[Genealogy] You Say and I Wonder, Consultation Sale, Updates, NotebookLM

Michael John Neill mjnrootdig at gmail.com
Wed Dec 3 18:15:48 CST 2025 

In this issue:


You Say...And I Wonder

Consultations

Getting Updates

NotebookLM

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You Say...And I Wonder

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[note: An earlier version of this appeared in the former *Ancestry.com* *Daily
News, *which unfortunately I cannot find archived anywhere easily]

*You Say: “I Found a New Document Today.”*

And I wonder:

   - Have you entered the information into your genealogy database?
   - Have you completely analyzed the document?
   - Have you thought about what other records the document suggests you
   research?
   - Have you filed the document so you can find it?
   - Have you adequately cited the document so someone else can find the
   original?

*You Say: “I Have a Document I Don’t Understand.”*

And I wonder:

   - Have you read the document out loud?
   - Have you typed the document?
   - Have you asked someone else to look at the document?
   - Have you read the entire document?
   - Have you read the document backward?
   - Have you looked up words you do not understand?
   - Do you have the entire document?
   - Do you have an incomplete transcription or abstract?

*You Say: “I Can’t Find Where My Ancestor Came From.”*

And I wonder:

   - Have you looked at the entire family?
   - Have you looked for unknown family members?
   - Have you analyzed the neighbors?
   - Have you read local histories?
   - Have you read regional histories?
   - Have you considered geography?
   - Have you considered economics?
   - Have you considered migration trails?
   - Have you considered chain migration?
   - Have you considered boundary changes?
   - Have you traced the person’s life as far as you can?
   - Have you started with the most recent events and worked backward?

*You Say: “I’m Stuck.”*

And I wonder:

   - Have you interviewed all the relatives?
   - Have you interviewed former family neighbors?
   - Have you identified all the family pictures?
   - Have you considered all the spellings?
   - Have you considered all the pronunciations?
   - Have you taken a break and worked on another line or family?
   - Have you written up what you already have?


   - Have you checked vital records?
   - Have you checked land records?
   - Have you checked court records?
   - Have you checked probate records?
   - Have you checked local records?
   - Have you checked state records?
   - Have you checked federal records?
   - Have you checked church records?
   - Have you checked occupational records?
   - Have you checked ethnic organizations?
   - Have you checked fraternal organizations?
   - Have you researched every organization to which your ancestor belonged
   (church, fraternal, ethnic, military, etc.)?


   - Have you checked your assumptions?
   - Are you researching from the present to the past?
   - Have you organized your information?
   - Have you double-checked research you did when you were new to
   genealogy?
   - Have you put queries on appropriate bulletin boards?
   - Have you posted your question to appropriate listserves?

*You Say: “I Don’t Understand This Topic.”*

And I wonder:

   - Have you attended a relevant workshop or seminar?
   - Have you read an article or book on the subject?
   - Have you listened to a conference tape?
   - Have you read an appropriate reference work?
   - Have you subscribed to an appropriate listserv?
   - Have you looked for articles on the Internet?

*You Say: “I Got It Off the Internet.”*

And I wonder:

   - Have you contacted the compiler?
   - Have you located the original source?
   - Have you located records the online source suggests?
   - Have you considered that the online source might be incorrect?
   - Have you considered using offline sources as well?
   - Are you using the Internet source as a clue?

*You Say: “I Can’t Find It in the Index.”*

And I wonder:

   - Have you made certain you know how the index is compiled?
   - Have you read the compiler’s introduction (it might list record
   problems)?
   - Have you considered typographical errors?
   - Have you considered transcription errors?
   - Have you considered searching the records themselves?


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--------------------------------------------------
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Reserve your consultation today. Scheduling takes place after registration,
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Either way--you do not need a PayPal account. Just click on "pay with debit
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------------------------------
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See sample infographics here--just like ones we will show you how to make:

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Until Next Time!

-- 
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Michael John Neill
Genealogy Tip of the Day
http://www.genealogytipoftheday.com
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