Research Planning and Problem Definition
Define the problem before searching
A strong plan turns a vague goal into a bounded research question: a person, relationship, event, place, and date range. Separate the research objective (what you want to learn), the answerable question, and a hypothesis (a tentative answer). State scope: names and aliases, jurisdictions, religious groups, migration routes, occupations, and time period. Then list known facts, gaps, likely record types, repositories, and a search order. Use timelines and locality guides; note boundary changes, record laws, and naming customs. Include a plan for negative results: record what was searched, how, and the outcome.
Traps in questions
Examiners often favor a plan that tests competing explanations, not one that merely collects more records. A common error is choosing sources before defining the question, or treating a shared surname as identity. Another is ignoring jurisdictional change, so the search happens in the wrong county or record series. A to-do list is not a plan: each step should state how it could confirm or eliminate a hypothesis.
Worked example
Question: Which John Carter, born about 1810 in Virginia, married Mary Ellis in Ohio in 1838? First compile all John Carters in the 1840 census for relevant counties; obtain the marriage return; test each candidate against migration, age, associates, and occupation; then search deeds and probate for parents. Rule of thumb: if a search cannot change your mind, it is not testing a hypothesis.