When you’re digging into genealogy, keeping a good research log and staying organized help to produce the best results, or at least helps you know where you have been.
Several professional genealogists shared their thoughts in the article “Top Secrets” in the July/August issue of Family Tree Magazine. Their tips include:
- Know your research question. That is, know what are you trying to prove, stay focused.
- Be realistic. There are sometimes limits to what you can accomplish with sources, what access you'll have, what survives for the time period.
- Don't get distracted. We all come across other things to pursue, but try to stay focused.
- Keep a research log. It's one of the most important things, writing down what you have looked at, the yield, and some analysis.
- Record negative finds. That means make a note of any book, or original record, you looked over, but found nothing helpful. Doing this will keep you from going back to the same source again.
- Revisit the research log. Look for clues you may have jotted down during research, to see if they fit into the picture later on, as you learn more on the subject.
- Use a research checklist. List sources to check at the library or online database you are visiting. Make a to-do list so that, when you pick back up with this particular family/question, you know where you left off, rather than starting again cold and wasting time.
- Stay organized. Use a system that works for you, is not too complicated and can be understood by others who might use your files. I have found writing a memo while I am working on a new research topic can help me focus.
Family Tree Magazine is on newsstands now and has many more useful articles. See familytreemagazine.com.
Putting your family tree on FamilySearch.org
You can participate for free in the “Family Tree Project” by going to FamilySearch.org and clicking the Family Tree tab and seeing what it takes to link up. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea. But, if you’re interested, you might match up with other family branches you were not aware of.
U.S. Ports of Entry
While Ellis Island is the most famous and commemorated of port of entry for the United States, there were many more before then, and at the same time, depending on where you were coming from or going to. Note Galveston, Texas for example.
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