This month’s British Columbia Genealogical Society’s research tip is:
Don’t always search ‘the same old way’ on every genealogical website.
Both speakers at the BCGS seminar last month had specific tips for searching some of the websites they discussed. For example, don’t always use that attractive ‘just enter your name’ search box. Check to see if there is an advanced search facility which will let you focus your search in certain collections, or on certain media, for instance, only in digitized documents or images.
And if you see search terms you’re not familar with, don’t hesitate to look for help. For example, the use of ‘Boolean’ search operators may be mentioned or recommended. Here’s a look at these – “What Does Boolean Search Mean” by Wendy Boswell, About.com.