Deep Dive for 13 March 2026

Turning a yearly research review into an AI‑assisted plan

This example mirrors how bloggers and researchers are already using AI to turn annual reviews into concrete research plans for the coming year.denyseallen.substack+1

1. Assemble input

   • Gather: your latest annual review blog post or newsletter, a list of surnames and localities, and 1–3 “stuck” problems you want to move forward.emptybranchesonthefamilytree+1

   • Paste those into your AI chat with a clear label for each section (e.g., “Section 1: 2025 highlights,” “Section 2: priority surnames,” “Section 3: brick‑wall problems”).[emptybranchesonthefamilytree]​

2. Ask for a structured, time‑bound research plan

   • Prompt along these lines: “Using only the information I’ve provided, draft a 12‑month genealogy research plan for 2026, organized by quarter and by project (Adams family, Slovak families, etc.). For each project, include: research objective, current evidence summary, 5–10 prioritized next steps, and suggested record types/jurisdictions. Do not invent people or events.”familytreewebinars+1

3. Refine by project and add your judgment

   • Review the AI’s plan one project at a time and mark steps as keep, modify, or discard based on your knowledge of availability, access, and budget.familytreewebinars+1

   • Where AI suggests generic records (“check church books”), you replace those with specific archives, databases, or call numbers from your own locality knowledge.[emptybranchesonthefamilytree]​

4. Turn the plan into publishable or teachable material

   • Use AI again to: convert each project’s plan into a short blog‑post outline, a one‑page society handout, or a slide‑deck outline for a class on “My 2026 Research Plan.”denyseallen.substack+2

   • Keep all evidence, analysis, and final decisions under your control; AI is scaffolding and drafting, not the authority.familytreewebinars+1

5. Preserve the AI session as part of your research file

   • Export or copy the AI conversation into your note system or citation manager, tagging it by surname and locality so you can re‑find that reasoning later, as current webinars recommend.[familytreewebinars]​