Brick Wall Series: 5 Mistakes That Create Genealogy Brick Walls and How to Avoid Them

Sometimes the biggest genealogy brick walls are created by the way we search.In this episode of The TIME Capsule Podcast, Barbara Beauregard shares five common mistakes that often slow researchers down or send them in the wrong direction. These are easy traps to fall into—especially when you’re excited, hopeful, or working quickly—but learning to recognize them can save you time and frustration.Barbara walks through how assumptions, narrow searching, skipped context, overreliance on hints, and poor documentation can all create brick walls that feel harder than they really are. More importantly, she explains how to avoid these mistakes so you can research more clearly and confidently.What You’ll LearnFive common mistakes that create genealogy brick wallsWhy assumptions can lead your research off courseHow relying too heavily on hints can create confusionWhy broad context matters just as much as individual recordsHow better note-taking and source tracking can prevent future problemsSimple ways to strengthen your research processKey TakeawayMany brick walls are not permanent dead ends. They often begin with small research habits that can be corrected with a more careful and thoughtful approach.Connect with BarbaraWebsite: AncestrySeeking.com Book: Here Today, Gone Tomorrow: Protecting and Preserving Your Genealogy from the Unexpected Stay Connected: Subscribe to the newsletter at AncestrySeeking.com Courses and Resources: Visit AncestrySeeking.com for genealogy guides, articles, and learning tools Contact: Use the contact form on the website to connect