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How to Write and Manage a Genealogical Query
By Kathie M. Donahue, AG
copyright 2009
When using Message Boards
and Mailing Lists online, it's important to
understand that your readers need to know
details about your research problem or
question (query). Following are instructions
for writing queries. If you follow these
instructions, you will have greater and more
appropriate responses to your queries.
REMEMBER: You will be consulting people who
are experts in their fields and very busy.
An incomplete or improperly written query
will probably garner a "sorry, no
information" answer from most other experts.
However, I am dedicated to teaching
genealogy as well as answering questions in
my area of interest, so, do, please, keep a
copy of this instruction and consult it when
you make your next request for information.
REMEMBER: In writing your query, answer the
following questions, so far as you are able.
If the information you have is uncertain,
follow it with a question mark (?).
If you have no information about a detail,
place a blank area in the query ( _______ ).
Abbreviate: birth (b), marriage (m) and
death (d). If you have to list more than
one marriage write them (m1), (m2),
etc.
-YOUR QUERY SHOULD ANSWER
THESE QUESTIONS-
1. Who is the person you
want to find information about (if a female,
give her maiden name, or, if none is known,
explain)?
2. When and where was this person born (b),
where and when did he die (d), where and
when did he marry (m)?
3. Who did this person marry? Where did this
person marry?
4. Who were the children that resulted from
the marriage (b, d, m) and what were the
names of their spouses (no further
information needed for the children's
spouses unless there is some pertinent
reason to add more)?
5. Who were the parents (b,d,m) of the
person on whom you are focusing (question
#1)? Where and when did they live and die,
etc?
6. Who were the siblings (brothers and
sisters) (b,d,m) of the person on whom you
are focusing (question #1)? Where and when
did they live and die, etc?
7. With what tribe(s) do you think your
focus person was associated?
8. Why do you think your focus person was
Indian (physical characteristics, family
story, Indian name, proximity to tribes,
etc.)?
-TO PREPARE AND USE YOUR
QUERY-
Write your query in a word
processor (answering ALL of the questions),
select and copy it onto your clip board;
then go out on the web and look for places
to deposit it. As long as you don't use your
copy command on anything else, it will
remain in memory.
All you need to do to insert it is to click
on the place where you want it to go, and
click on "paste". Simple, huh?
BE SURE TO PLACE YOUR SURNAME(S) AND
PLACENAMES IN THE SUBJECT LINE OF THE QUERY
SO READERS CAN FIND THEM QUICKLY.
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Genealogy
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