The Artificial Intelligence tools (like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Meta, CoPilot and Claude) can provide much useful and nearly instant information about subjects in a concise format, especially when they have been pre-trained on a large volume of information about the subjects.
I wondered if the FREE AI tools could provide me with an outline suitable for a "Beginning Genealogy" education course sponsored by a genealogical society.
(image created on ChatGPT4)
1) I chose to use the responses from free ChatGPT4 (as of 21 December 2024).
My first Prompt was: "Please create a multi-class outline with short descriptions for a Beginning Genealogy class with homework assignments. Be sure to include traditional, paper-based resources, home sources, online resources, genealogy software, plus DNA and AI features."
The ChatGPT4 response was:
Class 1: Introduction to Genealogy
- Objective: Understand the basics of genealogy and start building your family tree.
- Topics Covered:
- What is genealogy?
- Key terms and concepts (ancestors, descendants, pedigree charts, family group sheets).
- Overview of traditional vs. digital genealogy tools.
- Homework:
- Interview a family member and record at least three family stories or facts.
- Gather and review home sources, such as family Bibles, photographs, and letters.
Class 2: Traditional Research Methods
- Objective: Learn how to use paper-based and local resources effectively.
- Topics Covered:
- Using census records, church records, and land deeds.
- Visiting libraries, archives, and courthouses.
- Introduction to genealogical societies.
- Homework:
- Locate a local archive or library and identify one collection relevant to your research.
- Fill out a pedigree chart and family group sheet using home sources.
Class 3: Online Research Tools
- Objective: Master the basics of online genealogical research.
- Topics Covered:
- Overview of major genealogy websites (e.g., Ancestry, FamilySearch, MyHeritage).
- Searching effectively online using filters and keywords.
- Exploring specialized databases (e.g., military, immigration, and newspapers).
- Homework:
- Create a free account on FamilySearch and explore your family tree.
- Find one record online and compare it to a home source for accuracy.
Class 4: Genealogy Software & Organization
- Objective: Organize your findings with software and apps.
- Topics Covered:
- Choosing the right genealogy software (e.g., RootsMagic, Legacy Family Tree, Family Tree Maker).
- Digital vs. physical organization: best practices for filing.
- Backing up your research.
- Homework:
- Install and explore a free or trial version of genealogy software.
- Input at least three generations of your family tree.
Class 5: Using DNA in Genealogy
- Objective: Understand how DNA testing can enhance your research.
- Topics Covered:
- Types of DNA tests (autosomal, Y-DNA, mtDNA) and their uses.
- Selecting a DNA testing company.
- Interpreting matches and using ethnicity estimates responsibly.
- Homework:
- If you’ve taken a DNA test, review your top matches and group them by known family lines.
- Research a DNA testing service that might help answer a genealogical question.
Class 6: AI in Genealogy
- Objective: Explore how AI tools can assist in research.
- Topics Covered:
- Automated transcription of old documents.
- AI-generated hints and family tree matching.
- Using ChatGPT for research strategies and family story enhancement.
- Homework:
- Use an AI tool like ChatGPT to draft a family narrative from your collected data.
- Try an AI transcription tool on an old document or photo you’ve collected.
Class 7: Putting It All Together
- Objective: Develop a research plan and start breaking through brick walls.
- Topics Covered:
- How to create a focused research question.
- Solving brick walls with combined sources (traditional, online, DNA, AI).
- Sharing and preserving your family history (writing, printing, and digital options).
- Homework:
- Create a short research plan for one family member or question.
- Write a one-page family story incorporating your findings.
Class 8: Review and Next Steps
- Objective: Reflect on your progress and plan future research.
- Topics Covered:
- Sharing successes and troubleshooting challenges.
- Advanced resources and next-level research strategies.
- Continuing education opportunities in genealogy.
- Final Homework:
- Share your research plan and one-page family story with the class for feedback.
- Identify two advanced genealogical topics you want to learn about next.
Would you like suggestions for additional resources or examples for any specific section
2) My next Prompt was: Please expand on Class 3, Online Research Tools with descriptions of each element in significant detail. Can you include other family history websites (e.g., AmericanAncestors, Find A Grave, Findmypast, Newspapers.com, GenealogyBank, WikiTree, Geni, and more).
The ChatGPT4 response was:
Expanded Outline for Class 3: Online Research Tools
Objective: Equip students with the knowledge to navigate and utilize major online resources for genealogical research.
1. Major Genealogy Websites
Detailed walkthrough of widely-used platforms and their strengths:
Ancestry.com
- Features: The largest subscription-based genealogy site with billions of records, including U.S. census, immigration, military, and vital records.
- Key Tools: Ancestry Hints, family tree building, and DNA integration.
- Use Case: Finding detailed census data, marriage records, and collaborating with other researchers via tree sharing.
FamilySearch.org
- Features: A free site run by the LDS Church offering access to a massive collection of records, including parish, probate, and international records.
- Key Tools: Family Tree (open and collaborative), digitized microfilms, and research wikis.
- Use Case: Searching parish records or using their research wiki to find information by location or record type.
MyHeritage.com
- Features: Internationally focused, with strong European and Jewish record collections, DNA tools, and tree-building features.
- Key Tools: Smart Matches, Record Matches, and photo enhancement tools.
- Use Case: Locating hard-to-find international ancestors and connecting with living relatives.
Findmypast.com
- Features: Strong in British and Irish records, including census, parish, and newspaper archives.
- Key Tools: Marriage Finder and newspaper searches.
- Use Case: Tracing ancestors from the British Isles or accessing exclusive collections like the 1921 UK census.
AmericanAncestors.org
- Features: Run by the New England Historic Genealogical Society, it specializes in New England, early American, and Jewish genealogy.
- Key Tools: Access to historical journals, exclusive databases, and expert webinars.
- Use Case: Researching early colonial American or New England ancestors.
2. Cemetery and Burial Records
Discovering ancestors through their final resting places:
Find A Grave
- Features: Free, user-contributed database with millions of memorials, photographs, and burial records.
- Use Case: Finding gravestone images, death dates, and sometimes biographical details.
BillionGraves.com
- Features: Focuses on GPS-tagged cemetery photos and transcriptions.
- Use Case: Locating exact burial locations and connecting cemetery data to family trees.
3. Historical Newspapers
How to uncover family stories and events through old newspapers:
Newspapers.com
- Features: The largest newspaper archive with millions of pages from local and international papers.
- Use Case: Discovering obituaries, marriage announcements, and local news involving ancestors.
GenealogyBank.com
- Features: Focused on historical newspapers and obituaries, along with historical books and government publications.
- Use Case: Finding unique obituaries and articles from smaller regional papers.
Chronicling America
- Features: Free, Library of Congress-run database of digitized newspapers from the U.S. (1836-1922).
- Use Case: Researching ancestors in the U.S. during the 19th century.
4. Collaborative Family Tree Sites
Collaborate with others to expand your research:
WikiTree.com
- Features: A free, collaborative tree-building platform with a goal of creating a single shared family tree.
- Use Case: Finding new cousins, sourcing records, and adding to a shared knowledge base.
Geni.com
- Features: Collaborative global family tree with tools for merging and connecting ancestors.
- Use Case: Connecting to distant relatives and integrating DNA results.
5. Specialized Databases and Tools
Explore niche resources for specific needs:
Cyndi's List
- Features: A categorized directory of over 300,000 genealogy links.
- Use Case: Finding resources for specific regions, topics, or ethnic groups.
JewishGen.org
- Features: A free resource for Jewish genealogy, including Holocaust databases, family tree submissions, and historical communities.
- Use Case: Researching Jewish ancestors or discovering family connections lost in WWII.
USGenWeb Project
- Features: Free, volunteer-run site with county-level genealogy resources, including transcriptions and local histories.
- Use Case: Locating local histories or obscure family records.
Fold3.com
- Features: Subscription site specializing in military records, including pensions, draft cards, and service records.
- Use Case: Tracing military ancestors and uncovering their service history.
EllisIsland.org
- Features: Free site for passenger lists of immigrants arriving in the U.S. (1892-1954).
- Use Case: Tracking ancestors' immigration details through Ellis Island.
6. Advanced Online Tools
Boosting efficiency and accuracy in online research:
Homework for Class 3
Sign Up for Accounts
- Create free accounts on FamilySearch and Find A Grave.
- Explore trial accounts on Ancestry or MyHeritage (if not already subscribed).
Conduct an Online Search
- Choose one ancestor to research and find at least one record online using a major genealogy website.
- Save the record and record the citation in your research log.
Explore Collaborative Tools
- Join WikiTree or Geni and contribute at least one ancestor to a shared tree.
Newspapers Challenge
- Search for a relative in a newspaper database and locate one article or obituary.
Would you like further suggestions for demonstrating these tools live or assigning group activities?
3) The other AI tools provided shorter and similar responses. Only Perplexity provided useful website links for the first prompt, including:
I almost always find resources from the Perplexity response that I didn't know about before.
4) Is this information complete and accurate? We always have to confirm information that has been summarized, analyzed and presented by the AI Tools, and they may not be complete or accurate.
This information looks interesting, useful and helpful, especially the basic outline and topics to cover. But it is incomplete since the request is very general. I didn't request specific websites in the first prompt, and it only gave me three. I added some in the second prompt, and it added some I did not list, but it did not include some that are fairly obvious to me.
There are many other online and paper-based resources and record types that are not addressed in the responses. I would add the FamilySearch Family Tree for the collaborative tree aspect.
I like how ChatGPT4 organizes these responses in a step-by-step, outline and bullet point discussion format. I like the ideas of Classes 7 and 8 to tie it all together, and to think about the next steps.
I put together a similar "Beginning Genealogy" course (4 classes, 8 hours) back in about 2009 (but without DNA and AI) and covered almost all of the basic outline topics above (in the first response).
A Chatter could ask the AI Tools for more detailed information for each of the recommended class sections like I did for the second prompt about Class 3.
5) What other topics does the ChatGPT4 response not cover? I can think of subjects like the variety of record types; the Genealogy Proof Standard; creating source citations; the veracity of online family trees; continuing genealogy education; county, state, regional and national archives; writing and publishing; and more. Some of those are embedded in the short descriptions.
We all have learned and know that Genealogy Education is a lifelong learning experience.
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Copyright (c) 2024, Randall J. Seaver
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