The Research Like a Pro Genealogy Podcast

In this episode, Diana and Nicole discuss the advancements in AI tools for transcribing handwritten text. They highlight FamilySearch's new full-text search feature that uses AI to transcribe deed and probate images, and they demonstrate how ChatGPT and Claude can quickly transcribe uploaded images, significantly reducing the time needed for such tasks. They explain that before May 13, 2024, file...

In this episode, Diana and Nicole discuss Diana's research identifying Clemsy (Cline) Weatherford's origins despite record loss in northeastern Arkansas. She began with extensive documentary research, identifying Clemsy's likely family: father John C. Cline, siblings Jacob, John, and Mahala, and half-siblings Jesse, Abner, Ann, and Amanda. She then incorporated DNA evidence, using tools like the L...

Today's episode of Research Like a Pro, Diana and Nicole discuss the challenges of genealogical research in areas with severe record loss, using northeastern Arkansas counties as a case study. They offer five tips to help researchers make progress despite such setbacks. They advise starting by understanding the extent of the record loss, suggesting sources like the FamilySearch Wiki to determine w...

Diana and Nicole discuss BanyanDNA, a tool for analyzing complex family relationships in genetic genealogy. Leah Larkin introduced BanyanDNA in December 2023, highlighting its unique ability to identify unknown ancestors and alert users to discrepancies in family trees. Diana shares her experience with her own family tree, where her great-grandparents' siblings married each other, creating double...

In this episode, Diana and Nicole discuss finding immigration records for ancestors arriving in the United States after 1906. They provide a timeline of important immigration laws and their impacts, such as the 1906 establishment of the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization, the 1917 Immigration Act, the 1921 Emergency Quota Act, the 1924 National Origins Act, the 1945 War Brides Act, the 1948...

In this episode of Research Like a Pro, Diana and Nicole explore the use of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and WikiTree in genealogical research. They explain that mtDNA is inherited from our mothers, with only females passing it on, and how it differs from autosomal DNA by coming from a distant maternal ancestor. They discuss how mtDNA testing reveals haplogroups, genetic population groups with a comm...

In this podcast episode, Diana and Nicole discuss the use of Generative AI in scholarly and genealogical writing, emphasizing the importance of transparency in disclosing AI assistance. They talk about editorial guidelines from scholarly journals and the Association of Computational Linguistics, which suggest clear declarations of AI's involvement in literature searches, drafting, and idea generat...

In this podcast episode, Diana and Nicole discuss the evolving role of AI chatbots in various writing contexts, particularly in academia and genealogy. They highlight the changing policies around the use of large language models (LLMs) in academic writing, noting how organizations like the International Conference on Machine Learning have shifted from prohibiting to allowing LLMs, provided that au...

In this episode of "Research Like a Pro," guests Elaine Martzen and Emmaline MacBeath join hosts Diana and Nicole to discuss various WikiTree projects. Projects on WikiTree are groups organized around topics or activities to facilitate collaboration among members. They include top-level projects with unique tags and badges, sub-projects using higher-level project badges, project teams, and informa...

This episode of Research Like a Pro focuses on the DNA features available on Wikitree, with guest Emmaline MacBeath, a genetic genealogist, explaining them. Diana and Nicole, discuss with Emmaline the various DNA tools and functionalities on Wikitree. One key feature is the ability to mark relationships as "DNA confirmed" by providing evidence from DNA matches. Users can also record the DNA tests...

In the podcast episode of "Research Like Pro," Betsy Ko, a mentor and leader of the WikiTree Events Committee, discusses her background and role at WikiTree. Betsy began her genealogy journey influenced by a family belief related to historical ties and deepened her commitment by studying genealogical principles. She participates in projects focused on England, Scotland, Wales, and Canada, leads th...

In this podcast episode, Diana and Nicole introduce Cyndi Ingle, the creator of CyndisList.com, a renowned resource for genealogical research. Cyndi, with over 44 years of experience in genealogy, is currently serving as the Executive Director for the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research (IGHR). They discuss the distinctiveness of genealogy institutes in comparison to other forms of gene...

In this podcast episode, Diana and Nicole talk with guest Michelle Mickelson, AG, about the significance of the Homestead Act of 1862 in spurring westward expansion and its implications for genealogy. They explore how this act allowed people to claim and cultivate land in states like Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah, and discuss how genealogists can access these land rec...

In this podcast episode, hosts Diana, Nicole, talk with Michelle Mickelson, AG, and discuss the crucial role of church, cemetery, Native American, and Spanish language records in Southwestern genealogy. They emphasize that these records, often predating government documentation, are indispensable for exploring family relationships, migration patterns, and cultural practices through details found i...

In this episode, Diana and Nicole welcome guest Michelle Mickelson, AG, to discuss key records and repositories for researching ancestors in the Southwestern United States. They explore the differences between federal, state, and local records, highlighting the importance of each for uncovering vital information. Michelle guide listeners through navigating the National Archives and Records Adminis...

Today's episode of Research Like a Pro is about the story of Eliza Ann Isenhour (1850-1898) and the family lore that claims she was a full-blooded Cherokee. The conversation starts with the 1884 incident that left Eliza a widow with four young children and another on the way after her husband, William Henderson Shults, died following an accident. Faced with the challenges of widowhood, Eliza remar...

In this episode, we discuss breaking up complex research projects into phases. This is a great way to make progress on a research question that might otherwise seem daunting. We'll talk about how to identify the mother of Elsie, a woman born in 1820, as an example of how to set up phases for research. We'll also discuss how to determine which phases are necessary and how to write research objectiv...

In episode #300 of Research Like a Pro, Diana and Nicole discuss the evolution of their genealogy research methodology, Research Like a Pro (RLP), over the years, focusing on past, present, and future perspectives.  Past Developments: Technology: Initially, Diana and Nicole utilized tools like PAF and Ancestral Quest for family trees, Google Sheets for research logs, and Evernote for notes. They a...

In this episode of Research Like a Pro, we discuss strategies for researching ancestors who emigrated to the United States after 1820, emphasizing the wealth of ship manifests and other records available for identifying individuals among those with the same name. We explore immigration trends from the 19th to the early 20th century, the impact of U.S. immigration laws on the process, and the roles...

Diana and Nicole discuss the intricacies of tracing ancestors back to the Colonial Era in the United States, emphasizing the scarcity of immigration records before the establishment of the U.S. Federal Government in 1789. They highlight strategies such as cluster research and the use of DNA testing to overcome the challenge of limited documentation, particularly for those who emigrated from Englan...

This episode of Research Like a Pro focuses on the intricacies of tracing immigration records in genealogical research. Diana and Nicole discuss the common challenges faced when trying to locate an ancestor's passenger list and the various entry points into the U.S., such as New York, New Orleans, Boston, San Francisco, Canada, and Mexico. They emphasize the importance of combing through U.S. reco...

Today's episode of Research Like a Pro features a discussion with Barry Chodak from genealogical.com about a new feature called the My GPC Library. This digital library provides access to 800 of the best titles in genealogy and family history, making it an invaluable resource for researchers. Diana and Nicole, the hosts, share their excitement about this tool and its potential to enhance genealogi...

In this episode, Diana and Nicole delve into the agricultural roots of American ancestry, spotlighting Richard L. Bushman's book, "The American Farmer in the Eighteenth Century: A Social and Cultural History." They discuss the profound role of farming in shaping American society and the individual stories of ancestors who contributed to this agricultural legacy, including Diana's own forebears, th...

Today's episode of Research Like a Pro we delve into the intricacies of naturalization records, with a special focus on 20th-century cases. A significant part of the episode is dedicated to a case study of Adolph Salmon, a German immigrant. We discuss how Diana traced his naturalization journey through various records, including census data, newspapers, and court documents. We highlight the signif...

Today's episode of Research Like a Pro is about the evolution of naturalization laws in the U.S., tracing how these laws have shaped the process of becoming an American citizen from the country's early days to the modern era. By examining specific acts from 1790 through to the 20th century, we shed light on the legal landscape that our ancestors navigated as they sought to establish new lives in A...