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Genealogy Do-Over Cycle 2

gendover-cycle2-medI decided to go through the 13 week Genealogy Do-Over for the second cycle that began on 3 April. I got stalled in the first cycle around weeks 3-5 and then finished up by picking and choosing to do only some of the topics for the remaining weeks but never blogging about it. The Do-Over forced me to take a hard look at the way I wanted to approach documenting everything in OneNote while making sure to follow the guidelines of the Genealogy Proof Standard in my research–something I was neglecting in my do-over process started in January 2014.

Previously, I was focused first and foremost on the document itself, ignoring its basic purpose—as a source of information to answer research questions. Downloaded or scanned, every source that comes into my possession is part of a Research Quest[ion].

The very beginning of every Research Quest[ion] is a Research Plan. Whether I am using the source for a Research Plan already begun, or need to begin a new one, that’s the starting point. I have always wanted to breeze by that step. When I breeze by it however, I miss the important step of analyzing what the evidence in the source is telling me in relation to other evidence I may already have in my possession and/or exposing the need for further sources of information.

The topics for Week One of the Genealogy Do-Over are:
1. Setting aside previous research

Breaking up with my old research wasn’t that hard to do. (Like breaking up with a boyfriend who just makes you miserable and you know the relationship is going nowhere.) First, it isn’t properly sourced and second its in file folders which I dislike. I moved all my digital files into a Hold folder during the last cycle.

hold-folder

The Surname folders shown above are where the digital files from the Hold folder get moved into after I’ve revisited them. And (looks under table at plastic file boxes with file folders containing old research), the rest of it is still sitting right where I left it 13 weeks ago.

2. Preparing to research

I feel more fully equipped to research this time through the Do-Over cycle. I have my OneNote notebooks set up exactly how I want them and I have my new tree already started in RootsMagic from the last cycle of the Do-Over.

3. Establishing base practices and guidelines

For this step I need more chocolate. Or maybe more wine. (Are my French roots showing?) During the last cycle, I was relying on the workflow chart I had set up last July. (I started the process of redoing my research at the beginning of 2014 so I had this chart made before I started the Genealogy Do-Over in January 2015.)

Work Flow screenclip

As you can see, the flow starts on the left with sources and finishes at the bottom right with inputting information into my genealogy software. I want to rework this chart, rename some steps to match my OneNote templates and simplify the look of the chart. I’ve got that started but it’s not coming together. My brain is stuck. (Thus explaining the need for more chocolate and there’s none here at the house…)

At the end of Cycle 2 Week 1 this is where I am: Working in Scapple on a new mindmap. Because I have very little to do for Week 2 for Cycle 2, I am going to keep working on this until I get it to where I am happy with it. More about my Do-Over process next week.

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This post contains an affiliate link to Scapple at Literature and Latte. I will earn a commission if you purchase the product through that link. This does not affect the price you pay for the product.

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Who goes where

I currently have four surname notebooks set up although I am working only in the one for now. There is one notebook for each of my grandparents’ surnames. Working in only one surname notebook at a time is for my own sanity. I am concentrating on going back through and documenting my direct line ancestors first. Then I will come down through the lines documenting their siblings. (Since I am prone to major distractions steering me off course, this may all be a pipe dream. Eventually I want to work on my other surnames though, so I keep deluding myself.) Okay, I have added in the names for other family members besides my direct line to my current notebook but I haven’t added any sources. Well, not that many… LOL Nevermind.

The first place I am going to start is with the Family Group Record (FGR). Here is a PDF of the Family Group Record I use in OneNote.

family_group_record

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It’s helpful to know exactly where that FGR is supposed to go in my notebook. I can figure it out using my pedigree chart but I made a mind map chart that might help some of you see where everyone belongs. Here is a PDF of the chart pictured below.

FGR_where_to_put

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Since I am related to 90% of the Williamsons in the Rochester, New York area, I collect every record I come across that is for a Williamson. Picking a random record… I have a marriage license index record for Stella (Williamson) Mackwood’s second marriage to Louis H Baumann. Stella is my grandfather’s oldest sister. First, she is listed as a child on her parents’ Family Group Record. So where does the Family Group Record for her second marriage go?

FGR_stella_2ndmarriage

Since she is a sister/aunt, she goes in Section Group 3. Non Direct A-Z of my Williamson Surname Notebook. The Family Group Record for Stella and Louis H Baumann goes in the A B Section. There is also a Family Group Record for her and her first husband, Robert Nelson Mackwood, and their children in the M N Section.

FGR_stella

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Next record… A military headstone application for Louis H Buisch.

Buisch_Louis_H_b1879_DaytOH_MiltaryHeadstoneAppl

Buisch is my father’s mother’s surname. (Green notebook). Louis Buisch is my grandmother’s brother. His Family Group Record goes in 2. Non Direct Surname Section Group.

 FGR_louis_headstone

Louis is listed as a child on his parents’ Family Group Record and he will have a Section in the 2. Non Direct Buisch Section Group. (Someday.)

FGR_louis

(Once I get to that notebook. If I ever get to that notebook…)

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Cite This Page:

Erin Williamson Klein, “Who goes where.” My Family History Files, 14 March 2015 (https://myfamilyhistoryfiles.com/organization/who-goes-where/ : [access date]).

Please do not copy without attribution and link back to this page.

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Inserting Files & Images in OneNote

alphabet treeInserting files and images into OneNote is different than attaching files in OneNote. When you attach a file, you are linking from another source to a OneNote Page. It is link to a web page, link to file on your hard drive or link to another Notebook, Section or Page, for instance. The problem with attaching is when the source gets moved or disappears, your link may become invalid.

When you insert a file or image, it becomes part of the OneNote page regardless of where the source of the file or image is/was. The nicest thing about inserting a file or image is that it is actually there for you to “see”, making it much more useful for research planning, transcribing, data analysis, using the drawing tools to make notes on the image, etc.

insert1

 

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You can insert File Printouts, (Word Docs, PDFs, Excel Spreadsheets) Screen Clips, Pictures and Scans. I am going to walk you through inserting File Printouts and Pictures in this post. Screen clips were covered here. (Scans will come at a later time. Maybe a short post on embedding Excel Spreadsheets as well.)

insert2

 

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From the Insert Ribbon > Choose File Printout and navigate to the folder where your images are stored. Choose the file in your folder > Click Insert. The file will be inserted onto the page with a shortcut icon that links to the original file. (You can delete those.) The images can be resized and moved around the page.

insert3

 

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Insert Pictures works the same way as File Printout except that it defaults to looking in the Pictures Folder on your hard drive. One thing to note here is the Insert > Online Pictures option. You can insert pictures from searches on the web, your Facebook and Flickr accounts, (you will be asked to sign in to your accounts before they will be linked) and your OneDrive account.

insert4

 

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For me, a much simpler technique is to Drag and Drop the files and images onto the page. Use Windows Explorer to navigate the the folder where your images are kept. If you drag and drop an image, you don’t get the shortcut icon. When you drag and drop a PDF or Word Doc, you will be asked if you want to Attach File or Insert Printout. Choose Insert Printout if you want to “see” your file on the Page. (You will get the “link” icon for Word Docs and PDFs, but again, you can delete them.) If the image is in another Notebook, Section or Page, you can copy and paste the image to the new location or create a link to the image file at the new location.

insert5

 

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Cite This Page:

Erin Williamson Klein, “Inserting Files & Images in OneNote.” My Family History Files, 2 March 2015 (https://myfamilyhistoryfiles.com/organization/inserting-files-and-images-in-onenote : [access date]).

Please do not copy without attribution and link back to this page.

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