I recently heard more about the OpenAI ChatGPT Canvas feature on The AI Family History Show podcast by Steve Little and Mark Thompson, and learned that it was now available for free use without a ChatGPT subscription.
If you want to see the features of ChatGPT Canvas and how to use it, I recommend reading Introducing Canvas, a new way of working with ChatGPT and coding, and watch the YouTube video How To Use ChatGPT 4o Canvas Feature | Full Walk-through on the NILC Training YouTube channel.
I tried out ChatGPT Canvas by clicking the Canvas link in the Tools button on the ChatGPT4 message field (use the middle button under "Message ChatGPT"). I then asked a question I had been thinking about: "What are the hardest tasks in genealogy and family history research?"
1) Here is the screen after the first response:
2) Note the "Edit" icon in the lower right corner. If you click on that, it opens up and the user can:
- Suggest edits
- Adjust the length (from shortest to longest)
- Change the reading level (from kindergarten to graduate school)
- Add final polish
- Add emojis.
I could have edited any sentence or added text wherever I wished. But I didn't because I figured that ChatGPT has better training information than I possess.
Next, I wanted more detail, so I had Canvas adjust the length from medium to "longer."
Next, I asked Canvas to change the reading level to "college" level.
Then I asked Canvas, using a prompt, to provide examples for each task.
And lastly, I asked Canvas to add the final polish.
I ignored the emojis button - what emoji could possibly embellish this question?
3) Here is the final response:
The Hardest Tasks in Genealogy and Family History Research
Genealogy and family history research can be an intriguing and rewarding journey, but it is not without its challenges. Some of the most difficult tasks include:
1. Breaking Through Brick Walls
- Definition: Brick walls refer to seemingly insurmountable obstacles where key records are missing or conflicting.
- Examples: Missing vital records such as birth, marriage, or death certificates; unclear parentage; or contradictory data across different documents. For instance, you might find census records with inconsistent birth years for an ancestor or no marriage record for a known couple.
- Strategies: Employ indirect evidence, cluster research (studying neighbors, associates, and witnesses), DNA testing, and a thorough review of archives or repositories. For example, examining the wills of neighbors might reveal connections to your ancestor.
2. Dealing with Common Names
- Challenge: Distinguishing between individuals with identical names who lived in the same geographic area.
- Examples: Sorting out records for "John Smith" in 19th-century Boston or "Maria Gonzalez" in 20th-century Mexico City. Confusion may lead to errors in identifying the correct individual.
- Solutions: Cross-reference records for occupation, family members, or residence to confirm identities. For example, an 1880 census listing "John Smith" as a carpenter could match details from a city directory.
3. Tracing Ancestors in Migration Patterns
- Issue: Frequent moves left fragmented records in multiple locations.
- Examples: A family that starts in New England, moves through Ohio, and settles in Kansas might leave only partial documentation. Passenger lists or land records might also be missing.
- Approach: Investigate migration routes, community movements, and transportation methods. For instance, researching records related to the Erie Canal might uncover information about ancestors who traveled that route.
4. Researching Female Ancestors
- Difficulty: Women were often recorded under their husband's name or omitted entirely.
- Examples: Finding only "Mrs. John Doe" in a 19th-century directory or no maiden name in marriage records. Such omissions complicate tracing a woman’s lineage.
- Tips: Look for maiden names in marriage records, wills, probate files, land deeds, and church registers. For instance, a probate record naming "Mary, wife of John Doe," as an heir might include her father’s name.
5. Navigating Foreign Languages and Handwriting
- Obstacle: Deciphering old scripts or unfamiliar languages in historical documents.
- Examples: Latin in Catholic Church records, Gothic script in German parish books, or untranslated Spanish baptismal records.
- Techniques: Use translation tools, paleography guides, or consult experts familiar with the language or handwriting style. For example, attending a paleography workshop could help decode abbreviations in medieval manuscripts.
6. Accessing Restricted or Lost Records
- Problem: Privacy laws, natural disasters, or other issues can limit access to critical records.
- Examples: Census data within the privacy restriction period, courthouse fires, or sealed adoption records.
- Options: Seek alternative sources, such as church records for vital events, or contact local repositories. For instance, parish registers might serve as substitutes for missing civil birth records.
7. Interpreting DNA Results
- Complexity: Making sense of genetic matches and connecting them to family trees.
- Examples: Discovering a DNA match with a third cousin but being unable to determine the shared ancestor. Ethnicity estimates might also be inconsistent.
- Approach: Leverage tools provided by DNA testing companies, collaborate with matches, and explore chromosome mapping. For example, analyzing shared DNA segments could reveal a connection to a specific ancestor.
8. Connecting Historical Context with Family Stories
- Struggle: Understanding how historical events (e.g., wars, economic depressions) impacted ancestors’ lives.
- Examples: An ancestor disappearing from records during the Civil War might have served in the military or migrated westward. Similarly, the Great Depression might explain sudden changes in occupation or residence.
- Method: Research local and global history, study property and tax records, and analyze patterns in migration or occupations. For example, county histories might reveal how industries influenced your ancestor’s livelihood.
9. Collaborating with Relatives
- Challenge: Family members may have differing memories or be reluctant to share information.
- Examples: Conflicting accounts of a grandparent’s birth year or resistance to discussing sensitive topics like adoptions or illegitimacies.
- Solution: Approach relatives with sensitivity, explain the purpose of your research, and document both shared and conflicting accounts. For example, multiple interviews might reveal consistent details that align with documented evidence.
10. Maintaining Consistent Documentation
- Task: Organizing sources, ensuring accurate citations, and keeping track of research progress.
- Examples: Forgetting to cite a source for a key fact or misplacing digital files.
- Best Practices: Use genealogy software, create citation templates, and back up data regularly. For instance, tracking each ancestor’s census appearances in a spreadsheet can help identify research gaps.
11. Tracing Enslaved or Indigenous Ancestors
- Unique Challenges: Limited records, name changes, and systemic gaps in documentation.
- Examples: Enslaved ancestors recorded only by first names in plantation records or Indigenous ancestors excluded from federal censuses until the 20th century.
- Strategies: Explore oral histories, plantation records, and specialized archives. For instance, Freedmen’s Bureau records may provide clues about formerly enslaved ancestors.
12. Navigating Cultural Differences and Practices
- Issue: Understanding naming conventions, calendar systems, or inheritance customs specific to different cultures.
- Examples: Spanish naming conventions using paternal and maternal surnames, or double-dating in English records before 1752.
- Resolution: Study the cultural norms of the region and time period. For example, recognizing that "Juan de la Cruz" may signify a religious naming tradition rather than a familial relationship.
Each genealogical challenge demands persistence, creativity, and a willingness to learn. While the journey can be demanding, the rewards of uncovering and preserving your family’s history make the effort profoundly worthwhile.
4) Here is the bottom of the screen after all of the changes:
On the left side of the screen above are my requests, and on the right side is the finished product. Canvas shows the user the last response and not all of the intermediate responses. 5) As you can see, the ChatGPT Canvas feature can add content, including any edits you provide, change the length and reading level, and provide a finishing touch by formatting. All during the chat, the user can request additional features and information. On an earlier Canvas chat, I asked for bullet points rather than text paragraphs, and Canvas did that (and carried it over to this task too!).
I was going to add a more detailed question based on the response above, but being a free user has its limitations. I can't use Canvas again until after 5:49 p.m. tonight!
6) The list of hardest tasks seems pretty good to me. What other "hard tasks" have you faced? Perhaps AI can help you find a better method of working on your hard tasks. I wil try to ask more questions based on this list to help me with my own hard tasks.
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