Family history research plan
Suppose you are interested in finding information about your great-grandmother. Here are some steps that you can take to form a research plan:
1. Write down as much as you know about the person or persons you want to learn more about. Include details such as approximate dates and places of birth, marriage and death; spouse’s name; children’s names; and any other details you feel may help you to distinguish your ancestor from other individuals.
2. Write down exactly what you hope to learn about the person you’re tracking. It’s very easy to get sidetracked once you begin your family history research. With the excitement of uncovering new family facts, you may lose sight of why you decided to trace your family history in the first place. This is why it’s important to write down your goals in your basic research plan. For example, your goal might be to learn as much as you can about one side of your family or learn more about an old story you’ve heard about your ancestors.
3. Begin searching with a genealogically focused search engine to get a clear idea of what might be available. Using a site like Ancestry.com can help you find information about your ancestors. Enter her name and where she lived to narrow down the search results. The search results will give you an idea of the resources that are available to you.
4. Prioritize the resources you can use. Your search on genealogically focused search engines may turn up several different types of resources, such as newsgroups, mailing lists, and one-name study sites. It’s a good idea to prioritize the resources you are planning to use. A great starting point is to visit a website that provides access to civil registration documents such as Ancestry.com so you can start trying to verify dates of birth, marriage and death.
5. Schedule the time needed to use the resources you identified. Researching your family history is a truly lifelong pursuit. There is no way to download all the documentation and information you need at one time. Researching your family’s history requires a great deal of effort and time so it’s best to schedule times that you will work on specific parts of your plan. Genealogy is addictive; breaking it down into scheduled research time enables you to get the best out of your research plan without getting bogged down with information.
There are a wide variety of websites online that make it possible to build your family tree at no cost. Mundia.com is the one I recommend. As you advance with your research be sure to document your findings in your family tree and share the new information with your family members.
Tags: family history research, family history website, researching family history, trace familiy history, tracing family history
