I’m not going to make a 3,000 word long essay on starting your blog. Blogging is best done by learning. After you’ve made a few posts, messed around with a little bit, then you’ll be ready to get more out of detailed suggestions, guides, etc.
Here’s my things to think about before putting anything in a blog post:
- Once you have put it online, you essentially have “lost control.” Someone else can use it, etc. You do have copyright to your paragraphs and pictures, but in some cases enforcing this will be difficult.
- If it is going to upset you that someone else took “your” birthdate for great-grandma and put it on their website without crediting you, don’t put it on your blog.
Your blog posts:
- Should include enough information so that someone could retrieve the source you used. Precise bibliographic style is not necessary (in my opinion). However, you should indicate what the record is, who originally created it, where it is now housed (if known) and what website you obtained it from (if applicable) and the date you obtained. it.
- Should include enough information so that someone interested in the person or place, etc. could Google those words and get your site. Specific names, places, dates, etc. in the post itself will make that happen. Titles of posts probably should include at least a name or a location.
- You may wish to tag posts with topics.
Experiment. You are not going to break it.
Blogging and writing your research for someone else to read is an excellent way to see gaps or omissions in your research. Once in a while someone will offer a research suggestion or be related. Do NOT expect immediate responses from distant relatives in far-flung locations. Writing about your research usually improves your research as well.
Have fun!
Blog sites to start your own:
http://www.blogger.com
http://www.wordpress.com
One response
Great post, Michael! I agree that some source information should be included. One of the greatest benefits for me has been finding those bits of information that have weak sources, or perhaps none at all. I then research to see if I can find better sources for the information I have.