For those of us looking for greater knowledge in genealogy and family history, “Building Advanced Skills” is a lifelong pursuit. In the twenty-first century, we are challenged everyday to keep up with all the new developments in the genealogical field at a rapid-fire pace. These include start-ups and existing companies developing new products; greater and ever-widening access to new records and databases through digitization; and more open doors to manuscripts, archives, and libraries as they become aware that treasures they hold are of use to family historians.
Building Advanced Skills will challenge many of us, but if we approach this stage having prepared ourselves with a solid foundation in genealogical techniques and principals, we will enjoy the new challenges. Among the important skills outlined in this section, family history researchers will learn techniques for solving difficult problems of identity. A good place to start is by referencing Tom Jones’s workbook Mastering Genealogical Proof and using Aaron Goodwin’s recommendation on analyzing complex problems of identity with spreadsheets.
Genetic Genealogy in Practice is an excellent guide through the DNA maze of information and offers analytical approaches on how to find potential relatives with our test results. And if you are thinking of becoming a professional genealogist, we have provided a blueprint to help you evaluate if you are ready.
The suggested educational elements below are just the beginning. NGS will continue to add to its product offerings and the Free Genealogy Resources, which we make available for everyone.