| Researching your family tree is very rewarding. | | | | come, this documentation will make his or her |
| You find things you never knew before and | | | | task easier. |
| identify yourself with your heritage. It can also be | | | | Don’t just document your successes but |
| frustrating when you can’t find what you are | | | | your failures, too. Pointing out dead ends will help |
| looking for. Finding that one source that helps you | | | | prevent future family genealogists from making |
| go one generation deeper, or find a new family | | | | the same mistake and could even remind you of |
| fact is satisfying to us genealogy hunters. Building | | | | leads you followed that went nowhere. |
| a solid family history with proper sources requires | | | | Many family genealogists find that carefully |
| many hours of research and tons of patience. As | | | | documenting their findings (both the successful |
| you make progress, it’s important to carefully | | | | leads and the dead ends) often helps in paving the |
| track all of your findings. This is essential to | | | | way for a new research idea. You never know |
| preserving your family history and ensures that all | | | | when or where you’re going to come across |
| the hours of hard work you put into growing your | | | | a key piece of information that will unlock more |
| family tree won’t go unnoticed. | | | | of your family history. |
| To help you build a precise family history and a | | | | Ensure an Accurate Family Tree |
| reliable family tree, here are tips for organizing | | | | You will inevitably find sources that contradict |
| your genealogy research: | | | | family information that you thought to be true. |
| Manage Your Sources | | | | This may be due to inaccurate memories passed |
| Once you start your family search and start to | | | | down within your family, or it could be a mistake |
| find sources, be sure to document where you | | | | by the person who created the written record. |
| found the source. This is known as the repository. | | | | You may even find one historical document that |
| Make sure you write down everything and copy | | | | contradicts another historical document. For |
| all pertinent family information. Make it easy for | | | | example, a census could have been filled out by |
| yourself and others to go back and investigate | | | | someone who didn't bother to ask the spelling of |
| the information again. And yes, on more than one | | | | the family member’s name or the information |
| occasion, you will end up needing to go back and | | | | could have been given by a neighbor or the eldest |
| look up the document or directing a relative to | | | | child in the house. |
| the same source. | | | | To make sure your family tree is as accurate as |
| Sources abound out on the Internet, the library, | | | | possible, document all dates and information and |
| genealogical societies, and government records. | | | | make notes as to why you think certain |
| It’s really easy to copy information from | | | | information is correct. You can spend years trying |
| someone's family tree, but beware of doing this. | | | | to figure out which exact dates and places are |
| Most trees contain little or no sources and you | | | | relevant when you have multiple documents that |
| should find the documents that substantiate family | | | | don't have the exact same information. |
| history, before copying and sharing your | | | | Documenting all the information you find from |
| information with others. If you do copy the | | | | your family search will make it easier to compare |
| information, make sure you give credit to the | | | | notes later. |
| person and repository where you found the | | | | Stay Focused |
| information. Your family search should always | | | | When you get over-whelmed with your research, |
| contain sources to back-up the family information | | | | document what you have done, take a break, |
| you record. | | | | and come back to it later. At the end of the day, |
| Keep Track of the Little Things | | | | the process should be enjoyable and rewarding, |
| Recording both your research methods and your | | | | so when things get frustrating take a step back |
| findings will help keep your family search efforts | | | | and take a deep breath. This will help you stay |
| up-to-date and, if another family member takes | | | | energized and focused on the task at hand. |
| over as family record keeper in the years to | | | | |