The Art of Writing Research Reports
- Description
- Curriculum
Want to effectively capture your research no matter the audience? Writing effective research reports can be a challenge. This course will provide instruction and hands-on experience creating an efficient and effective report. A team of professional genealogists will share their expertise in technical writing, evidence analysis, incorporating visual elements, organizing material, time-saving strategies, and documentation. Examples of a variety of reporting formats covering simple to complex research problems from a variety of professional perspectives will be shared and available to review during the course. Participants will learn both by evaluating provided reports and writing a research report during the week. Students will work on practice exercises in class and complete writing assignments.
Tuesday, February 16
8:00-8:30am, Welcome and Introductions
8:30-9:45am, Essential Elements of a Research Report
Instructor: Hoffman
To start off we will discuss the purpose of a research report and the different types of reports, and the typical sections in each report.
10:15-11:30am, Preparation for Success
Instructor: Hoffman
Effective reports begin with focusing the objective and then an analysis and planning process. Many genealogists work from a report template to save time, and write report elements as they are conducting the research. Additionally, it is necessary to be efficient as report writing can be tedious. This session will cover incorporating various efficiencies and a writing process that creates the report as you conduct research and analysis, which can lead to a quicker and more effective report writing process.
1:00-2:15pm, Time-Saving Techniques for Microsoft Word, Part 1
Instructor: Holmes
Learn how to automate and simplify repetitive tasks in Microsoft Word. Instruction will be provided for both Mac and PC.
2:45-4:00pm, Time-Saving Techniques for Microsoft Word, Part 2
Instructor: Holmes
Learn how to automate and simplify repetitive tasks in Microsoft Word. Instruction will be provided for both Mac and PC.
4:00-4:30pm, Homework Assignment
Tuesday, February 23
8:00-8:30am, Homework Review
Instructor: Hoffman
8:30-9:45am, Presenting Information from Documents
Instructor: McGhie
This session will focus on hands-on exercises to practice writing research notes for clients.
10:15-11:30am, Hands On: Evaluating Research Reports
Instructor: McGhie
The focus of this session is viewing sample research reports from a variety of professional genealogists. These reports represent a variety of reporting styles and will give students an idea on how to report on a variety of records and research problems. The reports will be evaluated using the BCG and ICAPGen rubrics.
1:00-2:15pm, Technical Writing (Twenty Principles)
Instructor: Jones
This session addresses the “nuts and bolts” of improving professional writing’s readability. Subtopics include writing with fewer words, paragraphing with topic sentences, and avoiding issues related to passive voice, pronouns and antecedents, verb tenses, and other common writing problems.
2:45-4:00pm, Incorporating Evidence Analysis in a Report
Instructor: Hoffman
A quality analysis of research findings strengthens a research report, increases a client’s confidence in the researcher’s stated conclusions, and helps a Client understand the researcher’s methodology. Yet incorporating evidence analysis in a research report challenges many genealogists. During this session, a simple four-step process for including evidence analysis in a research report will be demonstrated and practices.
4:00-4:30pm, Homework Assignment
Tuesday, March 9
8:00-8:30am, Homework Review
Instructor: Hoffman
8:30-9:45am, Documentation for Research Reports: Part 1
Instructor: Jones
Students will learn to describe sources and information items well enough for their clients to understand each source’s qualities as a container of genealogical information and each information item’s qualities as a provider of genealogical evidence. Part 1 focuses on citing offline sources.
10:15-11:30am, Documentation for Research Reports: Part 2
Instructor: Jones
Students will learn to describe sources and information items well enough for their clients to understand each source’s qualities as a container of genealogical information and each information item’s qualities as a provider of genealogical evidence. Part 2 focuses on citing online sources.
1:00-2:15pm, Session Incorporating DNA Evidence into Client Reports, Part 1
Instructor: Stanbary
This session will highlight a technique for correlating documentary evidence items and genetic evidence in a client report. This involves writing decisions to effectively communicate complex information, including shared atDNA segments, predicted genetic relationships, and a detailed descendant tree depicting DNA donors.
2:45-4:00pm, Incorporating DNA Evidence into Client Reports, Part 2
Instructor: Stanbary
Continuation of above
4:00-4:30pm, Homework Assignment
Tuesday, March 16
8:00-8:30am, Homework Review
Instructor: Hoffman
8:30-9:45am, Hands-on Practice: Evidence Analysis
Instructor: Hoffman
This session will provide students hands-on experience analyzing documents and records the analysis in the research report.
10:15-11:30am, Finding the Balance in Research Logging and Report Writing
Instructor: Elder
This session will explore how to use the research log in tandem with the written report to showcase your research project effectively. Learn techniques for discussing record types such as census, probate, land, tax, etc. We’ll also explore tips for self-editing your report and avoiding common errors.
1:00-2:15pm, AI-Assisted Document Analysis
Instructor: Elder
This session demonstrates practical applications of AI for transcribing, abstracting, and analyzing historical documents. Attendees will see how these tools speed the work of extracting evidence, along with the verification habits needed to use them responsibly.
2:45-4:00pm, Research Reports: Writing Efficiently with AI
Instructor: Elder
This session shows how AI can streamline the drafting and revision of genealogical research reports. Attendees will learn where these tools save the most time and where the researcher’s own judgment must still shape the conclusions.
4:00-4:30pm, Homework Assignment
Tuesday, March 23
8:00am-8:30am, Homework Review
Instructor: Hoffman
8:30-9:45am, Reporting on Complex Problems
Instructor: Peters
Clients engage professional genealogists because they have difficult problems. A professional needs the knowledge and skill to clearly communicate complex solutions. Through lecture, discussion, and case examples, students learn to report on information collected over multiple research sessions, indirect and negative evidence, conflicting evidence, proof arguments and the GPS, evidence contradicting family stories, and unexpected results.
10:15-11:30am, Forensic Genealogy Reports and Affidavits
Instructor: Desmarais
While they share many similarities, genealogical work products created for legal purposes also differ from traditional professional reports. This session will focus on the unique aspects of reports and affidavits created by forensic genealogists.
1:00-2:15pm, Writing Reports for AncestryProGenealogists
Instructor: Taplin
2:45-4:00pm, Report Presentation and Visual Elements
Instructor: Hoffman
We live in a visually focused world. Images, charts, tables, and maps can aid a client in understanding the information presented and provide a more appealing report.
4:00-4:30pm, Course Wrap-Up
Instructor: Hoffman
Course is held Tuesdays, February 16-March 23, 8:00am-4:30pm Mountain Time.
Course Coordinator:
Debra A. Hoffman, PLCGS
Additional Faculty:
Catherine B. W. Desmarais, CG
Diana Elder, AG
Eva Holmes, CG, AG
Tom Jones, PhD, CG, CGG, FASG
Angela Packer McGhie, CG, FUGA
Nancy A. Peters, CG, CGL
Karen Stanbary, LCSW, AM, CG, CGG
Cari Taplin, CG