Denton County Genealogical Society Monthly Meeting

Name: Denton County Genealogical Society Monthly Meeting
Start: 2026-02-12T18:30:00-06:00
Location: Denton Public Library (502 Oakland St., Denton, TX)

Schedule

Thu, 12 Feb, 2026 at 06:30 pm

UTC-06:00

Location

Denton Public Library (502 Oakland St., Denton, TX) | Denton, TX

ARE YOU BIASED IN YOUR GENEALOGY RESEARCH?
Unrecognized bias can lead genealogists astray—resulting in inaccurate conclusions and incomplete family stories.
To help us recognize and combat bias, Barbara Coakley will present “Avoiding Bias: Consider All the Possibilities,” at the Denton County Genealogical Society’s monthly meeting, Thursday, February 12th. Attendees will gather at the Emily Fowler Central Library meeting room, 502 Oakland Street in Denton. Social time begins at 6:30 p.m., with a brief business meeting at 7 p.m., followed by the presentation. Visitors are welcome.
We’ll explore how cognitive bias creeps into genealogical research and the behaviors that can skew results. You’ll learn how to combat bias using proven tools such as the Genealogical Proof Standard (GPS), a consistent research process, and comprehensive source checklists. Real-world case studies will illustrate how to spot and correct for bias and ensure conclusions are built on a foundation of sound evidence. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned researcher, this session will equip you with practical methods to improve the accuracy and credibility of your genealogical work.
Barbara's interest in family history began over 30 years ago when her aunt sent an envelope of family papers. Through the years, she had traveled throughout the U.S. and Europe visiting ancestors’ homelands and doing research.
Barbara taught continuing education classes in genealogy for 22 years before she retired and now lectures on a wide variety of genealogy topics. Her current focus is on writing her ancestors' stories for genealogical society publications and her family.
Barbara is president of Genealogy Friends of Plano Libraries and volunteers for three other state and local genealogy societies. She is a member of the DAR and multiple local, state, and national genealogical and historical societies.