Fast Accurate Research Tips

Compiled 5/27/2014 Rev4.5 Van Celaya FastAccurateResearch@gmail.com Riverton FamilySearch Library

FamilySearch.org - START • Start with Elder Moon's training site (to improve proficiency with Family Tree): http://broadcast.lds.org/elearning/fhd/Community/en/FamilyTreeCurriculum/level01/levelone.html

Puzzilla.org - GREAT Caution: This can be a great tool, however before doing descendancy research, users should first verify that their direct line is correct by examing the sources attached to each person in your direct line or searching for records to verify that each generation is connected to the correct parents.

• Ancestry and Descendancy – the first page starts with you • Click any ancestor - the next page will show all of their descendants “that are currently listed in FamilySearch” (many are missing that you need to find) • Use puzzilla to find dead ends, errors and to find missing ordinances (use in conjunction with each person's page in “FamilyTree,” with RootsMapper.com, and with CreateFan.com)

RootsMapper.com - GREAT • Locations will help “see” where your ancestors lived or died • Select several generations - RootsMapper will download from FamilySearch ancestor's “locations,” and display them with links on the World Map. • To display single lines, and not all of them, here are the instructions: “http://blog.rootsmapper.com/2013/10/feature-focus-expand-parents.html”

CreateFan.com - GREAT • Print out your own FanChart in color ($ 0.60 or with lamination will cost $1.60) • NEW *** Use “Source Tracker” for Census, and “Name Cloud” (for fun) • Use in conjunction with Puzzilla and Rootsmapper AND as a “search log” • Give as a gift - give family and friends a copy of their (or your) FanChart as a gift • Laminate FanChart (or any fragile or special documents)

Free-OCR.com – For PDF and Other Picture Documents • Can convert a PDF (or other “picture document”) into a searchable text, so you can copy it, and save it

SortedByName.com – Search Social Security Numbers • Follow the instructions, because it is complicated - it will take you 3 to 5 screens in order to get to the names you want

SearchEngineColossus.com • International Directory of Search Engines by Country

GenealogyInTime.com – GREAT RESEARCH • Stories, Books, Newspapers, Genealogy links - great place to start research • Use both (1) Individual, and (2) Family Genealogy searches (Located on left side of page) • Rare Book Search will take you to “google books” (free) or archives.com (pay site) TinEye.com - UPDATE – USE http://google.com/images • Search on a “picture” One of the first places to look – but you will need to scan a picture in order to upload it into TinEye.com • If anyone is using that same picture on the internet, you will be given the internet locations

MillionShort.com – GREAT RESEARCH  • Many “personal” websites are too obscure to show up in a normal search • You can eliminate millions of sites using this and find the little know websites you might need

Advanced Google Searches – EXTREMELY Good Help (you might need to type “http://www.google.com” to see advanced options, bottom right of the google page under settings, and then click on “advanced search”) • quotes = “ “ • range = .. (two periods between a range of items, for example 1800..1850) • tilde = ~ (it is on the left of the one key on the keyboard) • asterisk = * (global character) • site = site: (type the website after the colon, and you can't have any spaces) • country servers = in google search type google, then a space, and then the name of the country – then you will be in the “google server for that specific country” • images = from the google.com page (facial recognition software) • books = from the google drop down (you can find books relating to your search) • delimiters = AND, NOT, OR, +, -, INURL, INTITLE (many more = here is just one site that shows delimiters = “http://www.googleguide.com/advanced_operators_reference.html” ) • google “extensions” – like “snip tool,”

SearchForAncestors.com • Search for your ancestors using this interactive directory of free genealogy search engines • On Main Page Click on Google Searcher to learn how to use Advanced Google Searches above

BabyNameWizard.com for Indexing • Use for both: Indexing – displays variations of unusual or difficult to recognize names – and -- Research - helps with unrecognized names. • Under the tab “BasicName Tools” you can use “Name Voyager” - If you can only decipher part of the name, use this to find different possibilities for that partial name – and -- “NameMapper” - If you need to find if a name reoccurs often, you could use this

Pandora’s Hope Chest – (for more information, see Pandora's Hope Chest) WARNING: Contary to some views, Pandora's Hope Chest extension for Family Tree is not a fast accurate research tool. Users must be very careful when using this extension to FamilyTree and it is not recommended for novices. The large majority of green arrows represent individuals who have duplicates in FamilyTree and when these duplicates are combined the green arrow disappears. Users should always make a reasonable effort to find records and complete as much of the vital details as possible for a person. This should be done before users check for duplicates. Checking for duplicates is imperative before processing green arrows. Further, after users submit a name, they must again resolve any remaining duplicates that are shown on the submission page as well as make sure that this submission does not violate the policy for submitting names. 

Newspapers.com • Select Browse at the top of the page – put in a name and chose advanced search (date range, state, etc)

(please send any corrections or additions to “FastAccurateResearch@gmail.com” and they will be included in the next revision)

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