Periodical Articles
This article originally appeared in Printed Sources: A Guide to Published Genealogical Records, edited by Kory L. Meyerink. |
Educational courses and study programs can be supplemented by journal articles that present case studies, tips for instructors, and analyses of successful problem solving. Nationally circulated periodicals, such as Association of Professional Genealogists' Quarterly; the FGS Forum (published by the Federation of Genealogical Societies); the National Genealogical Society Quarterly; the Genealogical Journal (published by the Utah Genealogical Association); and the New England Historical and Genealogical Register (published by the New England Historic Genealogical Society), often contain valuable and sophisticated how-to articles. In almost every issue of these periodicals, readers can find articles on methodology or on particular sources or record-keeping agencies.
To find articles in these and other periodicals, researchers can consult the Periodical Source Index (PERSI), published by the Allen County Public Library Foundation in Fort Wayne, Indiana (Fort Wayne, Ind., 1987). PERSI indexes more than two thousand genealogical and local history periodicals. Genealogy students may be interested in the listings under Research Methodology. Articles in PERSI include Research Tips for Revolutionary Ancestors, Secret Society Records, Using Maps in Research, and Path of Orphan Train Children. PERSI became available on CD-ROM from Ancestry in 1997.
Another index, Genealogical Periodical Annual Index (GPAI), compiled by Karen Ackermann and edited by Laird C. Towle, lists instructional articles under the general heading Methodology and under specific headings according to technical subject. Kip Sperry's Index to Genealogical Periodical Literature, 1960-1977, also focuses on methodology articles.