| Ancestor Research - Tips to Getting Started | | | | with a few questions that you would like to have |
| Genealogy can be an immensely rewarding hobby, | | | | answered through your research. This will make |
| but many find it difficult getting started. Whether | | | | your research much more enjoyable and feed |
| it be an issue of what to look for or how to | | | | your desire to continue researching. |
| collect all the information, a few tips can greatly | | | | Remember to look for information on your |
| aid those just beginning their ancestor research. | | | | ancestors in addition to dates. While it is vital to |
| - Organization is Key | | | | find birth, marriage, death, and other dates to fill |
| As you will find during your research, different | | | | your blank family tree, it can be quite |
| people organize in different ways. So what is the | | | | monotonous. Finding odd facts about your |
| right way? There is no one correct way to | | | | ancestors can give you the encouragement you |
| organize your research, but there are some | | | | need to keep on searching. |
| things you need to do. | | | | In addition to making your research more |
| Don't fool yourself into thinking your research is | | | | interesting for yourself, this information will make |
| organized because YOU know where everything | | | | your work even more valuable to future |
| can be found. Although you may be doing your | | | | generations. While many will appreciate your |
| ancestor research because of your own personal | | | | efforts of putting together all the important |
| desire to learn about them, your work will | | | | dates, everyone will enjoy the other bits of |
| probably be even more valuable to those who | | | | information you have gathered. |
| follow after you. | | | | - Document Everything |
| Knowing that others will be looking to your | | | | You may wonder whether it is really necessary |
| research in the future, your organization needs to | | | | to document everything. The answer is a |
| be consistent. You could put your research in | | | | resounding Yes! Even things that you may not |
| binders grouped by person, family, or surname. | | | | consider to be important could prove to be |
| Whatever you choose it would be helpful to make | | | | invaluable later. |
| a note of how your research is organized. This | | | | If you sit down to interview an older relative |
| could easily be done on your computer and | | | | make a note of all the little things they tell you |
| printed or copied for each binder you use. | | | | and the dates they give you. Even if they are |
| A quick test of how well your work is organized | | | | only guessing, it is always better to at least have |
| is to ask someone who hasn't seen or heard | | | | a ballpark figure to start from. Though their |
| much about your research to find certain things. If | | | | memories may not be entirely correct, they are |
| they can easily find the things you ask them to | | | | much more personal than other sources you will |
| look for then your organization is a success. If | | | | find and could help you find an ancestor that you |
| they can't find what they're looking for, then | | | | previously could not find. |
| neither will your future relatives. | | | | Another important aspect of ancestor research is |
| - Stay Focused / Set Goals | | | | your sources. Just as with the other information |
| | | | you gather, you need to document the sources |
| Ancestor research can be very time consuming | | | | for everything. You never know when you may |
| and frustrating. For this reason, many choose to | | | | find conflicting information from different sources |
| utilize a professional genealogist to do their | | | | and will need to revert back to your original |
| research. This is a great option, but you can also | | | | source for confirmation. |
| do your research on your own. You just need to | | | | In summary, although these three tips are not all |
| apply a few ideas to avoid getting discouraged. | | | | inclusive of the things you need to know, they |
| To start, ask yourself what it is that you want to | | | | should be sufficient to get you started well and |
| learn about who your ancestors are. Come up | | | | headed in the right direction. |