researchties: adding searches

Adding Searches

Adding Searches

• Once a researcher has formulated an objective, the next step is to plan the searches that will address the goal.

• Which sources will contain relevant information, and what will be the scope of each search?

To add a search, click on “Add Information” and select “Add Search.”

You will first be asked if you want to add the search to an objective. It is highly recommended that researchers use objectives to organize their research. However, if past research is being recorded and objectives were not used originally, they don’t need to be created today. Click “Add.”

The next screen will provide the list of objectives to choose from. Click on “Add Search” for the desired objective.

When the list is too long to efficiently locate the desired objective from this list, begin with the “Find/Select” function on the blue toolbar. This process will be described in the “Finding Objectives” tutorial.

The search template will open with the objective statement at the top of the screen. Be sure this is the correct objective.

By selecting from the dropdowns and adding needed entries with the green add buttons, record each planned search.

The next several slides will give information about each field.

Source Title and Author

• The title and author fields are dropdowns from the source template. If the desired source is not showing in the dropdown, begin typing to narrow the options.

Source Title and Author

• If the desired source has not yet been added to the list of sources, click the green add circle, and add the source. (You must fill in the title and author fields for them to show in the dropdown boxes.)

Source Title and Author

• A source can be selected by either the title or author dropdown. When one is selected, both fields will autofill for efficient data entry.

Jurisdiction

• Select the jurisdiction that is being researched. This may or may not be the same as the jurisdiction of the record itself. For example, if a national record is being searched for a smaller area, record the jurisdiction that was searched.

Jurisdiction

• The “Jurisdiction” dropdown will need to include entries for each jurisdictional level. For example, if I’m searching a town, the selection would be Anna, Union, Illinois. If I’m searching the county, it would be Union County, Illinois. If I’m searching the state, I would record Illinois.

Jurisdiction

• Some records are not created by an entity with a jurisdiction. For example, family letters, Bibles, family charts, etc. would be considered a “General Source.” In that case, click the checkbox.

Scope of the Search

• Who is being researched? A person, all members of a family, or every entry for a surname?

• Select the person, family, or surname, or add a new entry with the green add button.

Scope of the Search

• If limits are placed on the search beyond the people and jurisdiction, include those limits in the “Additional scope details.” For example, when searching a collection for a specific time period.

Scope of the Search

• Always record the scope of the search. What exactly will you be searching for? If the scope is not recorded, a nil finding will be meaningless. Nil for what?

• Being specific in your scope will also streamline research while at the facility.

Record Type

• Select the record type that is being researched. Add new record types, as desired, with the green add button. Selecting a record type allows the search engine to find any entry relevant to that type.

Comments

• The comments field is provided for researchers to include any additional information that is relevant to the search.

After recording the search, click on “Save Search.”

During a planning session, the researcher will want to continue adding relevant searches until the plan for that objective is complete.

If you are conducting searches as you go, the results screen can be accessed as well.

When finished, return home or select any other function from the blue toolbar.

Adding Searches

• Experienced researchers will know which records they need to search and where to locate those records.

• Newer family historians may benefit from the FamilySearch.org “Learn” pages or a program like GenSmarts.

https://familysearch.org/ask/

www.gensmarts.com

Adding Searches

• The more experience you gain in doing research, the more instinctive it will be to plan your searches.

• Participate in your local genealogical society meetings, attend conferences, read, and learn! Family history research is a great adventure.

• After planning your searches, you are ready to begin research and to record the relevant results.