How to tackle a research problem

Family history research is like a giant puzzle. We gather pieces of information and try to piece them together to create a picture of the past.

Sometimes we get stuck. We can’t find the information we need, or we have information but cannot piece it together in a way that makes sense.

When we get stuck we have a research problem. Some people call this a ‘brick wall’, but I prefer the more positive term ‘challenges’.

Gathering more sources is not enough

We usually try to solve our family history research problems by seeking out more sources, because more sources provide more information and that should help us solve the problem. However, just gathering more sources is useless unless we also improve our research process.

Improving our research process means having the right attitude towards research, conducting better research planning, conducting better analysis, gathering research leads and improving our documentation.

I am writing about the research planning process in my blog series that runs on Saturdays. Today I want to focus on how we approach a research problem.

Prepare a problem statement

The first step in solving a problem is to understand it better. Even if we think we already do understand it, if we are stuck we should always go back to this fundamental step.

Examine your research questions and the information that you already have. Write a problem statement that states exactly the information that you need to know and how it relates to your family history. Make it clear, precise and specific.

A well-worded problem statement will help you understand the problem and generate research questions to progress your research.

Try explaining your research problem to someone else – if possible, someone who is not into family history. As the popular saying goes, ‘If you cannot explain something simply, you do not understand it well enough.’

If it is a large problem, break it down into pieces.

Identifying the type of problem may help you state it more clearly.

This list may help:

• missing information
• conflicting information
• information that you do not understand
• unsubstantiated information
• you cannot identify the right person
• you cannot prove a relationship between persons

When writing your problem statement, do not focus on potential causes and do not analyse or describe the research that you have done or plan to do. It is important to focus on the problem before you delve into solutions.

For more of my articles about planning your family history, go to the Plan page.

For more information about research planning for family history, go to chapter 2 of my book, The Good Genealogist.

Post last updated 4 June 2024