Subscribing to Casefile Clues for Beginners

In response to requests from readers and our reader survey, we are going to start a beginning level Casefile Clues on 8 June 2011. We are tentatively calling this twice a month publication Casefile Clues for Beginners. We'll be announcing more about the title over the coming weeks.

This publication will be distributed as a PDF file attachment. There will be no advertising in the newsletter.It will contain:

• 1 beginning article focusing on a basic topic or source
• 1 beginning level article focusing on analysis or organizing
• 2-3 reader questions with answers

One concept we'll discuss is safely taking from online family trees, including:

• how to evaluate what you find in online trees
• using those "leaves" at Ancestry.com
• determining when "suggestions" from online sites are "right" and "wrong"

We'll talk about the basics of sources and we'll also look at ways to carefully interact with compiled information others have submitted. We won't tell you to avoid the online trees altogether--that's unrealistic. But we will tell you how not to confuse yourself even more with them.

I will not write newsletter content, but will be directing and choosing topics and exercising editorial control. We won't overburden with theory or citations, but that will be a part of the newsletter content. Our goal is to help make you a better genealogist as you get beyond basic home and online sources. We'll see how you can get beyond the online trees and avoid the pitfalls that trap some just starting out. As with Casefile Clues, our style will be down-to-earth, practical and yet informative and educational.

Email me at casefileclues@gmail.com for alternate payment arrangements.

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