GenSmarts Genealogical
GenSmarts Genealogical
Research Workshop
David Ault
Dawn Bingaman
13 October 2007
Introduction
n GenSmarts is a genealogical research
tool that used “Artificial Intelligence” techniques to help you find your
ancestors and improve the data that you have about them.
n It was created and is maintained by
Underwood Innovations, LLC, and information about it can be found at www.GenSmarts.com.
n Neither Dawn nor I have any financial
interest in GenSmarts or Underwood Innovations, LLC.
Genealogical Databases
n Family Tree Maker (including FTM
2006)
n PAF 5
n The Master Genealogist (4,5, & 6)
n RootsMagic (1, 2, & 3)
n Legacy (4,5 & 6)
n Ancestral Quest
n Ancestry Family Tree
n Brother's Keeper (Version 6)
n Family Trees Quick and Easy (contact
us for info)
n Heritage Family Tree Deluxe (contact
us for info)
n GEDCOM
GenSmarts Research Options
n You can limit the number of research items produced by
GenSmarts in its suggested "To Do" list to achieve a more workable
size list.
–
Person
–
Family
–
Library or Website limitation
–
Online availability only
–
Marked or not marked
individuals
n You can sort the "To Do" list based upon one
of several criteria to further focus your research.
–
Research priority (preferred
lines)
–
Surname (alphabetical)
–
Date (chronological)
–
Geography (county, state, …)
–
Record type (birth, marriage,
death, burial, census, will, …)
n Seek GenSmarts' help in finding information about an
individual not in your database. "Kiosk Mode"
–
Select the “Query” tab.
–
Enter information about the
§ Person
§ His or her spouse
§ A child of theirs
n Have GenSmarts give suggestions on
places that you can benefit from cleaning up the data in your database. (“Data
Cleanup” tab)
n You can make these corrections or
additions in your database without leaving GenSmarts.
–
Clean up place
names (“Place Names” tab)
–
Resolve “save
issues” (“Save Issues” tab)
–
Find illogical
dates in your data (“Estimating” tab)
n Use GenSmarts to analyze any one of your several
databases.
n You can specify that GenSmarts analyze any of your
major ancestor lines or limit your search to the specific lines that you
prefer.
–
Under “My Genealogy File”
–
Tag or clear tag for selected
ancestor(s)
–
Search for previously
identified “root” markers
n You can limit GenSmarts suggested sources to specific
research locations.
–
Select “Research Locations” tab
–
List of research facilities and
Websites
§ Facility address
§ Website link
–
List of research items
available at each selected facility or Website
n You can customize GenSmarts to also
consider your specific Websites in its suggestions.
–
Add specific
websites to the GenSmarts "sandbox" to launch web pages
–
This feature
is not directly supported, but there is a 15-minute tutorial available at www.gensmarts.com/customanalysis for further information on the
subject.
–
To use the
sandbox features, one must begin within GenSmarts, not from your personal
database.
n You can request a variety of reports to aid your
research. (“Print/Export” menu item)
–
People, families, ancestral
lines, …
–
“To Do” list
–
Call numbers from a selected
facility
–
Data cleanup items, re: people
and places
–
Choose output location and
format
GenSmarts Presentation
Summary
n GenSmarts is one of many tools that
may or may not aid your research project.
n GenSmarts often provides useful
suggestions.
n GenSmarts is not always consistent in
the suggestions that it makes from one individual to another.
n GenSmarts requires a learning curve
to understand all of its research aids.
n We have not explored here all that it
offers.