Before you Hire a Researcher or Speaker

Before you hire a professional researcher or speaker, you need to do your homework.  MoSGA provides its lists of professional researchers and speakers as a service to the public and as a benefit of membership to those being listed.
 Again, MoSGA does not endorse the research of any of these persons and assumes no responsibility for their work. Anyone or any organization hiring a researcher, speaker, or workshop leader should check the person’s qualifications and references and should have a clear idea of fees charged before any work begins.
The list presented below is meant as a starting point for the things you should consider and the types of questions you should ask.  This list is NOT meant to be all inclusive of the things you should consider and the questions you should ask.   MoSGA provides this list  to you to help you in the decision making process, but does not claim it to be in any way all inclusive.
 
Professional Researchers
1.      Before contacting any professional researcher, you should define the specific genealogical problem that you want addressed. 
         Before any work begins, make sure that there is a written agreement between you and the professional researcher.
2.      Qualifications of the researcher:
  • ·        How long has the person been a professional researcher?
  • ·        What are the researcher’s overall qualifications?
  • ·        What are the researcher’s specific qualifications to deal with your research problem? 
  • ·        Does the researcher have access to the necessary records to address your problem?
  • ·        Is the researcher willing to share a sample of their work?
  • ·        Is the researcher willing to provide you with a list of references?
3.      What your agreement with the researcher should cover:
  • ·        The statement of your research problem
  • ·        Fees – what fees and expenses are charged by the researcher?
  • ·        How and when fees are to be paid. 
  • ·        What time limits are there on the research and what provisions there will be for an extension.
  • ·        What will be included in the researcher’s report and who will own the publication rights to the findings.
  • ·        A provision on what happens if one or both parties can no longer fulfill their terms of the agreement.
Professional Speakers
1.      Before contacting any speaker or workshop leader, you should have a specific idea of the topic you want covered and the time frame of the presentation. 
         Before hiring any speaker or workshop leader, make sure that there is a written agreement in place between your organization and the speaker / workshop leader.
2.      Qualifications of the speaker / workshop leader:
  • ·        How long has the person been a speaker / workshop leader?
  • ·        What are the speaker’s / workshop leader’s overall qualifications?
  • ·        What are the speaker’s / workshop leader’s specific qualifications to deal with your specific topic? 
  • ·        Have any of the speaker’s / workshop leader’s previous presentations been recorded and, if so, is the person willing to share a sample of their work?
  • ·        Is the speaker / workshop leader willing to provide you with a list of references?
3.      What your agreement with the speaker / workshop leader should cover:
  • ·        The location, subject, date, start time and timeframe of your presentation or workshop.
  • ·        Fees – what fees and expenses are charged by the speaker / workshop leader?
  • ·        How and when fees are to be paid. 
  • ·        What are the provisions dealing with handouts?
  • ·        What audio / visual equipment will be provided by your organization?
  • ·        What audio / visual equipment will be provided by the speaker / workshop leader?
  • ·        A provision on what happens if one or both parties can no longer fulfill their terms of the agreement.