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Best of ESM Methodology and Skills Webtember

Finding Origins & Birth Families: Methods That Work

Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG, CGL
Sep 27, 2024
2.2K views
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Syllabus
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Content

Play. Playing.
Welcome
55s
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Speaker's Introduction
1m 00s
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Introduction
3m 15s
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Misplaced Trust
7m 31s
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Pet Theory
5m 29s
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Incomplete Research
7m 38s
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Lax Documentation Habits
4m 44s
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Weak Analysis
4m 15s
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Hope for Easy Answers
16m 24s
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Taking Short-cuts
4m 08s
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Final Case Study
7m 39s
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Announcements / prizes
3m 44s
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Questions / answers
8m 13s

About this webinar

The most important path an ancestor blazed along the way from his place of birth to where we first find him is usually not a trail that cartographers have conveniently charted for us. Successful researchers learn to recognize and analyze the elements of an ancestor’s life and times, as well as people, that serve as pointers to his path. This session examines the nature and causes of stalemates in our research; ten common traps and ways to avoid them; and innovative methodologies for working smarter, not harder!

About the speaker

About the speaker

Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG, CGL
Across a long career, Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG, CGL, FASG, FUGA, FNGS, has been an innovator of research methods and strategies. Published widely by academic and popular presses, she edited a national-level scholarly journal for 16 years, taught
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  1. CJ
    Carol Johnson
    2 days ago

    Very thought provoking!

    Reply
  2. RT
    ruth trusler
    5 days ago

    so thorough! Thank you.

    Reply
  3. CZ
    catherine zahn
    1 week ago

    She is brilliant!

    Reply
  4. VH
    Vicki Hilb
    1 week ago

    As Always ESM gave another awesome Presentation

    Reply
  5. AW
    Allison Willis
    1 week ago

    Excellent webinar from Elizabeth!!! Another wonderful and informative presentation!!! Can’t wait for more from her.

    Reply
  6. FD
    Frances Dielmann
    1 week ago

    Always love these clear and detailed ideas for additional places to look and how to better analyze and compile data.

    Reply
  7. MS
    Margaret Stoffel
    1 week ago

    This was a very interesting and informative webinar. Elizabeth Shown Mills is an inspiration for everyone to improve their searching and recording methods. Thank you!

    Reply
  8. HC
    Heidi Currier Ferris
    1 week ago

    I learn so much from every Elizabeth Shown Mills webinar. The handout from Finding Origins and Birth Families contains a very useful list of often overlooked resources, many of which I had no idea existed!

    Reply
Show all comments

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