This document provides tips for growing a family tree through effective research goals, documentation, and sources. It recommends setting measurable mini goals and tracking progress. Key steps include determining what is already known about an ancestor, identifying information still needed, and utilizing records and resources like census, marriage certificates, death records, and interviews to discover new details and document findings. Thorough citation of sources is emphasized for accuracy and allowing other researchers to find the same information.

1. Review (So Far) and Then Some!
Growing Your Family Tree

2. What is Growth
in Family History Research
 Growth is about how full your family tree is?
 Growth is about the number of ancestors you’ve
found?
 Growth is what you want your family tree to be!
 Determine your goals by identifying what results you want
from your research.
 Maybe you only want to research one name (surname).
 Maybe you only want to work on your paternal line or your
maternal line? Etc.: It’s up to you! What you care about.

3. Set Mini Goals/Break it Down
 State Specifically What You Want to Accomplish
 Then determining when, where, and how you proceed will
become a part of your trip plan.
 Your goals should be Measurable, Meaningful, and
Manageable
 Measurable: Track your progress. Write a weekly report, Make a
Checklist, Review Your Progress.
 Meaningful: Is there you wanted to go? Are you feeling a sense
of satisfaction with the direction your research is going?
 Manageable: Don’t try to eat the elephant.

4. Are You Happy? Having Fun, Yet?
 Discovery is the fuel you need to maintain momentum.
The Research Cycle is a guide, but when you have
finished your objective, you will repeat that cycle, again
and again.
 The Research Cycle is preceded by
Determining What YOU Know already
about your ancestor. Write a narrative statement or
create a checklist about what you presently know about
the subject. Or utilize a chart or form.

5. Next Step, Please!
 Determine what you still need to find out after
reviewing, charting, or writing down what you
already know.
 What is your ancestor’s full/legal name? Make
separate notations about prefixes, suffixes,
nicknames or titles.
 When and where was he born?
 When and where and to whom was he married?
 When and where did he die?

6. Make a Record
Utilize a Research Log
 Forms and charts can be hard copy or digital or you may choose to
use an online tree program. You can obtain, alternatively, software
programs or just use a notebook!
 The important thing for you to do in beginning and as you continue
this process is to record and identify what you know already, and
have a way to fill in what you still need to know as you make those
DISCOVERIES!
 Next step of research: What documents or other resources will “fill
in the blanks”?

7. Documents, Resources, and
Historical Data
 Genealogists and/or Family History Researchers Need to Find
Information and “Prove” or document as they take this journey. Why?
 So you know that this is your John Smith relative and not another one
living in the same town? Identification Process.
 So that you can return to that “proof”/document if you have a question
about it later. Retrieve additional information or whatever.
 WE CALL IT “CITATION”! Cite Your Sources (CYS?)!

8. Documents, Resources, and Historical Data,
Part 2
 If you need marriage information, what “proof” are you looking for? (Marriage Certificate)
 Where would you find a marriage document or information about a marriage?
 Online (Ancestry.com ($); FamilySearch.org (Free);
 Courthouse
 Church Records
 Death Certificates often show some minimal info about marital status and have the name of the husband or wife.
 Census information (some years) can reveal how old a person was when he or she was married.
 Probate/Wills May also have what you want re the marriage
 Cemetery information (Findagrave, Billion Graves?)
 Interview a Relative. Look for photos, certificates, newspaper announcements.

9. One More Thing
 For your own sake and sanity, as well as for the sake of other researchers:
 Be Accurate and Precise in recording the information you find in documents.
 Record the source or citation for the document so that you and others can locate it again or
refer to it.
 If you get your information in an interview with a relative, that is a “Personal Resource” or
“Personal Interview. Include the date of the interview and the name of the person, as well
as their relationship.
 If you obtain your information online, cite their sources and record the URL. Give the page
a title. Example: Marriage Records Set, State of Florida, Ancestry.com