Managing your genealogy research

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Your research records

Recording your research is vital because while it might not seem important when you first start researching your family, but the larger your family tree grows the less likely you are to remember where all your information came from. As you collect all of this information you need a way to manage it so that you can both protect it and maintain easy access to it.

Computer Based

Many of the websites for genealogy research enable you to download copies of documents to you computer. Genealogy software exists that enable you to record every detail and source of information that you collect, including copying photographs and certificates into the programs database. Further information on genealogy programs can be found at Portable, Open Source, Freeware for Genealogy. Along with a genealogy program you should use a folder structure that makes it easy to recognise which family the notes, documents, photos and other items relate to.

Manual Files

While computers are useful, many people still like to have documents that they can hold in their hands and many genealogists have both just in case they lose their data in some way. If you are a pen and paper person then I highly recommend using one or more pedigree charts and family group sheets to keep track of your work. Like computer based research a good folder system will help you locate items easily. I would recommend a large folder with dividers or suspension files in a filing draw or box.

Example Folder Structure

A method that I have found useful, is to us a pedigree chart to identify your ancestors families and then create folders for each of these family groups. Under these folders you can include any descendant families that are not in your ancestral line. For example you might have information on the families of your great grandfathers siblings so create folders under your great, great grandparents for each of these family groups.

1  Family group Parents
2  Family group Grandparents A
3  Family group Grandparents B
4  Family group Great Grandparents A
5  Family group Great Grandparents B
6  Family group Great Grandparents C
7  Family group Great Grandparents D
8  Family group Great Great Grandparents A
8.1  Family group Great Great Grandparents Descendant Family A
8.2  Family group Great Great Grandparents Descendant Family B
8.3  Family group Great Great Grandparents Descendant Family C
9  Family group Great Great Grandparents B
10  And continue.


Further reading