Genealogy Methodology
Back to the Genealogy Start Here page
Topics: Getting Started | Organising | Strategies | Research | Proof | Being Professional
A Few Words
Genealogy means different things to each of us, but it probably is something like having an interest in finding out about your ancestors. You can just ask your older relatives a few questions and hope to remember, or you could invest some time to learn how thousands of other people have tackled issues like:
- What info should I collect
- How should I record everything I learn
- Is close enough good enough
- How does a professional do genealogy
- What about ethical issues, copyright, learning options, Facebook, local Genealogy Societies, the internet
- Will I ever finish, or am I ready for the possibility that this can be a consuming hobby or professional business
Let's look at a generally accepted way of doing genealogy.
Getting Started
People, Recording, Sources, Research plans, Words and language, Dates, Basic Research Plan.
Ancestors
Looking for information
How far back can we search
Prepare
Start with the present, Living relatives, Descendants of ancestors
Gather info from parents and grandparents
Basic record keeping , Think about future record keeping options
Dates
Make notes of what you discover
Citations
2 Forms and Charts
Starting research
Internet
Paper records
3 Research objectives
Sources
Primary and Secondary information
Evaluation
4 Words and language
Calendars
5 Societies
Archives
Libraries
Records
6 Family History Centres
Cemeteries
Transcriptions
Basic research plan