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The Research Like a Pro Genealogy Podcast

The Research Like a Pro Genealogy Podcast

By: Nicole Dyer
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Research Like a Pro is a podcast about genealogy research methodology. Diana Elder and Nicole Dyer of FamilyLocket.com discuss how to take your family history research to the next level and uncover more of your family tree. Learn about research objectives, analysis, locality research, research planning, source citations, report writing, case studies, and more. Diana and Nicole are the mother-daughter team at FamilyLocket.com and the creators of the Amazon bestselling book, Research Like a Pro: A Genealogist's Guide. Diana created the Research Like a Pro method after becoming an Accredited Genealogy professional through the International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists. Discover the process that a professional genealogist uses and make progress on your own brick walls. World
Episodes
  • RLP 415: Testing AI's Ability to Map Historical Land Records

    RLP 415: Testing AI's Ability to Map Historical Land Records
    Jun 22 2026
    Diana Elder and Nicole Dyer examine the current capabilities of artificial intelligence for mapping historical land records. Nicole tests ChatGPT's ability to convert a metes and bounds description from a 1788 Arnold-West deed into an accurate land plat drawing. She compares the AI-generated results against a verified plat she previously created using DeedMapper software. Nicole experiments with several prompting strategies, including simple prompts, chain-of-thought, and meta-prompting. She discovers that while basic image generation struggles to create accurate diagrams, asking the AI to write and execute Python scripts yields technically correct representations. She also evaluates the newer "thinking" model, which autonomously uses logic and scripts to plot the land. Listeners learn that while AI serves as a helpful assistant for genealogy research, users need foundational knowledge in deed mapping to verify the accuracy of the results. This summary was generated by Google Gemini. Links Testing AI's Ability to Map Historical Land Records: ChatGPT Compared to DeedMapper - https://familylocket.com/testing-ais-ability-to-map-historical-land-records-chatgpt-compared-to-deedmapper/ Relevant previous podcast episodes Other links discussed in podcast Sponsor – Newspapers.com For listeners of this podcast, Newspapers.com is offering new subscribers 20% off a Publisher Extra subscription so you can start exploring today. Just use the code "FamilyLocket" at checkout. Research Like a Pro Resources Airtable Universe - Nicole's Airtable Templates - https://www.airtable.com/universe/creator/usrsBSDhwHyLNnP4O/nicole-dyer Airtable Research Logs Quick Reference - by Nicole Dyer - https://familylocket.com/product-tag/airtable/ Research Like a Pro: A Genealogist's Guide book by Diana Elder with Nicole Dyer on Amazon.com - https://amzn.to/2x0ku3d Research Like a Pro with AI Workbook – Second Edition (eBook) - https://familylocket.com/product/research-like-a-pro-with-ai-workbook-second-edition-ebook/ 14-Day Research Like a Pro Challenge Workbook - digital - https://familylocket.com/product/14-day-research-like-a-pro-challenge-workbook-digital-only/ and spiral bound - https://familylocket.com/product/14-day-research-like-a-pro-challenge-workbook-spiral-bound/ Research Like a Pro Webinar Series - monthly case study webinars including documentary evidence and many with DNA evidence - https://familylocket.com/product-category/webinars/ Research Like a Pro eCourse - independent study course - https://familylocket.com/product/research-like-a-pro-e-course/ RLP Study Group - upcoming group and email notification list - https://familylocket.com/services/research-like-a-pro-study-group/ Research Like a Pro Institute Courses - https://familylocket.com/product-category/institute-course/ Research Like a Pro with DNA Resources Research Like a Pro with DNA: A Genealogist's Guide to Finding and Confirming Ancestors with DNA Evidence book by Diana Elder, Nicole Dyer, and Robin Wirthlin - https://amzn.to/3gn0hKx Research Like a Pro with DNA eCourse - independent study course - https://familylocket.com/product/research-like-a-pro-with-dna-ecourse/ RLP with DNA Study Group - upcoming group and email notification list - https://familylocket.com/services/research-like-a-pro-with-dna-study-group/ Thank you Thanks for listening! We hope that you will share your thoughts about our podcast and help us out by doing the following: Write a review on iTunes or Apple Podcasts. If you leave a review, we will read it on the podcast and answer any questions that you bring up in your review. Thank you! Leave a comment in the comment or question in the comment section below. Share the episode on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest. Subscribe on iTunes or your favorite podcast app. Sign up for our newsletter to receive notifications of new episodes - https://familylocket.com/sign-up/ Check out this list of genealogy podcasts from Feedspot: Best Genealogy Podcasts - https://blog.feedspot.com/genealogy_podcasts/
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    28 mins
  • RLP 414: A Trip to the Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center

    RLP 414: A Trip to the Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center
    Jun 15 2026
    Diana and Nicole share their recent visit to the Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where they explore the facility's premier resources. Listeners learn how to use the Periodical Source Index (PERSI) to locate articles by keyword, surname, or locality. The pair explains the value of city directories for tracking individuals after 1950 to uncover addresses and occupations. They also offer guidance on utilizing published family histories, specifically on evaluating an author's methods and identifying primary source clues within these volumes. The discussion shifts to the library's expansive collection of locality-based books, including county histories and cemetery abstracts, and their methodology section containing various research guides. Listeners gain insight into the benefits of accessing subscription-based databases and locked FamilySearch collections while onsite. Finally, Diana and Nicole address the library's transition to digital microfilm viewing, noting that physical film remains accessible for those who prefer it. By the end of the episode, listeners understand how to prepare for a research trip to this center and maximize their time while working with its collections. This summary was generated by Google Gemini. Links APG Virtual Professional Management Conference - https://www.apgen.org/pmc2026.php Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center blog post by Diana - https://familylocket.com/a-trip-to-the-allen-county-public-library-genealogy-center/ PERSI (Periodical Source Index) - https://www.genealogycenter.info/persi/ ACPL Genealogy Databases - https://www.acpl.lib.in.us/genealogy/research-resources Sponsor – Newspapers.com For listeners of this podcast, Newspapers.com is offering new subscribers 20% off a Publisher Extra subscription so you can start exploring today. Just use the code "FamilyLocket" at checkout. Research Like a Pro Resources Airtable Universe - Nicole's Airtable Templates - https://www.airtable.com/universe/creator/usrsBSDhwHyLNnP4O/nicole-dyer Airtable Research Logs Quick Reference - by Nicole Dyer - https://familylocket.com/product-tag/airtable/ Research Like a Pro: A Genealogist's Guide book by Diana Elder with Nicole Dyer on Amazon.com - https://amzn.to/2x0ku3d Research Like a Pro with AI Workbook – Second Edition (eBook) - https://familylocket.com/product/research-like-a-pro-with-ai-workbook-second-edition-ebook/ 14-Day Research Like a Pro Challenge Workbook - digital - https://familylocket.com/product/14-day-research-like-a-pro-challenge-workbook-digital-only/ and spiral bound - https://familylocket.com/product/14-day-research-like-a-pro-challenge-workbook-spiral-bound/ Research Like a Pro Webinar Series - monthly case study webinars including documentary evidence and many with DNA evidence - https://familylocket.com/product-category/webinars/ Research Like a Pro eCourse - independent study course - https://familylocket.com/product/research-like-a-pro-e-course/ RLP Study Group - upcoming group and email notification list - https://familylocket.com/services/research-like-a-pro-study-group/ Research Like a Pro Institute Courses - https://familylocket.com/product-category/institute-course/ Research Like a Pro with DNA Resources Research Like a Pro with DNA: A Genealogist's Guide to Finding and Confirming Ancestors with DNA Evidence book by Diana Elder, Nicole Dyer, and Robin Wirthlin - https://amzn.to/3gn0hKx Research Like a Pro with DNA eCourse - independent study course - https://familylocket.com/product/research-like-a-pro-with-dna-ecourse/ RLP with DNA Study Group - upcoming group and email notification list - https://familylocket.com/services/research-like-a-pro-with-dna-study-group/ Thank you Thanks for listening! We hope that you will share your thoughts about our podcast and help us out by doing the following: Write a review on iTunes or Apple Podcasts. If you leave a review, we will read it on the podcast and answer any questions that you bring up in your review. Thank you! Leave a comment in the comment or question in the comment section below. Share the episode on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest. Subscribe on iTunes or your favorite podcast app. Sign up for our newsletter to receive notifications of new episodes - https://familylocket.com/sign-up/ Check out this list of genealogy podcasts from Feedspot: Best Genealogy Podcasts - https://blog.feedspot.com/genealogy_podcasts/
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    26 mins
  • RLP 413: Using Claude's Custom Skills for Genealogy Research Reports

    RLP 413: Using Claude's Custom Skills for Genealogy Research Reports
    Jun 8 2026
    Hosts Nicole and Diana discuss using Claude's Custom Skills to automate genealogical report writing. Nicole begins by sharing her previous, challenging attempt to transform a Baldy Dyer research log spreadsheet into a research report using earlier Claude models. Diana provides an overview of Claude, noting its models (Haiku, Sonnet, Opus) and new features like Custom Skills, which are similar to Custom GPTs. Nicole explains that she set up a Custom Skill to convert spreadsheet files into research reports. The prompt instructs Claude to create a paragraph from each log row, describing the search and findings, and using the source citation as a markdown footnote. Claude successfully generates a report based on Nicole's Baldy Dyer research log. Nicole offers feedback to refine the skill. She asks Claude to synthesize the research results and comments into natural prose without making inferences, include direct quotes as block quotes, and handle negative search results more naturally. The hosts then review the report, noting its efficiency but also discussing a factual inconsistency the AI did not correlate—the conflict between the pre-existing objective's death date for Baldy Dyer (20 Nov 1814) and the new finding (February 1815). Nicole questions how much analysis and correlation she can entrust to the AI. Listeners learn how to use Claude's Custom Skills to generate genealogical research reports from a research log. This summary was generated by Google Gemini. Links From Spreadsheet to Research Report: Using Claude's Custom Skills for Genealogy - https://familylocket.com/from-spreadsheet-to-research-report-using-claudes-custom-skills-for-genealogy/ How to create custom Skills - https://support.claude.com/en/articles/12512198-how-to-create-custom-skills Sponsor – Newspapers.com For listeners of this podcast, Newspapers.com is offering new subscribers 20% off a Publisher Extra subscription so you can start exploring today. Just use the code "FamilyLocket" at checkout. Research Like a Pro Resources Airtable Universe - Nicole's Airtable Templates - https://www.airtable.com/universe/creator/usrsBSDhwHyLNnP4O/nicole-dyer Airtable Research Logs Quick Reference - by Nicole Dyer - https://familylocket.com/product-tag/airtable/ Research Like a Pro: A Genealogist's Guide book by Diana Elder with Nicole Dyer on Amazon.com - https://amzn.to/2x0ku3d Research Like a Pro with AI Workbook – Second Edition (eBook) - https://familylocket.com/product/research-like-a-pro-with-ai-workbook-second-edition-ebook/ 14-Day Research Like a Pro Challenge Workbook - digital - https://familylocket.com/product/14-day-research-like-a-pro-challenge-workbook-digital-only/ and spiral bound - https://familylocket.com/product/14-day-research-like-a-pro-challenge-workbook-spiral-bound/ Research Like a Pro Webinar Series - monthly case study webinars including documentary evidence and many with DNA evidence - https://familylocket.com/product-category/webinars/ Research Like a Pro eCourse - independent study course - https://familylocket.com/product/research-like-a-pro-e-course/ RLP Study Group - upcoming group and email notification list - https://familylocket.com/services/research-like-a-pro-study-group/ Research Like a Pro Institute Courses - https://familylocket.com/product-category/institute-course/ Research Like a Pro with DNA Resources Research Like a Pro with DNA: A Genealogist's Guide to Finding and Confirming Ancestors with DNA Evidence book by Diana Elder, Nicole Dyer, and Robin Wirthlin - https://amzn.to/3gn0hKx Research Like a Pro with DNA eCourse - independent study course - https://familylocket.com/product/research-like-a-pro-with-dna-ecourse/ RLP with DNA Study Group - upcoming group and email notification list - https://familylocket.com/services/research-like-a-pro-with-dna-study-group/ Thank you Thanks for listening! We hope that you will share your thoughts about our podcast and help us out by doing the following: Write a review on iTunes or Apple Podcasts. If you leave a review, we will read it on the podcast and answer any questions that you bring up in your review. Thank you! Leave a comment in the comment or question in the comment section below. Share the episode on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest. Subscribe on iTunes or your favorite podcast app. Sign up for our newsletter to receive notifications of new episodes - https://familylocket.com/sign-up/ Check out this list of genealogy podcasts from Feedspot: Best Genealogy Podcasts - https://blog.feedspot.com/genealogy_podcasts/
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    37 mins
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