Cluster research broadens the scope of your research to include your ancestor’s extended family, associates, and neighbors—all with the goal of solving a genealogical mystery. By expanding the scope of your research, you’re also increasing your number of leads, records, and results. Learn how a solid research plan can help you stay on track, stay organized, and achieve your research goals effectively and efficiently.

Advances in DNA research over the last decades have had huge implications for the field of genealogy. In this lecture we will discuss what types of genetic tests are available to family historians, what genealogical problems they can—and can’t—assist you with, and ultimately how to choose the right test(s) to further your family history research.

Not sure what to do with that box of your great-aunt's research? Have you received binders of your parents' genealogy throughout the years? In this lecture, our genealogist will go over tips for sorting through inherited research—discussing how genealogical standards have shifted over time, assessing the credibility of the research, and organizing and preserving the materials.

With all of the genealogical information at your fingertips today, it’s easy to become overwhelmed, go down research rabbit holes, and lose focus. In this first class, our genealogist will offer tips on how to make a research plan and stick to it! Using templates, worksheets, and other research tools available at AmericanAncestors.org, you’ll learn how to stay organized and get the most out of your research time. 

This program introduces the participants to the genealogical research process and the tools and techniques that support the research. The first part of the lecture introduces key genealogical tools such as the multi-generational chart, family group sheet, and the research log. Participants also learn how to create a solid research plan.  The second part of the lecture introduces the range of records and documents that genealogists use in the course of research.  Census, vital, and immigration records are highlighted. By the end of the program, participants will understand the most important types of records used in genealogical research and the strengths and weaknesses of each. 

From tracing ancestors on the move to understanding boundary changes to just becoming acquainted with the landscape of your ancestors' lives, maps are an incredibly important resource in your family history research. In this lecture, we will explore various ways in which maps can help broaden your genealogical horizons.