Give yourself a gift, today.  Take just 15 minutes to watch this National Geographic YouTube video.  It's not 15 minutes long, but you'll want to take a minute or two to just absorb the impact of this young archaeologist's words.

For my CLL students, perhaps you will want to discuss this video at class, next week.

File:Research Process Steps.png | Learn | FamilySearch.org

File:Research Process Steps.png | Learn | FamilySearch.org

Click on the link above.^ 
According to this diagram, what are the steps in the research process? 

What happens when you finish all the steps?

Look at the illustration closely and you will see that under each major step, there are suggestions as how to proceed in accomplishing the step.  Could you add others?  Is a chart like this helpful in seeing the "cycle" of developing sound research strategies (proven strategies)?

How important is it to find out what others have already learned about your family?  What might happen if you don't even look at that possibility?  What are two web sites that would be useful to finding a book written about your family history?  Search your grandfather's name (maternal or paternal) online with Google.  Search a few databases online, as well.  (WikiTree.com, Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org, etc.)

Every detective looks for clues.  Every reporter asks questions like "Who, Where, When, How, Why?".  Gather your evidence and analyze your findings.  And when your family says, "WhoDunnit"?, you can say, "I Did".  (Write that family history, found that great great grandmother, tracked that elusive cousin, etc.)

Mississippi Office of the State Auditor – Series 1201: Confederate Pension Applications, 1889-1932 - Mississippi Department of Archives and History

Mississippi Office of the State Auditor – Series 1201: Confederate Pension Applications, 1889-1932 - Mississippi Department of Archives and History

Hurrah for state repositories and their staff for digitizing collections!