2017 Research Project

Just a quick reminder that 2017 membership dues ($15) are due. If you haven’t already paid, please bring cash or check (made payable to DENISE DOYON) to the next meeting.

Payment (to cover cost of materials) for those of you who are only participating in the Research Project is $5.00

(this amount will be deducted from the annual dues fee if you decide to become a member)

2017 Research Project

Our next regular D.I.R.T. meeting on 11 Jan will launch the research project. Unfortunately, I will not be there to help you all get started, but Linda and Lynn will be there to make sure everything is organized and everyone gets off on the right foot.

By now I hope that most of you have had some time to attack the research problem you are bringing to the table and are ready to begin working together, in groups, to break down those brick walls and find solutions.

So what happens next?

• At the 11 Jan meeting we are going to break everyone into groups according to the geographic location of your ancestor and your research dilemma. We hope to keep the groups to 4 or 5 people and, depending on how the geography works, we may have more than one group for a location. 
• Everyone will introduce each other in their groups and give a brief description of their brick wall.
• The group will choose one person to keep track of the ToDo list - which is basically a list of each problem the group is going to attack and the order in which they plan to attack them.
• Decide on the research log/plan you would like to use: digital or analog, spreadsheets, legal pads, index cards, etc. As we begin the project, I would suggest that each person in the group keep their own log/notes. 
• Come up with a research plan. Each brick wall the group tackles will have a different research plan. Decide where to focus your research based on what has already been done or not done and what has been found or what is missing. See handouts on brick wall strategies.

There is no right or wrong way to do this - each group will work out their own way of getting to their goals. The idea is to be organized in your approach and record-keeping and find the correct tools to help you blast through your brick walls.

We hope that those members who have chosen not to participate in the project will still come to our meetings and help and learn from what our researchers are doing. The purpose of this project is to learn new research skills, foster better research habits and in the process, get to know one another better.

HOMEWORK! We have two weeks between meetings. Please feel free to assign tasks that can be done by your group members on their own. We encourage any of you who want to get together between meetings to do so.

Lynn, Linda and I will be there to answer questions, and make suggestions about where to look for information and suggest methods for tackling these research problems in an organized manner.

Linda and I are making our personal genealogy research libraries available for you to tap and provide handouts with information to help steer you in the right direction. If you click on the “2017 Research Project” tab above you will find a list of handouts in PDF format you can access. Hard copies will be available at the 11 Jan meeting, but please feel free to print out a copy for your personal use. You will also find a list of books that are available for any of our paid members to borrow. Just drop a note to us at diggingtogether@yahoo.com and we'll make sure you get the book you want to borrow.

If you are participating in the research project, please bring your wifi-enabled laptop or tablet, workbook, pencil and eraser and a notebook or pad to the meeting and be prepared to get started.

If you have any questions, please drop me a line (diggingtogether@yahoo.com).