What Beginner Genealogists Need to Get Started

Beginner genealogists have a hard time getting started because genealogy is so varied and so complex. Especially when you’re beginning your research journey. What do you need? Where do you go to find records? How do you save what you find? There are many questions and not enough answers. So I’m sharing four basic things to help you get started.

So to get started with your research, you’ll need a few things

1. Research Log/Research Plan
2. an online pedigree chart
3. a personal computer genealogy software
4. a way to save your findings

Why do Beginner Genealogists need a research log and plan?

Because how else are you going to keep track of everywhere you’ve been in your research journey. You need something to write down everywhere you’ve been so you don’t go to the same place or search the same database again. It also helps to look back at what you’ve already searched to know where you want to go next.

So a research log can be as simple as a notebook and pen or as elaborate as a computer software program. You decide what works for you. I like to use just a Word document with a table inserted into it. It has columns for different things that I want to keep track of such as when I searched for it, what databases did I look in, what I found or didn’t find, and what is the source if I found anything. For me, a simpler design works best.

A research plan is just a plan of what you’re going to do for the amount of time you have to research. What is your objective? And what record types are you going to look at to find that objective. It’s basically a blueprint of your actions for that time period. Again, write it down so you stay on track because it’s super easy to get sidetracked when researching. So the research plan is to keep you on track and the research log is to record what you do as you’re researching.

Why an Online Pedigree Chart?

Yes, you can get by with a paper pedigree chart, but if you plan on working with others who don’t live near you, then an online pedigree chart is a must. FamilySearch has a free website where you can create your chart and find out if others are already working on your family. Then you can work with them to fill in the blanks on your family tree. Ancestry is another good website for pedigree charts, but it’s not free. But you will also find many people working on Ancestry that are separate from FamilySearch. So it might be good to have your pedigree chart on both websites or as many as you want.

Another advantage to having an online pedigree chart is the convenience of accessing it anywhere you have internet. So if you are visiting relatives or traveling, then you can easily look up your family tree if needed.

Why a Personal Genealogy Program

Some people work solely on their online pedigree charts, but many people have their own personal computer software program that helps organize their research before they put it on their online charts. I use RootsMagic because it’s very simple to use and it will grow with you as you research more. If you’re wanting to do family history books for your family or any printing, then having a personal software program is a must. AncestralQuest is another good one to use.

How do Beginner Genealogists Save their Findings?

As you work on FamilySearch and Ancestry, they have ways to save the document directly to the ancestor it represents. This is an amazing feature to have since it makes it convenient to save multiple documents in an easy set up.

However, what if you have paper documents? How are you going to save those? You could scan it into your online pedigree chart. Or you can create a filing system that keeps them safe and protected.

But these systems don’t allow you to edit the documents if you need to focus on one area or there’s damage. This is when programs such as PhotoShop or other photo editing software comes in handy. So finding one that’s cheap and easy for you to work will be another must if you want to change documents or family photos.

Conclusion

So as you can see, it’s not that hard to get set up with what you need to research your family. It just takes some motivation and determination to get it set up right before you dive in.

And as always when you get stuck, just contact me to help you get unstuck.

So good luck and happy hunting!

Tiffany

P.S. Related Reads

• Effective Tips for Researching Census Records
• Family Search Website Tips for Beginners