Description:  During “green field” research, when not much is known about our subject, we can sometimes get away with searching broadly, Google-ing the person’s name or searching a large collection of databases at a well-known website (e.g. FamilySearch or Ancestry). This strategy may work for a while or lead to success in gathering easy-to-find data, but more complex research questions will require a more formal process for developing and executing research plans. Learn how to pose specific questions, carefully analyze known “facts,” think strategically about where to find answers and document a plan for all of the preceding.