Motivation Monday - My Chocolate Side of Genealogy

Source: bisousatoi.com via Rosie on Pinterest

Getting caught up in the hunt for ancestors’ records is such great fun. It is the chocolate side of my genealogy. There is, of course, the other side of genealogical research.  I find citing my sources and constructing quality footnotes to be complete drudgery.

I was educated as an elementary school teacher and was quite good at creating lesson plans. I was not educated in constructing footnotes. As a result, my early years of research lacked any form of citation causing me to go back and reconstruct my research. After doing that for a few times, I learned my lesson and besgan adding some basic “free form” citations. 

Getting better, but not there yet.

The Armchair Genealogist offers a "Ten Step Program for Getting Sources and Citations Under Control!” If you are having trouble with citations, Lynn suggests a logical, ten step at a time plan to tackle all those overwhelming citations.

Today is the day I begin working towards better citations. She suggests purchasing Evidence Explained by Elizabeth Shown Mills. I own the book and it is high time to start using it!

My genealogy computer software program is Reunion. I like Reunion, but find the citation part of the program difficult. It is time to try again!

To begin this project:

I will identify sources for one ancestor.

Record the citation in my Reunion software program.

I will refer to Evidence Explained by Elizabeth Shown Mills.

Once one ancestor has complete citations, I with then begin with the next ancestor until each tree is fully cited.

Setting a schedule and paciing myself will hopefully not overwhelm me.

To read more about Lynn’s Ten Step Program, visit her website, www.thearmchairgenealogist.com/2013/04/a-10-step-plan-getting-sources.html

Linda