I’ve long been a fan of the four-step problem solving process as laid out by mathematician George Polya:
- Understand the problem
- Design a plan
- Execute the plan
- Evaluate
There are a variety of other approaches, with fancy charts, schematics, and the like to illustrate, but it really boils down to these four things. Understanding the problem is the most involved step of all, including, but not limited to:
- Knowing about all extant sources
- Understanding the history of the area
- Being aware of compiled materials on the family
- Being aware of the contemporary and current political boundaries
- Knowing the religious/spiritual persuasion of the people being researched
- Knowing the social class, educational level, and economic status of the people being researched
- Being aware of contemporary laws related to inheritance, property ownership, marriage, etc.
- Knowing and being able to understand the language in which the contemporary records are written
And that’s even before you’ve made a plan. And “understanding the problem” is the part of the process that takes the longest. It’s also that stage some searchers bypass. Researchers may not phrase their research process in this way, but they are all aware of the importance of the items on this list.
Planning usually involves accessing records or previously compiled research.
Executing a plan involves performing research and tracking that process for citation and analytical purposes.
Evaluating involves analyzing what has been located within the framework of the understanding that has taken place in the “understand the problem step.”
Of course the “exhaustive search” and the Genealogical Proof Standard espoused by the Board for Certification of Genealogists fit into this framework.
I’m not a big fan of constantly creating a new paradigm.
2 Responses
Oh my goodness! You are right. These are all things that need to be considered, but for a “genealogy newbie” what is the best way to go about laying all this out? I currently have a brick wall with one of my maternal gg-grandmothers and I’m sure knowing more of this information would help immensely but I don’t know where to start with the information I do have. Can you give some advice?
Decide what you want to know–trying to be fairly specific. Is it her date of birth, her place of birth, her parents’ names, etc.? If what you have conflicts, try and determine what is the most reliable information and what may not be so reliable. I’d also consider looking to see if there are other sources that you’ve not been able to access that may provide additional information, even if you don’t think you “need” those sources. You may also want to consider posting the specifics of your problem to a genealogy group on Facebook or one of the message boards on Ancestry/Rootsweb.