It’s very easy to get caught up in the thrill of family history research and keep pushing forward, but every now and then you need to pause and review.
Scoping is the second step in the process of family history research, occurring after you have established your research goals and objectives. But it is also the point that you should return to periodically, to get back on track.
Scoping helps keep your research accurate and focused.
The Purpose of Scoping
Scoping achieves three major objectives that significantly shape your research:
- Reviewing Existing Knowledge: You review the state of knowledge about your family history topic, including what you already know and, importantly, what other researchers might know.
- Reviewing What You Need: You review the information that you need for your family history.
- Reviewing Available Sources: You determine what other sources are available to provide additional information, especially if the information you currently possess is insufficient.
The Benefits of Reviewing Your Knowledge
While it may feel like a detour, scoping provides significant advantages and improves the quality of your family history.
1. Preventing Unnecessary Duplication
The most immediate benefit of taking time to review your research is efficiency: Scoping reduces the likelihood of unnecessarily repeating research that has already been done.
It is critical to remember that the answer to your research questions might already exist in information you currently possess, meaning a simple review could save you hours or even days of work. Taking another look at documents you already hold is always worth the effort.
Of course, sometimes repeating a research effort is necessary and worthwhile. Scoping can identify where that is required.
2. Ensuring You Have Solid Foundation Points
Beyond saving time, scoping protects the integrity of your research process and the accuracy of your family tree. Scoping informs your research plan so that you start from the very best place.
Scoping helps you avoid basing your research on faulty information or incorrect assumptions. By thoroughly reviewing and analysing what you currently know, you establish your solid foundation.
Refocus With Scoping
By undertaking a rigorous scoping exercise, you move closer to creating a good quality family history.
Return to the scoping step whenever you get stuck in your research. A fresh look at the existing information usually reveals new research leads.
You should also conduct a scoping exercise periodically on your whole family history, to help you refocus. While you are at it, you might like to review your goals and objectives at the same time!
Gather and analyse the sources and information you already have. Use my Tree Health Assessment Tool to identify the areas where your evidence is strong and the areas where it is weak. Use this to revise your research questions and tasks in your research plan.
Scoping is an essential part of the research process. By confirming what you know and pinpointing what you still need to find out, you ensure that every subsequent step you take is necessary and strategically focused, setting you up for success in uncovering your family’s story.
About the Author
Danielle Lautrec is a genealogy educator, researcher, and author of The Good Genealogist. With qualifications in history, family history, and historical archaeology, she teaches for the Society of Australian Genealogists.
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