Comments on: Information Transfer Exercises http://genealogyeducation.wordpress.com/2006/02/20/information-transfer-exercises/ for educators, event organizers and the curious Sat, 03 Jan 2009 16:39:15 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Barbara Schenck http://genealogyeducation.wordpress.com/2006/02/20/information-transfer-exercises/#comment-147 Barbara Schenck Tue, 21 Feb 2006 05:07:13 +0000 http://genealogyeducation.wordpress.com/2006/02/20/information-transfer-exercises/#comment-147 I think it's a very useful means of analyzing data. Just reading something over, I may think I understand it, but sorting it out in a different fashion, for example, taking a census record and making a family tree of it -- and showing relationships that way, sometimes reveals facts that are 'unspoken' in the document, but which may lead to further research. I just did that with a census record someone said he was at a dead end with -- and in so doing I found leads to the wife's former marriage, found a family that I believe may be the wife with her former husband and children ten years earlier, found a neighbor of the same surname as the second husband living three doors away, and then, continuing to search for the second husband, found a very likely possibility further down the road living with what appear to be his parents and siblings. The neighbor of the wife is of an age to be an elder brother. While all this may turn out to be wrong, it is certainly worth investigating -- and not instantly visible when the census record was first examined. Redoing it as a family tree made me aware of research possibilities. I do that often with 'problem ancestors' and it often gives me new insight into the family -- and a different way off approaching the 'hunt.' I think it’s a very useful means of analyzing data. Just reading something over, I may think I understand it, but sorting it out in a different fashion, for example, taking a census record and making a family tree of it — and showing relationships that way, sometimes reveals facts that are ‘unspoken’ in the document, but which may lead to further research. I just did that with a census record someone said he was at a dead end with — and in so doing I found leads to the wife’s former marriage, found a family that I believe may be the wife with her former husband and children ten years earlier, found a neighbor of the same surname as the second husband living three doors away, and then, continuing to search for the second husband, found a very likely possibility further down the road living with what appear to be his parents and siblings. The neighbor of the wife is of an age to be an elder brother. While all this may turn out to be wrong, it is certainly worth investigating — and not instantly visible when the census record was first examined. Redoing it as a family tree made me aware of research possibilities. I do that often with ‘problem ancestors’ and it often gives me new insight into the family — and a different way off approaching the ‘hunt.’

]]> By: Randy Seaver http://genealogyeducation.wordpress.com/2006/02/20/information-transfer-exercises/#comment-146 Randy Seaver Tue, 21 Feb 2006 03:56:18 +0000 http://genealogyeducation.wordpress.com/2006/02/20/information-transfer-exercises/#comment-146 Ken, It is busy work and learning - it's too easy for advanced researchers, but still necessary to do; it's definitely learning for beginners. I would have the students list the sources of information that they could tap to find the answers to their questions. My homework for them would be to find repositories or web sites that hold the resources they need. Cheers -- Randy Ken,

It is busy work and learning – it’s too easy for advanced researchers, but still necessary to do; it’s definitely learning for beginners.

I would have the students list the sources of information that they could tap to find the answers to their questions. My homework for them would be to find repositories or web sites that hold the resources they need.

Cheers — Randy

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