The Micro-historian's Guide to Research, Evidence, & Conclusions : Step-by-Step Research Planning and Execution for Historians, Genealogists, Journalists, Museum Professionals, Specialty Researchers, Paperback / softback

The Micro-Historian’s Guide to Research, Evidence, & Conclusions imparts useful guidance to motivated historians, genealogists, special interest researchers, and local history enthusiasts.

As long-buried sources become available via the internet, more regular folks without a Ph.D. in history are joining the fun of information-gathering and shining new light on under-explored history – yet often with no foundation of method.

The author answers the call with this volume, “paying forward” the guidance received from long-ago mentors as well as from present-day historians and archivists.

Topics include research planning & execution, evaluation of evidence, formulation of conclusions, and the crafting of a summary narrative.

Each topic is enriched by practical examples from the author’s experience.

The aim is to help the new practitioner build a foundation of research skills that leads to evidence-based conclusions.

The author’s perspective of experience – as a disciplined researcher, but also with roots as a no-nonsense old-school newspaper reporter – occasionally prompts a mild tease of the buttoned-down genealogy proof standard, or conversely, a deflating poke at flabby interpretation … and moribund academic writing … wherever it may fester.

The Micro-Historian’s Guide to Research, Evidence, & Conclusions draws theory from dozens of history, genealogy, historiography, and research giants through the ages.

The book also pays tribute to that long-ago cigar-chomping newspaper editor who admonished a young reporter: “Yer mother sez she loves ya’?

You still gotta check it out!”