Smarter Genealogy: Strategies That Go Beyond the Search Box

A four-week winter workshop for genealogists who want clearer answers, stronger evidence, and a research process that actually works.

You know there’s more to good genealogy than typing a name into a search box. This Winter Workshop is designed to help you slow down, think critically, and build a research process that leads to real progress—not just more records.

Smarter Genealogy is a live, instructor-led workshop that focuses on how to research, not just where to click. Over four weeks, you’ll learn practical, repeatable strategies you can apply to every research problem, no matter where your ancestors lived.

What You’ll Learn (Key Benefits)

• Build a clear, evidence-based research process you can use again and again

• Learn how to read documents for hidden clues, not just surface facts.

• Discover smarter ways to use newspapers as a research tool, not just a name finder.

• Create an organized digital workflow that saves time and reduces overwhelm.

• Gain confidence in interpreting records instead of second-guessing your conclusions.

This is about working smarter, not harder.

What’s Included

• Four live, 2-hour workshop sessions (with replay access)

• Guided instruction with real examples and practical strategies

• Downloadable worksheets and tools to support your research

• Structured learning that builds week by week. No random tips or shortcuts

• A calm, supportive learning environment focused on skill-building

Workshop Sessions

1. Beyond Click & Search – Building a Solid Genealogy Research Process

2. Hidden Clues in the Margins – Interpreting Documents for What They Don’t Say

3. Unearthing Family History in Newspapers

4. Mastering Your Online Genealogy Workflow

   
   

   Who This Workshop Is For

   This workshop is ideal if you:

   • feel stuck despite having “lots of records.”

   • want to strengthen your research skills and methodology.

   • are tired of jumping from website to website without a plan.

   • prefer thoughtful, step-by-step instruction over quick hacks

   Best suited for beginner-to-intermediate genealogists, but experienced researchers will also benefit from refining their process.

Dates & Time

Dates: February 5, 12, 19, and 26, 2026
Time: 7:00 pm Eastern
Length: 2 hours per session
Format: Live online sessions with replay available

Meet Your Instructor

Kathryn Lake Hogan is a professional genealogist, educator, and speaker behind Looking4Ancestors. She specializes in Canadian family history and is known for her clear, methodical teaching style and practical approach to research. Kathryn teaches genealogists how to think critically about records, ask better questions, and build evidence-based conclusions—without overwhelm or guesswork.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to attend live?
Live attendance is encouraged, but registered attendees will have access to sessions replays.

Is this Canada-specific?
While Kathryn specializes in Canadian research, the strategies taught apply to all genealogical research.

Is this a lecture or hands-on?
This is structured instruction with practical examples and guided application. It's designed to help you actually use what you learn.

Will I get handouts?
Yes. Worksheets and tools are included to support your learning.

Ready to Work Smarter?

If you’re ready to move beyond the search box and finally feel confident in your research process, this workshop is for you.

👉 Save Your Spot: Register for Smarter Genealogy – Winter Workshop 2026

Clear strategies. Stronger research. Smarter genealogy.

© Copyright by Kathryn Lake Hogan, 2026. All Rights Reserved.

From Loose Ends to Clear Next Steps: A New Year’s Eve Research Reset

A guided New Year’s Eve research session to help you focus, plan, and move forward with confidence.

New Year’s Eve doesn’t have to be loud, sparkly, or exhausting. This year, you’re invited to do something much more rewarding: organize your genealogy research so it’s focused, well-structured, and ready to move forward.

The Rockin’ New Year’s Eve Research Party is an informal, stress-free genealogy session designed for family historians who want to end the year intentionally and start the new one with momentum. This isn’t a lecture. It’s not a challenge that overwhelms you with tasks. And it’s certainly not a repeat of earlier planning exercises.

Instead, this event allows you to pause, reflect, and make smart decisions about where your research is headed next by leveraging what you already know, what you have already gathered, and what still needs attention.

You’ll be guided step-by-step through a structured research reset that turns loose ends into actionable next steps. By the time the clock strikes midnight (or close enough), you’ll have a clear research anchor for January and beyond.

Here’s what you’ll learn and benefit from:

1. How to identify the ONE research focus that matters most right now
   No more scattered to-do lists or guilt over unfinished lines.
2. How to assess what you already have and what’s actually missing
   Learn to spot true research gaps instead of chasing new records blindly.
3. How to turn unresolved questions into clear, testable research goals
   Move from “I should work on this” to “Here’s my next logical step.”
4. How to create a realistic, flexible research plan for January
   One that fits your life, energy, and available time.
5. How to carry momentum forward with a Research Anchor summary
   You’ll leave with a written reference you can return to whenever you feel stuck.

Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned researcher, this New Year’s Eve event offers something rare: calm, clarity, and confidence in your genealogy journey.

Start the New Year knowing exactly where you’re going in your family history and why.

© Copyright by Kathryn Lake Hogan, 2025. All Rights Reserved.

Yes, You Can Still Join The 12 Days of Looking4Ancestors!

The holiday season has a way of slowing us down and speeding us up at the same time. In between the baking, the errands, and the gatherings, many of us feel that little tug — the reminder that our family history is never far from our hearts.

That tug is precisely why I created The 12 Days of Looking4Ancestors.

Each December, I guide my community through a gentle, festive genealogy challenge designed to help you connect with your Canadian ancestors in small, meaningful steps. And if you’re just hearing about it now, I have excellent news:

✨ You can still join us — and you won’t be behind.
Not even a little.

🎁 What Happens When You Join

Every day of the challenge, you’ll receive:

• A short, cozy email introducing the day’s task

• A beautifully branded worksheet to help you take action

• A quick video guiding you through what to do

• A little encouragement from me to keep you moving forward

These tasks are simple, joyful, and fit into even the busiest December day: digitizing a few photos, analyzing one document, writing down a memory, or exploring a migration record. Nothing overwhelming. Just steady, meaningful progress.

And because each day stands on its own, you can join right now and work through the remaining days or go back to earlier ones whenever it suits you.

Why It’s Perfectly Okay to Join Late

In fact, it might be ideal.

Many participants tell me they enjoy choosing their own order, focusing on the days that resonate most with them, and spreading the challenge across the month. This isn’t a race, it’s an invitation. A way to reconnect with stories that matter, at a pace that works for you.

Ready to Join In?

I would absolutely love to have you with us.

👉 Click here to sign up

You’ll get access to all previous days plus everything still to come.

Let’s make this season both meaningful and memorable, and uncover a few new clues about your ancestors along the way.

See you inside The 12 Days of Looking4Ancestors!

© Copyright by Kathryn Lake Hogan, 2025. All Rights Reserved.