Presents methods for tracing your family history with tips and sample charts to follow.

Zotero offers genealogists a powerful and versatile citation manager, an endless file cabinet, go-anywhere access to research, a flexible organizational structure, and the ability to file one thing in many places. Developed by George Mason University and used by scholars worldwide, this robust product serves research in phenomenal ways. Best of all, for all its value, Zotero is free to download. An avid Zotero user since graduate school, author Donna Cox Baker proves it to be the perfect complement to genealogical research. Not only does it eliminate file cabinets, binders, and stacks of unfiled papers, it brings your voluminous research anywhere you have Internet access. Zotero for Genealogy teaches Zotero from installation to advance add-ons, using exercises and illustrations to enhance the learning experience. Baker teaches readers how to get the most out of Zotero and shares the various methods she has developed to maximize its value to genealogy. What Zotero can do for a genealogist ◆ Eliminate paper and physical filing, replacing every file cabinet, box, and paper stack you used to think you had to have. ◆ Eliminate thousands of keystrokes as Zotero creates citations for you with the click of a button. ◆ Access your citations and notes virtually anywhere you have Wi-Fi and a computing device. ◆ Extract the comments you have made and the passages you have highlighted in a PDF, drawing them into Zotero without retyping. ◆ Find anything you have stored, with lightning-fast smart searching-even things you stored away years ago and remember only vaguely if at all. ◆ Replace the standard genealogy research log with something much better and more powerful. ◆ Build a smart to-do list that eliminates repetitive data entry and is there whenever you need it. Table of Contents PART I: ZOTERO GENERAL OVERVIEW Getting started with Zotero Documenting your research Organizing research collections Managing your attachments Searching, sorting and finding your research PART II: ZOTERO ADD-ONS Zotero Connectors & instant data entry ZotFile & advanced PDF management Word processing & painless citation PART III: APPLYING ZOTERO TO GENEALOGY Organizing your filing system One source or many: a choice Working with Evidence Explained Creating your research to-do-list Efficient note-taking Zotero on research trips Collaborating with others

Get Your Research in Order! Stop struggling to manage all your genealogy facts, files, and data--make a plan of attack to maximize your progress. Organize Your Genealogy will show you how to use tried-and-true methods and the latest tech tools and genealogy software to organize your research plan, workspace, and family-history finds. In this book, you'll learn how to organize your time and resources, including how to set goals and objectives, determine workable research questions, sort paper and digital documents, keep track of physical and online correspondence, prepare for a research trip, and follow a skill-building plan. With this comprehensive guide, you'll make the most of your research time and energy and put yourself on a road to genealogy success. Organize Your Genealogy features: • Secrets to developing organized habits that will maximize your research time and progress • Hints for setting up the right physical and online workspaces • Proven, useful systems for organizing paper and electronic documents • Tips for managing genealogy projects and goals • The best tools for organizing every aspect of your ancestry research • Easy-to-use checklists and worksheets to apply the book's strategies Whether you're a newbie seeking best practices to get started or a seasoned researcher looking for new and better ways of getting organized, this guide will help you manage every facet of your ancestry research.

Are you stuck in your genealogical research? Wondering how to make progress on your brick wall problems? Discover the process that a professional genealogist uses to solve difficult cases. Research Like a Pro: A Genealogist's Guide shares a step-by-step method using real world examples, easily understood by any level of genealogist; written for the researcher ready to take their skills to the next level.Research Like a Pro: A Genealogist's Guide will give you the tools to:- Form an objective focusing your research for an entire project.- Review your research with new eyes by creating your own timeline analysis.- Construct a locality guide to direct your research.- Create a plan to keep your research on track.- Style source citations, giving your work credibility.- Set up a research log to organize and track your searches.- Write a report detailing your findings and ideas for future research.Links to templates give you the tools you need to get started and work samples illustrate each step. You'll learn to execute a research project from start to finish, then start again with the new information discovered. Whether you are a newbie or experienced researcher, Research Like a Pro: A Genealogist's Guide will move the search for your ancestors forward. Start now to learn to Research Like a Pro.

Maximize Your Research Progress! Harness the powerful, timesaving organization features of Evernote's free software and mobile apps to manage your genealogy research. This comprehensive user guide explains how to organize all kinds of genealogy clues--from notes and e-mails to vital records and audio files--so the information is easily searchable, accessible on any device, and automatically backed up in the cloud. Step-by-step instructions show you how to file research materials, analyze research clues, collaborate with cousins, and share your family history. In this book, you'll find • Evernote tips and strategies specifically for genealogy researchers, with real-life examples • Step-by-step instructions for managing different types of genealogy information, from research notes to document images to web clippings • Tricks for using Evernote to speed up research tasks, including transcription and research logs • Suggestions to search-optimize your Evernote data so your information is easy to find • Ideas for enhancing Evernote with external apps • Tips to protect your data and troubleshoot common issues • Worksheets to help you organize your notebooks and stacks Whether you're an Evernote newbie or dedicated user, How to Use Evernote for Genealogy will change your research life by showing you how this free tool can make you a better, more efficient genealogist.

Keep your family history alive for future generations! Old photos, genealogical documents, ancestors' stories, and artifacts are vital to understanding your family's past-and they belong to your family's future. This concise step-by-step guide will help you organize and pass your genealogy collection and family history to the next generation. Follow the PASS Process: (1) Prepare by organizing materials, (2) Allocate ownership, (3) Set up a genealogical "will," (4) Share with heirs. Whether you're new to genealogy or have years of experience, you'll find practical ideas and learn how to: sort your genealogy collection into logical categories . . . safely store and label your materials . . . inventory and index for new insights . . . decide what to keep and what to give away . . . write instructions for your collection's future . . . and bring family history alive now. Includes sample forms and links to online resources to help you put a personalized PASS plan into action. Reviewed by genealogy blogger Anna Mathews: "Each chapter in Marian's book is filled with great tips from her many years of experience in taking these steps herself. She shares many resources and stories along the way, showing us by example that organizing isn't taking away precious time from research, it can actually help us in our research, leading to discoveries we might not otherwise make." Reviewed by genealogy blogger Wendy Mathias: "Marian provides a PROCESS for making sure our years of hard work and treasures from our ancestors don't end up in a landfill. I emphasize PROCESS because the book is not a collection of handy-dandy tips and tricks. With what Marian calls 'the PASS system,' the overwhelming job of getting our 'stuff' ready to pass on is made logical and manageable."

A guide to conducting genealogical research, focusing on the role of electronic databases, computer programs, and Internet resources in revolutionizing the process of tracing family histories. Includes charts, forms, exercises, Web site addresses, and bibliographies.

Completely updated for today's search tactics and blockades, The Everything Family Tree Book has even more insight for the stumped! Whether you're searching in a grandparent's attic or through the most cryptic archiving systems, this book has brand-new chapters on what readers have been asking for: Genetics, DNA, and medical information Surname origins and naming Appendix on major genealogical repositories, libraries, and archives Systems for filing and organizing The latest computer software Land, probate, and estate records Chock-full of tips the competitors don't have, this is the one-stop resource for successful sleuthing!

“Inspirational and very useful . . . quite literally packed with valuable tips and exercises and is almost a mini-course in writing your family history.”—Bedfordshire Family History Society Gill Blanchard’s practical step-by-step guide to writing a family history is designed for anyone who wants to bring their ancestors’ stories to life. She looks at ways of overcoming the particular problems family historians face when writing a family history—how to deal with gaps in knowledge, how to describe generations of people who did the same jobs or lived in the same area, how to cover the numerous births, marriages and deaths that occur, and when to stop researching and start writing. Her book provides examples to help readers find their own writing style, deal with family stories, missing pieces of information and anomalies. It also offers advice on key aspects of composition, such as adding local and social history context and using secondary material. The focus throughout is on how to develop a story from beginning to end. Exercises are a key feature of the text. There is guidance on the various formats a family history can take and how to choose the appropriate one, with examples of format and layout. Production and publishing are also covered—books, booklets, newsletters, websites, blogs and ebooks. “If you’re toying with the idea of writing a family history-themed book, whether it be for general publication or simply for family members, read this first and then take the plunge. Who knows, it could be a bestseller!”—Family Tree Magazine

Writing a family history does not have to be an overwhelming task. This book outlines a simple process that will aid your research and create pages of information that can be read and understood by all family members. Your research will become faster and more accurate and your family can enjoy the family history. Remember, our writing should go beyond finding documents and filling in charts. Hopefully, the methods discussed in this book will show the reader a simple format that will make this task much easier. You may be reluctant to write down these stories because you do not consider yourself a writer. Our ancestors were ordinary people. Why should we write about them? All of our immigrant ancestors contributed to America’s history and their stories should be saved for our grandchildren. Our family histories should give clues of their roles and this will help us understand our roots.