This is a question I hear (and see on-line) often, so this fall I'm going to post articles that discuss this question, and point to resources you can use for each step right away. This post, I hope, will get you thinking and planning.
Either way, Congratulations! You are joining or rejoining a great bunch of researchers at a time when online resources are widely available and many are free. Often this makes genealogy research feel overwhelming though, so it's good to take a breath and approach it slowly.
My first steps may seem a little obvious, one or two, unorthodox, even a bit contrarian, but I believe these steps together will ensure you start your research with a strong foundation, and you're sure to be known as the 'best ancestor' for those who take up your family research in the future.
You will see each of these steps involve process. As you progress in your research you'll find you tweak your filing system, you'll encounter new tools or apps you want to use, and you'll learn to adapt and take things in stride.
Step 1
Set up (or clean up) an organizing/filing/storing system for your research (digital/paper/?) - one that you feel comfortable with. It does not have to be perfect! But do make it elastic - you never know when someone may gift you genealogy goodies.
And keep it practical - appropriate for your life and your space. Watch for organizing ideas and resources here soon.
Step 2
Document your system so that you can easily show someone else how to use it. Draw a chart, list your file labels - whatever works for you. I do believe you should 'have this on paper' so it's easily accessible. More about that in a future post.
Step 3
In genealogy, we all need to back up regularly and store our research safely. Assess what you already have. Prepare to create a written plan with goals, for instance, scanning one file of family documents you've already gathered by Jan 2021, scanning a photo album by December 2020, or photographing the family silver right way.
If you have a family tree already that's only online, or family photographs that are only on Facebook, give yourself an afternoon or more to download these. Now create a written plan to automatically backup your digital files, including photos, and think about how to show off or store other documents and family treasures safely. And it's never too early to start thinking about disaster plans.
Step 4
Now it's time to commit or recommit to faithfully 'citing your sources....' In family research, it's essential to know where information and sometimes ideas or 'hunches' came from so anyone can recheck and evaluate your research. (Sometimes this info makes great stories later.) So as appropriate, look at any reference styles you've used in the past, and decide too if you want to choose new genealogy software or upgrade - genealogy software now can make writing citations much easier.
Step 5
Finally! Research time. In genealogy we say, start with yourself! So set aside time to explore your own personal history. Start with what you know, and collect information from any documents you have about yourself or interview a close relative or two, if you can.
Do note down dates and places, but go further. Depending on your interests, and time and availability, you could do a timeline or write a story about your early schooling or childhood memories, or record yourself looking at photographs and talking about people and events. These are exercises you can return to often in the future.
Step 6
With this step, move your research a little away from yourself, and think about relatives and friends or others you could interview about family and perhaps local history. They could have stories and insights into your family history that no one else has.
With luck, one or two may be interested in researching with you.
Remember - this is the great regret heard from genealogists - "I didn't ask...and now it seems there's no one to ask. "
Watch for a series of posts here in September, October and November, maybe December. I will add the links to them below.
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