This sort of leads us back to where I left off last time – suggesting that genealogists not wait for someone else to finish the Great Migration or Early New England families or their family genealogy. Yes, a generation of academic genealogists has been working relentlessly toward creating a professional model of genealogical research. The good part of this is that we have a lot of very good genealogists following approved methodologies and creating new and improved genealogies all the time.
The Catch-22 part is the tendency to anoint “professional” genealogists as experts to the extent that everyone else stands back and waits for them to do everything. New researchers can see the complexities of compiling genealogies under these high standards, so it is logical for them to think that there is some magical point of experience one must attain before one is even allowed to compile a genealogy, much less publish it, but if you don’t practice, how do you learn to play the instrument?
Just do it and stop worrying about getting it perfect the first time. You will learn. Don’t let anyone dissuade you from trying just because they want it done precisely this way or that. Do be conscientious about learning best practices, good methodologies and clear presentation. Then find ways to share and compare – blogs, websites, the bulletin board at your cat clinic, whatever.
Think of it this way. With tens of thousands of families in need of good, solid genealogical treatment, if you don’t do it, it may never get done.
