“Confidently Embracing the Work of Others”
Karen Clifford
8 Aug 2026
Categories: LDS, RT
Talk Abstract:
Let’s begin by considering the steps we can take to evaluate the evidence suggested in a FamilySearch Family Tree Relationship Report, a new Hint, or even a self-published family history of the 1980s. We live in a digital age and have unique problems to overcome. After all, the further back researchers go, the more likely they will find themselves in unfamiliar territory. Even in areas where people speak the English language there are different dialects; and therefore, variant spellings for people’s names and for localities. We can learn about the research tools available within FamilySearch to prepare ourselves to be a good judge of what others share with us. A discerning researcher knows that “different” is not always wrong, and “same” is not always right.
Speaker Bio:
Karen Clifford develops and teaches multiple online genealogy courses at colleges in California and Utah. She is an Accredited Genealogist® Professional and a Fellow of the Utah Genealogical Association. She has been President/CEO of Genealogy Research Associates, Incorporated since 1997. Her years of professional research work lead to authoring college textbooks and do-it-yourself guidebooks covering both traditional and electronic genealogy research including several books: Becoming an Accredited Genealogist, The Complete Beginners Guide to Genealogy, the Internet, and Your Genealogy Computer Program (updated 2011), and Digging Deeper: Using Essential Pre-1850 Records (2011). She was the founding President of the Monterey County Genealogy Society, a Director of the Monterey California Family History Center, President of the Utah Genealogical Association, a Vice President of the Federation of Genealogical Societies, a Vice Chair of the International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogist (ICAPGen). Currently Karen and her husband are Area Temple & Family History Advisers for eleven stakes in the Provo East area.
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NOTICE:
This presentation is part of a set of over 400 presentations on genealogy and family history produced by "UVTAGG: The Utah Valley Technology and Genealogy Group".
For full details and to join, see the website https://uvtagg.org.