Sense and Sensibility: The Power of Logic, Intuition, and Critical Thinking

Is it logical that a woman born in 1752 gave birth to a son in 1848? Do I have enough evidence to conclude that Johan Kannon of Trondheim, Norway, was the same person as John Connell from Cut-and-Shoot, Texas? Why do I share 300 cM of DNA with three people I’ve never heard of? Genealogists make hundreds of decisions everyday based on thousands of pieces of information harvested from various sources. We automatically, and often unconsciously, use common sense, logic, and even intuition, to identify relevant evidence, problem-solve, and answer complex questions.

Learning to harness the power of logic, syllogism, and our own “Spidey-senses,” can help scale brick-walls, solve DNA mysteries, and organize mountains of information. This talk focuses on how to incorporate logic, common sense, and critical thinking in a more deliberate way to create hypotheses, test theories, and support conclusions. Johnson will share exercises that can bulk up logic and critical thought muscles, as well as practical tips on how to apply common sense and sensibility to your family history research and writing.

Presenter: Robbie Johnson holds the credential of Certified Genealogist®. Her research and writing focuses on England, Canada, the Pacific Northwest, Native-Indigenous ancestry, and genetic genealogy. She’s presented lectures/workshops for Putting Skills To Work, the SLIG Advanced Analysis Practicum course, and local genealogical societies. She has served as a coordinator, and as secretary for the ProGen Study Groups, mentored the GenProof Study Groups, and is currently a mentor for the Certification Discussion Group. Robbie worked for over 40 years as an editor and writer before becoming a professional genealogist. She lives in Skagit County, Washington.