I generally do know the source before I go find it in a repository or
order it. My sources are not generally for each particular certificate,
say, but a Master Source such as Bedford County Wills (ordered on films
from FHL). I don't show up at a repository and browse to see what they
have, I find out before I go (in most cases). I started asking questions
about the To-Do List because the Help File said it could be used as a
Research Log, but I can see that it is quite unsuited for that purpose.
Thanks,
Lisa
Jack Earnshaw wrote:
I can understand the need for quoting sources when you are completing the
Results tab, but if I knew the source before I went to the Record Office
etc, then I probably wouldn't need to visit. OK, sometimes I know the exact
item to look up to get details, but that isn't really research. It is
providing confirmation of the known solution and possibly adding some extra
detail.
My "to-do" lists are filled with questions where I don't know exactly where
the solution will be
- it could be in a number of parish registers
- there might be references in "poor law" registers
- there may be family histories or private papers deposited (but the online
catalogues have often discounted much of this before I visit)
- there may be probate/wills
- the archivist may be able to pinpoint lots more when you visit
- you may find something that leads to a change of opinion
So, I may have a list of "possible sources", in decreasing priority. For
instance, tomorrow I am trying to find the origins of one particular person.
I know the source that he DOESN'T appear in (the parish church where his
children were baptised). The IGI gives a possible clue to his marriage, but
fairly doubtful. So my first exercise is to scour the parish registers in an
increasing radius from where he turned up. After that, it will be to find
out what poor law records might still exist for the area. After that,
perhaps some court or manorial records may name him.
But as I don't know the answer, I don't have a source. I suppose I could be
pedantic and use "church records" as the source, but that is little more
helpful than to include in the task description "search for his baptism in
the following parishes between 1750 and 1760".
So how do you add sources before you carry out Research?
Jack
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