Template:General research tips

General Research Tips Success with birth, marriage and death records depends on a few key points.
 * If your ancestor has a common name, extra reference points in the search query improve search options and success.
 * Find your ancestor in each available census.
 * Use indexes, but if the image is available, always look at the image to verify accuracy and see information not indexed.
 * Where a person lived can be a great help to group individuals into their correct families.
 * Dates in a person's life will point to various options for learning more about them. Even approximate dates for birth, marriage and death can help.
 * Find at least two documents from independent sources to verify what you learn.
 * Use maps - doing genealogy without a map is like painting with your eyes shut.