Mar 09 2009
Cornerstone Organization: Research Logs
Genealogy is, for some reason I have yet to fathom, a pastime filled with forms. There are forms for abstracting particular records, forms for recording families, another for recording pedigrees. There are correspondence logs and census forms and timeline sheets and on and on and on until our files and folders are filled to the bursting point. Most of these forms are unnecessary and, in fact, some forms are downright harmful since they force the researcher to arrange information out of order or don’t provide the necessary space for every detail that needs remembering.
In fact, most times a plain ol’ sheet of paper will work, if it’s something that really needs to be done or kept up with. Research logs (aka research calendars and journals) are a case in point. I’ve looked at many pre-printed research log forms and have been completely dissatisfied with each one. Before I explain how I handle research logs, however, let’s look at a brief definition of a research log, how and why to use one, and the information each log should contain.
A research log is, in short, a way for you to keep track of each source you’ve used in your family history research. Sounds simple enough, right? It is! Any form that complicates your research is a form you should discard posthaste. (Keep that in mind as you begin looking for forms to use.) The brilliance of the research log is that you have at hand one piece of paper that lists every single record, book, web site, micro publication, or other source in which you’ve searched for your ancestors and (this is important!) the results of each search.
In addition to a full source citation and the results of each search, you should also list the reason you performed that search, the date on which you performed the search, and the repository used. Giving the reason allows you to keep track of your train of thought on a particular problem. The search date gives you the days you’ve worked on a problem (important for professionals, who may also log time spent in hours on a research log). Listing the repository allows you to go back to the correct place if you need to use a certain source again. Some people keep a separate list of sources used that includes repository information (say, on index cards or on a file in their computer). This isn’t necessary, but if you have a lot of sources you use or if you visit a particular repository again and again, then keeping a source-per-repository list might be of tremendous help in your research. This is especially true if the repository in question does not have a complete online or otherwise published catalogue.
I use my research logs not only as a guideline to what research I’ve performed in the past, but also as a source summary, meaning that when I add sources to, say, a family group sheet (FGS), those numbers refer back to the sources labeled on the research log. When doing research away from home, I can grab the FGS and the research log out of the pertinent folder and I’m ready to go; there’s no need to carry bulky file folders around (and I wouldn’t want to anyway, because of a fear of losing or misplacing my proofs).
Now to the why: research logs are a way to keep up with the research performed, yes, but they also keep you from repeating past research. Every search is recorded on the research log, every single one, including searches that turned up nothing. By noting such empty searches in your log, you are thus not only discarding a source and narrowing future searches, but reminding yourself that you’ve already performed this particular work and don’t need to do it again (unless you feel your first search was hasty or otherwise incomplete).
As I said previously, I strongly dislike pre-printed research logs; they simply do not have enough space for my particular needs. Instead, I type my log into a computer file, print it out each time it’s updated, and then handwrite information onto that sheet when I research. Then when I come home, everything goes back into the computer. Now, I’m generally a pretty low-tech researcher, except for my computerized database (which I find to be absolutely necessary), but my hand-writing can get downright sloppy. So, research logs, timelines, and other paperwork that I like to keep in my folders to help me stay organized are all typed into a word processor.
There are forms out there that will help you organize your search through pertinent records, but a lined sheet of paper works just as well. Or, if you’re really picky or have bad handwriting (like I do), keep your research log typed up in a computer file (that you keep backed up) and print it out as you add new information. Which ever way you blow on the form vs. plain paper “issue”, make sure that your research is efficient by adding this handy tool, the research log, to your repertoire.
See Cyndi’s List for a list of places to obtain free, printable research logs and calendars. I hope to make a dedicated page showing an example of a research log in the near future; keep an eye on the tabs at the top of this blog.
