The Phillips DNA Project News

Internet researchers

This is a quote from an article written by Bettie Cummings Cook:

"The Internet has developed a new group of family searchers. Unfortunately, the experienced genealogist is in the minority. There is a new group of persons who know first how to use a computer and second want to locate others who can give them information about their families. Notice I do not call the second group genealogists because they are lacking in the skills to prepare them for productive research. Before the Internet, this person would have been the beginner genealogist sitting across the table from you in a library. The computer-user/researcher cruises the Internet hoping to find his family tree, unaware there is a more accurate way to find it using primary records. The cruiser, who in the past would have had no recourse except to go to a genealogical library and learn the skills, now sets up a webpage or a newsgroup in quest of the answers. He contributes uncited "merry-go-round" bits to others. His heart is in the right place but his ability to do research is not. He is totally oblivious to the fact he is doing more harm than good both to himself and others."