Have you heard of rabbit holes in genealogy? They are more common than anything else in genealogy. Imagine you’re researching Aunt Betty and discover that her famous strawberry pie recipe is now made in several bakeries nationwide. To understand how Betty achieved this success, you delve deeper into her family history.
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You find that her uncle was a chef at a popular restaurant in New York, so you start exploring his family background. It turns out that their family owned a farm and grew all their food. Betty’s uncle’s mother taught all the boys how to cook using the produce from their garden.
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That’s a rabbit hole. We neglected poor Aunt Betty while we went on our adventure, similar to Alice in Wonderland.
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Stop getting distracted by unexpected genealogical discoveries. Have a plan.
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Before beginning your research, write out your research question or statement. Writing it out will help guide you and keep you on task.
Break your primary research question down into more minor, individual research questions. Be specific in the question.
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Analyze what you already have. Start with what you know: Work from the known to the unknown.
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Remember to take notes: Write down key findings and questions as you go or after you have finished. You might forget what you’ve learned if you haven’t anything down.
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Use a separate notebook: Keep a notebook for your research facts, and always record the source. Recording the source will make it easier to add more details later. If you are going astray, write down what you found and then return to your main question.
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Set a timer: Keep track of how much time you’re spending on your research.
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I don’t avoid rabbit holes, but it is much easier for me to get back on track when I do if I have a plan in writing to fall back on.
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