2019 Research Like a Pro eCourse Study Group - more information and email list Research Like a Pro: A Genealogist's Guide by Diana Elder with Nicole Dyer on Amazon.com Thank you Thanks for listening! We hope that you will share your thoughts about our podcast and help us out by doing the following: Share an honest review on iTunes or Stitcher. You can easily write a review with Stitcher, without creating an account. Just scroll to the bottom of the page and click "write a review." You simply provide a nickname and an email address that will not be published. We value your feedback and your ratings really help this podcast reach others. If you leave a review, we will read it on the podcast and answer any questions that you bring up in your review. Thank you! Leave a comment in the comment or question in the comment section below. Share the episode on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest. Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, or your favorite podcast app. Sign up for our newsletter to receive notifications of new episodes.

Apr 1, 2019 • 22min
RLP 38: Three Tips for Connecting with Your DNA Cousins
In our podcast episode today, Diana and I discuss how to best contact your DNA matches so that they respond, creating a family tree in your software that includes living cousins, and sharing research and memories with the cousins you find. We also talk about Diana's experience meeting in person with a 2nd cousin she found through DNA and what interesting family document she had which gave Diana helpful information to sort through a difficult discovery she had made years before. Links 3 Tips for Connecting with your DNA Cousins - Diana's blog post Understanding and Using Your DNA Results – 4 Simple Steps - Robin's post about reaching out to DNA matches; includes a form letter to use when sending emails to matches Photomyne - smartphone app for scanning photos Do You Have a Skeleton in your Family History Closet? - Diana's blog post about discovering difficult information about ancestors RLP 16: How to Deal with Skeletons in the Closet - podcast episode about writing up your research about skeletons with objectivity BYU Conference on Family History and Genealogy - Diana and Nicole are both speaking at this conference July 30 - August 2, 2019 Research Like a Pro eCourse Study Group - more information and email list Research Like a Pro: A Genealogist's Guide by Diana Elder with Nicole Dyer on Amazon.com Thank you Thanks for listening! We hope that you will share your thoughts about our podcast and help us out by doing the following: Share an honest review on iTunes or Stitcher. You can easily write a review with Stitcher, without creating an account. Just scroll to the bottom of the page and click "write a review." You simply provide a nickname and an email address that will not be published. We value your feedback and your ratings really help this podcast reach others. If you leave a review, we will read it on the podcast and answer any questions that you bring up in your review. Thank you! Leave a comment in the comment or question in the comment section below. Share the episode on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest. Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, or your favorite podcast app. Sign up for our newsletter to receive notifications of new episodes.

Mar 25, 2019 • 59min
RLP 37: Organize Your Research with Google Drive
In our podcast episode today, we are sharing Nicole's RootsTech lecture, Organize Your Research with Google Drive. Do you work from multiple devices? Laptop, desktop, work computer, home computer, smartphone, iPad? Learn how to utilize the free tools at Google Drive and Google Docs to help keep your genealogy research organized. You can create research logs with Google Sheets, transcribe records into Google Docs, add document links to records you have saved within your Google Drive files and share your work with other genealogists. The comment feature is a powerful collaborative tool that allows you to give and receive feedback from others. Upload your image files, scanned records, and saved research documents to Google Drive to access them from any device. Sync your devices to back up your precious research online. Search through your Google Drive to easily find documents. No longer will your research documents be scattered in dusty file folders, desktop computers, and under-the-bed boxes. Putting all your research in one place will help you find what you need and make more progress. Links Organize Your Genealogy Research With Google Drive by Nicole Dyer at #RootsTech 2019 - this blog post contains Nicole's presentation slides and syllabus for you to download Research Like a Pro eCourse Study Group - more information and email list Research Like a Pro: A Genealogist's Guide by Diana Elder with Nicole Dyer on Amazon.com Thank you Thanks for listening! We hope that you will share your thoughts about our podcast and help us out by doing the following: Share an honest review on iTunes or Stitcher. You can easily write a review with Stitcher, without creating an account. Just scroll to the bottom of the page and click "write a review." You simply provide a nickname and an email address that will not be published. We value your feedback and your ratings really help this podcast reach others. If you leave a review, we will read it on the podcast and answer any questions that you bring up in your review. Thank you! Leave a comment in the comment or question in the comment section below. Share the episode on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest. Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, or your favorite podcast app. Sign up for our newsletter to receive notifications of new episodes.

Mar 18, 2019 • 47min
RLP 36: Church Records Part 2
If your ancestor deeded land to a church, that could be a huge clue to their religion! We will discuss that and more in our podcast episode today about how to discover your ancestors religion and how to find church records. There are many clues to be gleaned from genealogical records, like inscriptions on headstones and family bibles. There are many places to find collections containing church records as well. Links Back to the Basics with Church Records Part 2 by Diana at FamilyLocket.com PERSI helpful search page at FindMyPast.com https://search.findmypast.com/search/periodical-source-index PERSI not helpful search page at FindMyPast.com https://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/periodical-source-index Social Statistics Schedules in the U.S. Federal Census Tombstone symbols at msghn.org Benjamin Elder Headstone at FindAGrave.com Track Your Family with a Timeline by Diana at FamilyLocket.com FamilySearch Research Wiki FamilySearch Catalog Cyndi's List of Religion and Churches USGenWeb Church Records Project Research Like a Pro eCourse Study Group - more information and email list Research Like a Pro: A Genealogist's Guide by Diana Elder with Nicole Dyer on Amazon.com Thank you Thanks for listening! We hope that you will share your thoughts about our podcast and help us out by doing the following: Share an honest review on iTunes or Stitcher. You can easily write a review with Stitcher, without creating an account. Just scroll to the bottom of the page and click "write a review." You simply provide a nickname and an email address that will not be published. We value your feedback and your ratings really help this podcast reach others. If you leave a review, we will read it on the podcast and answer any questions that you bring up in your review. Thank you! Leave a comment in the comment or question in the comment section below. Share the episode on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest. Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, or your favorite podcast app. Sign up for our newsletter to receive notifications of new episodes.

Mar 11, 2019 • 35min
RLP 35 Church Records Part 1
Did you know that Quaker marriage records could include over 10 witnesses? Talk about a great resource for building a FAN club. In our podcast episode today, Diana and I discuss church records, and their genealogical value. We talk about the history of church records in the United States, what kinds of records you might be able to find, and several examples of evidence gained from membership records in various churches. Links Back to the Basics with Church Records Part 1 by Diana at FamilyLocket.com Research Like a Pro eCourse Study Group - more information and email list Research Like a Pro: A Genealogist's Guide by Diana Elder with Nicole Dyer on Amazon.com Thank you Thanks for listening! We hope that you will share your thoughts about our podcast and help us out by doing the following: Share an honest review on iTunes or Stitcher. You can easily write a review with Stitcher, without creating an account. Just scroll to the bottom of the page and click "write a review." You simply provide a nickname and an email address that will not be published. We value your feedback and your ratings really help this podcast reach others. If you leave a review, we will read it on the podcast and answer any questions that you bring up in your review. Thank you! Leave a comment in the comment or question in the comment section below. Share the episode on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest. Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, or your favorite podcast app. Sign up for our newsletter to receive notifications of new episodes.

Mar 4, 2019 • 47min
RLP 34: Getting Organized One Paper at a Time
Blog post title: RLP 14: Getting Organized One Paper a Time category: podcast tags: organization, conferences For today's podcast we are sharing our keynote address from the Tucson Family History Fair on February 2, 2019. We talked about Diana's story of receiving a suitcase full of unorganized genealogy papers from her father and her system of dealing with each paper one at a time. We talked about choosing personal genealogy software, and even compared our favorite programs to cars recommended by my son! Which program do you think we compared to a Tesla? We also shared some ideas for using Google Drive, Bakcup and Sync, and a helpful tip for putting files in multiple ancestors' folders. How do you organize your folders and name your files? We we discuss that also, and even dive into using your papers as evidence, and when it's ok to throw papers away. Links Tucson Family History Fair 2019 - post about our classes including the presentation slides for "Getting Organized One Paper at a Time" The Suitcase: Getting Organized One Paper at a Time, article by Diana Personal family tree software programs: RootsMagic, Legacy, Ancestral Quest, Family Tree Maker, etc. Google Backup and Sync Google Drive Dropbox Locality Filing System:BYU-Idaho handout - Organizing Genealogical Research and Note Files by Jill Crandall OneNote Evernote Using Evernote for Genealogy Research, article by Diana Create Your Own Genealogy Reference Center with Evernote Evernote Web Clipper Research Like a Pro: A Genealogist's Guide by Diana Elder with Nicole Dyer on Amazon.com Thank you Thanks for listening! We hope that you will share your thoughts about our podcast and help us out by doing the following: Share an honest review on iTunes or Stitcher. You can easily write a review with Stitcher, without creating an account. Just scroll to the bottom of the page and click "write a reveiw." You simply provide a nickname and an email address that will not be published. We value your feedback and your ratings really help this podcast reach others. If you leave a review, we will read it on the podcast and answer any questions that you bring up in your review. Thank you! Leave a comment in the comment or question in the comment section below. Share the episode on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest. Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, or your favorite podcast app. Sign up for our newsletter to receive notifications of new episodes.

Feb 25, 2019 • 22min
RLP 33: Negative Evidence Vs. Negative Results
In our podcast episode today, Diana and I discuss what negative evidence really is, and how it differs from negative results. We will talk about a couple examples of negative evidence and negative results, and how you can create citations for your negative results. Links Speaking Negatively: The Difference Between Negative Results and Negative Evidence Research Like a Pro, Part 2: Analyze Your Sources RLP 3: Analyze Your Sources Research Like a Pro eCourse Study Group - more information and email list Research Like a Pro: A Genealogist's Guide by Diana Elder with Nicole Dyer on Amazon.com Thank you Thanks for listening! We hope that you will share your thoughts about our podcast and help us out by doing the following: Share an honest review on iTunes or Stitcher. You can easily write a review with Stitcher, without creating an account. Just scroll to the bottom of the page and click "write a review." You simply provide a nickname and an email address that will not be published. We value your feedback and your ratings really help this podcast reach others. If you leave a review, we will read it on the podcast and answer any questions that you bring up in your review. Thank you! Leave a comment in the comment or question in the comment section below. Share the episode on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest. Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, or your favorite podcast app. Sign up for our newsletter to receive notifications of new episodes.

Feb 18, 2019 • 40min
RLP 32: Indirect vs. Direct Evidence
In our podcast episode today, Diana and I discuss the difference between indirect evidence vs. direct evidence. Is a birth year calculated from a census record considered direct or indirect evidence? What about the birth year ranges in pre-1850 U.S. Censuses? And what does your research question have to do with the type of evidence? Links Genealogy Evidence Analysis – Free Template and Lucinda Keaton Sample Research Like a Pro, Part 2: Analyze Your Sources RLP 3: Analyze Your Sources Transitional Genealogists Rootsweb Message thread from July 2013 with the title "direct vs. indirect" QuickLesson 13: Classes of Evidence—Direct, Indirect & Negative at Evidence Explained Research Like a Pro eCourse Study Group - more information and email list Research Like a Pro: A Genealogist's Guide by Diana Elder with Nicole Dyer on Amazon.com Thank you Thanks for listening! We hope that you will share your thoughts about our podcast and help us out by doing the following: Share an honest review on iTunes or Stitcher. You can easily write a review with Stitcher, without creating an account. Just scroll to the bottom of the page and click "write a review." You simply provide a nickname and an email address that will not be published. We value your feedback and your ratings really help this podcast reach others. If you leave a review, we will read it on the podcast and answer any questions that you bring up in your review. Thank you! Leave a comment in the comment or question in the comment section below. Share the episode on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest. Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, or your favorite podcast app. Sign up for our newsletter to receive notifications of new episodes.


