South Bay Cities Genealogical Society

Promoting Genealogical Education and Research in Southern California's South Bay

Beginner's Basics

Just In Case

by Connie Moretti

No matter how long you've been researching your family history, there is always something new to learn; whether it's an unfamiliar location or a type of record you haven't used before. At other times you may be perplexed by the information you are finding or cannot find. One of the most useful tools for extending our knowledge is the Case Study.

Defined as "an analysis of a particular case or situation used as a basis for drawing conclusions in similar situations," a Case Study offers insight into the thought and research processes followed by an experienced genealogist. Some people will dismiss Case Studies as not important for them because they contain no references to the family they are searching. This is unfortunate, because the skills and techniques can be applied to your family as well as the author's. After all, you don't throw away a paintbrush just because it doesn't have your color of paint.

Another researcher's experience with a record and their tips for extracting the most information from it can usually be applied to your research, too. Published Case Studies range from the use of specific records such as naturalization documents to complex studies of the identities of an entire generation. Not only do they make for interesting reading; they are an important part of our genealogical education.

Good Case Studies can be found in a number of locations. The home edition of Ancestry.com offers a Learning Center which includes Article Archives. This is a collection of articles published in Ancestry magazine and in various Ancestry newsletters. Typing "Case Study" in the search box will bring up a lengthy annotated list of studies by various experts. You can also use Google.com to search for "Genealogical Case Study" and find interesting results.

Major national genealogical publications usually feature several case studies in each issue. The publication standards are very high and the articles are reviewed for accuracy before publication. Primary journals include The National Genealogical Society Quarterly, The American Genealogist, The New England Historical and Genealogical Register and The Magazine of Virginia Genealogy.

All of these publications are available in the South Bay Cities Genealogy Room on the lower level of the Katy Giesert Civic Center Library in Torrance.

Once you locate an article of interest, print or photocopy it. Then you can read and re-read it with red pen or yellow highlighter in hand, making note of the most useful parts or identifying areas that you need to examine further.

When you have benefited from what you have learned and solved a thorny problem, consider writing up a short Case Study detailing the problem and how you solved it, in order to share what you have learned with others.

[First appeared in The Beacon, July/August 2010.]