2. START WITH YOURSELF
First,write down everything you
already know about yourself
Start with the basics, i.e. birth and
marriage
Add to this military, graduation,
employment, children, etc.
3. EXPAND YOUR RESEARCH
Writedown everything you know
about your parents, grandparents,
great grandparents…as far back as
you can go
4. SEARCH YOUR HOME
birth certificate,
marriage license,
diploma,
newspaper
clippings, etc.
Not only the basic
sources which
show birth,
marriage or death,
but interesting
sources such as
diaries, letters,
photographs
6. Secondary Source
Produced at a later time or by someone who was not at the event.
Should be verified with other documents. Preferably a primary source.
7. Use a pencil for easy
corrections
Start with yourself
Last name ALL CAPS
Woman’s maiden
name
Men are even #s –
Women are odd #s
Dates –
Day/Month/Year
Places – City, County,
State, Country (small
to large)
8. Additional Pedigree Charts
That number will be the next
chart number for that family
line
That person becomes #1 on the
next chart
# 12 on chart no. 1
Continue like first
The chart numbers will be
different for each new sheet
Use Numbering Chart
9.
10. Spouses
Parents
Children
Capitalize surnames
Dates: Day/Month/Year
Places: City, County,
State, Country
11. Cite Your Sources
Example: marriage
license - #1 – name,
birth, marriage
Put a #1 by the source
it confirms
Cite your source – on
the document
Validates information
Genealogist use a
certain method
Evidence Explained:
Citing History Sources
from Artifacts to 1
Cyberspace by Elizabeth
Shown Mills
12. FAMILY INTERVIEWS
Ask specific questions that jog the memory
Get basic information, i.e. birth, marriage, etc.
Whenever possible, show old photographs of
people and places
Also important to get other aspects of
life…friends, special stories, school days
Ask for family papers – Journals, letters,
photos
When completed update information right
away
13. FORMAL INTERVIEWS
– Be Prepared!
– Set up meeting
– Give them at least 1
week to prepare
– Have questions
prepared
– Tape or take good
notes
– Videotape
14. Informal
– Family gathering
– Take pedigree chart
and/or family group
Telephone
– Have questions
prepared
– Take good notes
15. Letter
snail mail or email
Begin your letter with news of family interest.
Offer to share information
Be reasonable
Send them a pedigree/family group sheet to fill
out
16. Further Research
See where your empty spaces are on your
Family Group sheet
Plan on how you will go about obtaining
this information
You will have to do some research on the
city, county, or state to see where certain
records are kept
– Many counties have wonderful websites
– www.vitalrec.com
– Local libraries & archives
– Ancestry, FamilySearch, Heritage
Quest-all accessible from the library
17. One for each surname
Organizes future research
Use check list
22. 2 INCH BINDERS
Label binders on side with family name
Use page dividers with tabs to separate
information
Optional tabs: maps, family information,
& original sources
23. File Folders
Cabinet or file box
Hanging File folders
Different color hanging files or labels
for each surname
Hang alphabetically
Label each file folder & place in
hanging file folder
Optional: color code your lineage for
4 lines of grandparents
25. GENEALOGY SOFTWARE
Both hard copy & computer
www.familysearch.org has a free download – Personal
Ancestral File (PAF) - They also have free forms to
download
There is also software you can buy - http://genealogy-
software-review.toptenreviews.com/
26. EXTERNAL MEMORY
Scan records & photographs to store on
CD and/or flash drive.
Download information from repository’s
computer or microfilm machine.
Keep with you or put some place safe
Use an external hard drive
Use online site for storage
Never let it replace your paper copies
Keep up with new technology
