| Your Family Tree: Help! When You Are Confused. | | | | Eventually you will likely use the FamilySearch |
| Tip: Before you even start to go through a | | | | website, the ancestor catalogue and library of |
| new-to-you website, click on their HELP button, | | | | ancestors from around the world. The |
| and investigate the resources on the site and how | | | | FamilySearch site is provided and hosted by the |
| to access them. | | | | Church of Latter Day Saints (Mormons), and the |
| Most websites you will visit in your family history | | | | site is more frequently referred to as the LDS |
| searches have a HELP button on the top of the | | | | site. On their pages you will find a wonderful HELP |
| website. Look carefully, sometimes it is very small. | | | | link that will save you so much time and confusion. |
| If you can't find one, go to the very bottom of | | | | Your country likely has a detailed Library and |
| the home web page and look for a HELP link | | | | Archives online site, which you will want to |
| there. This will take you to pages of | | | | investigate using for your ancestor research. As a |
| frequently-asked questions (FAQ), usually including | | | | Canadian, I have been all over the website for the |
| information on how to use the site effectively | | | | Library & Archives of Canada - a very large |
| and efficiently, what the different sections of the | | | | website of digitized information, with records, |
| web site can display, how to print off a | | | | documents, stories, art, diaries, and more. Check |
| document, how to save your record, and more. | | | | out the HELP link before you ever begin searching |
| An amazing number of people researching family | | | | through the all the information to be found in the |
| trees never use a HELP link. I'm not sure why | | | | "On Our Website" link. |
| that is so. Perhaps they feel they are "intelligent, | | | | Are you confused about which family tree |
| capable, competent, efficient, exemplary, | | | | software to use to keep all your data together? |
| comfortable with computers, etc. - so do not | | | | On the Internet, you will find a number of |
| need to use HELP!" Hmmm. Really. Most experts I | | | | software programs offered, ranging from free to |
| have met are quite happy with HELP buttons! | | | | over $100. As a beginner, you will want to use a |
| HELP is particularly useful when you are in early | | | | program which has a high rating for 'ease of use' |
| stages of research and want to gather | | | | and 'help documentation'. By searching on the |
| information on which sites or which programs | | | | terms "genealogy software review" you will find |
| might be your first choices to use. On many | | | | helpful information as well as screenshots of the |
| database sites - whether commercial fee-based, | | | | top-10 or more programs to help you decide |
| or free sites - there is detailed information on | | | | which one will work best for your purposes. Go to |
| how to search through the site. By using HELP, | | | | each software program's website, and check |
| you can read topics discussed on how-to (for | | | | through the HELP button on each one for more |
| example) fix specific problems, or add information | | | | assistance. If it seems as if their explanations |
| that is unusual. If a site does not appear to have | | | | make sense to you, great! That will be the one |
| a HELP link, go through the "FAQ" - Frequently | | | | you want. |
| Asked Questions link so that you can review the | | | | By using HELP buttons on web sites, and reading |
| kinds of issues that are being discussed. FAQs are | | | | FAQs, you will soon be an expert! |
| usually linked at the bottom of a web page. | | | | |