Researching others FH

[coombs]

I have had such occurrences where I have helped someone research their FH, they gave basic info, and when I present much more they say "Oh I already have this info, nothing new then". Tell me exactly what you have first, as much as you can and tell me exactly what you want to find out new so it saves me raking over ground already raked over.

[Josephine]

I have had such occurrences where I have helped someone research their FH, they gave basic info, and when I present much more they say "Oh I already have this info, nothing new then". Tell me exactly what you have first, as much as you can and tell me exactly what you want to find out new so it saves me raking over ground already raked over.

Yes. I think this is a particular skill that beginners might not already possess when they start out (and some might never learn if it's not their strong suit).

The ability to state, concisely and clearly, exactly what you are -- and are not -- looking for. This is crucial because it will enable the person helping you to be as targeted as possible in their searches and waste as little of their time as possible.

On the other hand, some helpers will say, "Give us everything you have on that family," when that amount of sharing is not always necessary. They are only trying to be helpful out of the goodness of their hearts, so it's not a bad thing to ask, and hopefully they won't feel hurt if their attention is politely redirected back to the original request.

Rootschatters really are the best. I appreciate each and every time someone has replied to one of my queries and I am eternally grateful to those who have gone above and beyond to help me. There were years when I couldn't afford to buy certificates (and that's where I am again) but the good folks here helped me find information from other sources and pointed me in the right direction for the times when I could spend the money.

I'm not always able to contribute to threads, as so many of you are much faster and more capable researchers than me, but I do try to help out if I think I can.

That's the beauty of Rootschat: if you stick around, there's always a way you can "pay it forward."

Best regards,
Josephine