1. GENEALOGY! WHERE DO I START? START SMALL..STAY FOCUSED.. DO ONE PIECE OF THE PUZZLE AT A TIME. START WITH YOURSELF AND WRITE DOWN WHAT YOU KNOW THEN WITH ONE PERSON OR FAMILY AND FOCUS ON ALL YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT PERSON AND FAMILY. USE A CHECK LIST

2. NEXT STEP CONTACT THE PERSON(S) IN YOUR FAMILY ALREADY DOING FAMILY HISTORY. FILL OUT A PEDIGREE CHART. SHOWING YOU AS # ONE A FAMILY GROUP SHEET THEN NEEDS TO BE FILLED OUT FOR EACH COUPLE LISTED ON PEDIGREE CHART

3. CONTINUING STEPS CONTACT LIVING RELATIVES.. ASKING THEM TO FILL OUT A FAMILY GROUP SHEET. IF POSSIBLE CONTACT OLDEST LIVING RELATIVES IN ORDER TO INTERVIEW THEM. TAKE PICTURES OF PICTURES OR DOCUMENTS

4. SET GOALS Check with family members to see if someone had done some research, in addition to a surname search on Rootsweb, Familyseach.org and Ancestry.com in case some one has put family information on the internet. Even do a Google search.

5. INFORMATION NEEDED FULL NAME, first, last, middle if possible. (Surname in Caps) DATES Complete if possible…if estimating use words “BEF” or “AFT”. Never pass an estimated date off as exact date. PLACES….Town/village, County/Province/Shire, State, Country in that order. If estimating use the word “OF” before a place name

6. RESEARCH RESEARCH PROCESS (form) RESEARCH LOG/CALENDAR. You don’t need “forms”…you can do the same thing with a spiral notebook or binder. Choose a specific record type or location Keep an accurate record of your searches.

7. WHAT? WHEN? What was searched (document #’s, pg #’s, registration #’s; complete titles of books with authors & pg #’s; film/fiche #’s; Version #’s of computer programs, etc. When was search done (exact date you searched/received information, certificates, etc.) What was found and was not found. no sense in duplicating efforts.

8. WHERE? LOCATION OF SEARCH i.e. place, archives, census, libraries, etc. FEES PAID…enter amount sent (how paid, check, money. If sending away note date arrived or never received or no record.

9. EVALUATE EVALUATE ALL NEW MATERIAL YOU FIND/RECEIVE. REEVALUATE your previous data—don’t take anything as “true” until you’ve verified it. DO NOT CHANGE ANY OF YOUR INFORMATION JUST BECAUSE YOU FIND “DIFFERENT” INFO. Record your feelings about the information.

10. REMEMBER Remember, don’t take anything as absolute fact unless you have verified it yourself. GIVE CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE. In other words record from whom you receive information or clues. Put most recent contact information on family group sheets so it is near at hand.

11. GOOD LUCK! HAVE FUN! DON’T FORGET TO SHARE!