Hi Reader,

This past weekend I attended a family reunion with my dad. After spending years researching that family line, it's exciting to learn new stories and make new connections in person. (Plus, there was lots of yummy food!)

In this week's newsletter, I'm once again focusing on using AI in your genealogy research. Last week we talked about what the AI platforms can and cannot do for your research. This week I'm showing you how to write effective AI prompts so you can avoid those vague unhelpful responses.

Plus, I'm sharing genealogy tips, introducing a fellow youtuber and sharing a new resource.

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📽️NEW BLOG POST & VIDEO

WRITE BETTER AI PROMPTS

After lots of trial and error and getting just so-so results on the AI platforms, I've created a straightforward 4-part framework that consistently produces helpful results for genealogy questions.

In my latest blog post and YouTube video, I'm sharing how to structure your AI prompts to get meaningful answers instead of vague or generic responses.

• Learn which role to assign the AI for different research questions
• See how providing proper context changes everything
• Understand why specificity matters in your requests
• Learn how to layer your follow-up prompts

I demonstrate my prompt writing process using my own brick wall ancestor, Joanna Barrett, showing real examples of how each part of the framework leads to better results.

📝 Read the full blog post here:The 4-Part AI Prompt Approach Every Family Historian Needs to Know​

🎬 Watch the video tutorial: Craft Perfect AI Promts for Genealogy: The 4-Part Framework That Gets Results​

😃MEET A FELLOW YOUTUBER!

MEET FELLOW GENEALOGY YOUTUBER AIMEE CROSS

I want to give a shout out to my fellow YouTube friend and genealogy expert, Aimee Cross of AncestryAimee. We had so much fun catching up with each other at RootsTech back in March. On both her Youtube channel and website, Aimee is all about helping family history researchers level up their research. Be sure and grab Aimee's free resource "Starting Your Family Tree Right" to get started right and avoid common family tree mistakes.

📝FREE RESOURCE!

CEMETERY RESEARCH GUIDE

Spring is here and the weather is warming up. That means it's a good time to take your genealogy offline, get outside and explore the family cemetery. You know the one that has been on your "someday" list? "Someday" is here. :)

Before you head out, get my free "7 Steps to Your Cemetery Research" guide and learn my step-by-step approach to planning productive cemetery visits. Don't miss any of the family history clues!

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💡GENEALOGY TIP

ASK BETTER QUESTIONS TO GET BETTER ANSWERS

As seekers of our ancestors, we want to make sure we are asking the right questions in our genealogy research.

This principle applies beyond AI tools—it works in all aspects of genealogy research:

• When contacting potential DNA matches, ask specific questions rather than general inquiries.
• When requesting records from archives, provide exact and/or contextual details about what you are looking for.
• When interviewing older relatives, prepare targeted questions about specific events or people. Additionally, be sure to allow time for other stories to be told as well.
• When posting in genealogy forums or reaching out to fellow researchers, include precise details about your research challenge

Being clear and specific saves time and typically yields more useful information, whether you're communicating with people or technology.

😃CAPTURING FAMILY STORIES

HOW TO CONDUCT MEANINGFUL ORAL HISTORY INTERVIEWS

My recent family reunion reminded me how valuable our living relatives' stories are. Here are practical tips for conducting effective family interviews:

• Prepare, but stay flexible - Create a list of core questions, but allow the conversation to flow naturally when interesting topics arise. Some of the best stories come from unexpected tangents.
• Ask about context, not just events - Instead of "When did you move to Ohio?", try "What was it like moving to Ohio? What did you bring with you? Who helped you?" Context creates richer stories.
• Use photos as memory prompts - Bring old photographs to interviews. They often trigger detailed memories that might not surface through questions alone.
• Record with permission - Always ask before recording and use both audio and video if possible. Video captures expressions and gestures that add meaning to the stories.
• Follow up with specific questions - When you hear something interesting, ask follow-up questions like "How did that make you feel?" or "Who else was there?" to add depth to the story.

These techniques connect perfectly with this week's blog post about clear communication—whether you're speaking with AI or family members, being specific about what you want to know leads to better results!

I hope this week's resources help you communicate more effectively with both the people and the technology in your genealogy research adventures.

Happy Ancestor Hunting!

Lisa
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Lisa Lisson Genealogy Researcher, Author & Speaker