Getting Started On Your Family Research

Starting your family history research may seem a  bit daunting  at first; however, it is not as hard as you may think. Here are some simple beginner research techniques.

1. Begin with yourself as #1 on an Ancestor Chart. Look at your birth certificate and start there.   If you are married, then look at your marriage record and record the facts of both records. Make sure that you cite your source on the back of your Ancestor Chart, or Family group Sheet. Then you will progress backwards to your parents, to their parents, and so on.   Make sure you cite your sources as you work backwards. 
2. Fill out a Pedigree/5 Geneartion Chart(this will be your direct family line or lineage).
3. Fill out a Family Group Sheet for each couple and their children. Hint: Go to http://www.familytree.magazine.com/FREEFORMS. They have forms in two formats: text or portable document format(PDF). You can print these out for your use.  If you don't like these forms, then do a google search for Free Genealogical Forms.  You will find thousands!
4. There are some key facts that you  want to know, to make sure you have the right person. You will want the individual name, date of event, place event occurred, relationship (blood) between the individuals. Direct (you-parent-grandparent-great grandparent....) Lateral (your siblings, and those of your parents and etc....) (Collateral (not by blood line, but they do share a common ancestor). Sex of the individual, and occupation.

Organize your genealogy forms in a three-ring binder. I personally use colored notebooks for each family-with the same color file folders to correspond to each family.  This saves me lots of time and  it's easy to locate a certain family when  researching at home.

Genealogy is a life-long process (for me) and as you find pieces to your genealogical puzzle, make sure you evaluate each new piece of information. This helps you decide, where or what you want to research next.

I hope that this information will help those who are just beginning.  Let me know about your research methods, and what works good for you.  The more we know, the better genealogist we will  all be. Don't forget to Cite Your Sources!

Until next time..........gendara