Week 8: Your Genealogy Journey Quiz
Question 1: After 18 months of research, you've documented four generations but hit brick walls on multiple lines from the 1850s. You're feeling overwhelmed and considering hiring a professional genealogist. What's the most strategic approach?
Focus on one specific research problem, document what you've tried, and engage the professional for targeted help
Hire them to redo all your research from the beginning to ensure accuracy
Take a break from genealogy until you have more time to focus
Join more genealogy societies and hope someone else has solved your problems
Question 2: You've been invited to present your research methodology at a genealogy conference. Your research combines traditional documents, DNA analysis, and collaboration with multiple international cousins. How should you structure your presentation to benefit other researchers?
Focus only on your most exciting discoveries and family stories
Present your methodology, including failed approaches, successful strategies, and lessons learned
Concentrate on the technical aspects of DNA analysis since that's most advanced
Share your complete family tree and let others draw their own conclusions
Question 3: Your local genealogy society is struggling with declining membership and aging demographics. As someone who's completed formal genealogy training, how can you most effectively contribute to its sustainability?
Volunteer to teach beginning genealogy classes and mentor newcomers
Focus only on your own research since that's your primary interest
Suggest the society should modernize by going entirely digital
Recommend merging with a larger, more successful organization
Question 4: You've developed expertise in researching Eastern European immigration records. Three different researchers have contacted you for help with similar problems. You have limited time but want to contribute to the community. What's the most sustainable approach?
Help each researcher individually as time permits
Create a research guide or methodology document that multiple people can use
Refer them all to professional genealogists since you're not certified
Choose to help only the researcher with the most interesting case
Question 5: After five years of research, you realize you've been following an incorrect family line for three generations due to a same-name confusion you made early on. You've shared this incorrect information with relatives and other researchers. How should you address this discovery?
Quietly correct your research without mentioning the error to avoid embarrassment
Document the correction, contact everyone who received incorrect information, and share your lesson learned
Start over with a completely new family line to avoid complications
Continue researching both lines since you're not entirely certain which is correct
Question 6: You're planning your genealogy goals for the next decade. You want to balance personal research interests, skill development, community contribution, and family engagement. Which approach demonstrates the most mature understanding of lifelong genealogy practice?
Set specific research targets with deadlines and focus only on achieving them
Develop flexible goals that allow for new discoveries, learning opportunities, and ways to help others
Focus entirely on becoming a professional genealogist since you've completed formal training
Concentrate on DNA research since traditional records are becoming less important