"...though nothing can bring back the hour of Splendour in the grass, of Glory in the flower, we will grieve not, rather find Strength in what remains behind..."         William Wordsworth

 



TIPS FOR BEGINNING YOUR RESEARCH

  1. Start with what you already know, working from known information to the unknown.

  2. Organize! Record your data on pedigree charts and family group records. Click here to access Free Forms.

  3. It may be helpful to keep your genealogy research in a 3-ring binder. Use a genealogy software program, such as Personal Ancestral File also known as PAF. Link is in the right hand column.

  4. Search family sources, such as family Bibles, certificates, photographs, diaries and journals, letters, scrapbooks, newspaper clippings, military records, legal papers, baby books, etc.

  5. Ask relatives to help you identify family photographs. Interview older family members. Tape record and then transcribe your interview, or videotape the person. Share the interview with other family members.

  6. Search compiled sources, such as genealogies and indexes, before beginning research in original records such as censuses.

  7. Be aware of spelling variations of surnames (additional info below).

  8. Cite your sources accurately and completely; keep track of the records searched and provide the complete citation, such as title of the record, microfilm number, volume number, and page number.

  9. Share your compiled genealogy with other family members. Donate a copy to the Family History Library in Salt Lake City.

    SEARCH HINTS -- MISSPELLINGS AND INITIALS

    Don't be surprised if you have trouble finding your ancestors in a database. Databases can be rather tricky; one key letter read wrong by a transcriber or the database creator can throw a huge monkey wrench into your search.

    Often confused letters in transcriptions and indexes include:

L and S
T and F
J, G, and Y
I and J
K and R
O and Q
P and R
U and W

In addition, vowels are also frequently misinterpreted. Switching similar-looking letters or vowels in the surnames you are researching can bring surprisingly good results.

Another way to overcome misspelled surnames would be to try some advanced searches using only given names, and to include other criteria to narrow it down. The success of this method would naturally depend on the size and nature of the database, but it often works.

Given names often present their own problems. Oftentimes records list only initials. These are possibilities that should not be overlooked when including a given name in your search.

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