Genealogy 101: Gathering family history information

Organizing the information
As you progress in your research, you'll need to create a larger system for organizing all the photocopies, transcripts, and photos, etc. Some people prefer filing cabinets, while others scan everything into a PC for the ultimate online family database.

The abundance of online genealogy information makes piecing together your family's history easier than ever. But searching through millions of pages can be overwhelming, unless you're organized.

Setting goals
Don't leap into the vast world of genealogy websites and resources without a plan of action. Defining your goals is an essential pre-research step. It will determine your timeline, what type of software you'll need, and the type of archives you'll want to access.

Once you determine where you're heading, you can create a timeline that will get you there. Not all goals have to be large. Remember, family trees are built branch by branch, leaf by leaf. So focus on one person at a time.

You'll also want to create a system for tracking your progress. A great resource for planning tools is www.Ancestry.com. You'll find a research calendar to record sources you've already searched, extract sheets to summarize information that can't be photocopied, correspondence records, and much more.

Mapping what you already know
We showed you how to prepare for the research phase by gathering all the information you already had on hand; memories and stories, memorabilia, photobooks, etc. Don't skip this step. It's an important phase of the process and will save you a lot of time during the research phase. Once you have this info, mapping it out is the next step. This is the perfect time to introduce you to family group sheets and ancestry charts.

Family group sheets
To organize what is known about an immediate family (a couple and their children), researchers use family group sheets, which include spaces for names, dates, events, sources, and other information to help identify members of a particular family. The sources of the information (photocopies and other backup info) should be included with the group sheet for a complete and accurate record.

Ancestral charts
An ancestral chart looks at the bigger picture. It resembles the family tree you may have seen before, and it records the ancestors from whom you directly descend and for whom you'll compile a complete and correct family unit. It shows at a glance what remains to be completed.

You can find free ancestral charts and family group sheets (along with tips and instructions for using them) in the organizational tools of the Charts and Forms section of www.Ancestry.com, or on other large sites like www.Lineages.com and www.Genealogy.com.

Using software
Software programs are a wonderful way to save and organize your family history. They also make the editing of charts and reports much easier, no more recopying that family group sheet by hand. Plus they offer instant access to the best databases available. A great, thorough and up-to-date comparison chart is Comparing Windows Geneology software by Richard Wilson. Do you have to use software to do research? Of course not. But it will make things easier and probably more fun. A variety of programs are available, from inexpensive, bare-bones versions to those of more complexity.