We have all been there. Sometimes we reach a point in our family history research where we just cannot find the answer we are looking for. Family history research problems, or brick walls, can be really frustrating and demotivating.
The reality is that sometimes we may never find the answer. However, the good news is that sometimes we do. Last year I solved a research problem that I had been working on for almost fifteen years! So, there is always hope!
By improving your skills as a researcher, you can increase the chances of solving your family history research problems. I teach family history research methods for the Society of Australian Genealogists and I have also written a book, The Good Genealogist.
However, for this post I want to focus on just one tool. The scoping paper. To explain the scoping paper I must first recap an important concept.
Start with a Solid Foundation
All research must commence from a solid foundation, that is, a point where there is reliable information. That is why you start your family history research with yourself. Then you move on to your parents, your grandparents and so on. You do not research a great great grandparent, for example, until you have verified the line all the way from yourself to them.
You can use my Tree Health Assessment Tool to identify and document your solid foundation points. If you have been researching for a while, you may have multiple points in your tree which are solid foundation points.
Solid foundation points give you comfort that your tree is accurate to that point and your research can progress from there. When you have trouble with family history research problems, one of the first steps should always be to backtrack to a solid foundation point. Then you should recommence your research from that point.
What is a scoping paper?
Scoping is a step in the research process where you gather all the information that you already have, reorganise it, analyse it again and document it again.
Scoping encourages you to re-examine the problem, the sources, the information, the evidence and your conclusions before you go and gather more sources. It reinforces your solid foundation points and examines them in greater detail.
A scoping paper is a great tool for family history. When you scope your family history, you may find that you already have answers or information that can help. You may also find new research leads to pursue.
Scoping is conducted when you apply the Tree Health Assessment Tool to analyse your family tree to determine how strong the evidence is for each conclusion. You probably would not go to the trouble of preparing a scoping paper for each part of your family tree, but it would be worthwhile when you are stuck.
Using scoping to get unstuck
When you are stuck, or have family history research problems, go back to Step 2 in the research process (see diagram above), Scoping.
The first aim of the scoping paper is to analyse and document your current knowledge in relation to your research problem. The second is to identify and document research leads.
You might gather:
- Your family tree and copies of other people’s family trees
- Copies of sources that you already have
- Your notes, previous analyses and research plans
- Information about the places and times relevant to the research problem, as well as information about the sources available for those places and times.
Review this information and reorganise it in different ways. You can use lists, tables, charts, diagrams, timelines and mind mapping.
The key here is that you must analyse it and document it differently to the way you did before, because this is how you reveal things that you did not notice before.
List all:
- relevant conclusions, the evidence and the sources that support them
- inconsistencies, gaps and doubts
- ideas for further research.
Pull it altogether into a coherent paper and save it in your filing system. Use it to revise your research plan, or use it as a research plan!
More information
For more of my articles about research methods for family history, go to the Research Methods page.
For more of my articles about planning your family history, go to the Plan page.
Post last updated 14 June 2024