Organize Your Genealogy


 * User:Jamestanner
 * User:Jamestanner/Sandbox

Organizing your genealogical information
As you begin your genealogical research, you may soon find the need to organize the information you find. There are many ways to organize genealogical information and you need to find a method that is most helpful to you personally.


 * Organizing Your Files
 * Document AS YOU GO!
 * Family History for Beginners
 * Organize the New Records

Stage One: Paper based system
Many genealogists start out with a paper based system. The basic forms are a Family Group Record and a Pedigree Chart. There are a number of websites that provide free downloadable copies of the basic forms for starting your investigations. Here is a link to a summary of many available forms.

Stage Two: Using a computer program
After becoming more involved, you may move to a computer based genealogy program. There are many types of programs available for both the Apple operating systems and the Windows operating systems. There are also programs for tablet computers and smartphones.

Additional resources:


 * Mac Genealogy Software
 * Windows Genealogy Software
 * Genealogy Management Software at Family History Centers

Stage Three: Organizing your information on your computer
Once you begin to enter genealogical information into your computer, you will find a lot of additional information to store. Most of the genealogical database programs will provide a way to attached sources and media to an individual and a family.

What is genealogy?
Genealogy is the process of discovering information about your family in an organized fashion. Further, it is a collection of tools, methodologies and procedures for organizing and analyzing the information that you find.

What is the goal of genealogical research?
The goal of genealogical research is to compile, as accurately as possible, an organized collection of information about your family.


 * Your Genealogical Quest
 * Principles of Family History Research
 * A Guide to Research

Where do I find information about my family?
Records about individuals and families are found in records maintained by those individuals, those families, their social organizations, their religious organizations, their fraternal organizations and at every level of governmental organizations.

See also:


 * Gather Family Information
 * Gather Low-Hanging-Fruit Sources

Where are the records located?
Records with information about your family might be located anywhere your family may have lived. Most genealogical records are associated with a geographic location but they can also be located according to the political jurisdiction at the time the event occurred.

What is the Research Wiki?
The Research Wiki is a huge collection of short articles about how to find your family and where to look for information about where to find ancestors.

How can I use the Research Wiki?
You can use the Research Wiki if you have any or all of the following questions:


 * Are you looking for information about doing genealogy or family history?
 * Are you looking for information about finding a specific ancestor?
 * Do you need help organizing your research?
 * Do you need help finding a specific type of record?
 * Did you want to find out about the Research Wiki?

The Research Wiki provides resources to answer these and other similar questions about genealogical research.

How is the Research Wiki organized?
The Research Wiki has information in three major categories:


 * Information about the Research Wiki itself
 * Information about genealogical resources organized by location
 * Information about genealogical resources organized by subject matter

Relevant Research Wiki Articles:


 * FamilySearch Research Wiki: Why I Participate

How do I find information in the Research Wiki?
The Research Wiki is basically a searchable collection of articles about genealogy. You do this by entering search terms such as place names, types of source documents, or other words in the search boxes on nearly every page.

Here are some Research Wiki Articles on searching:


 * Help:Searching
 * Search for Articles in the FamilySearch Research Wiki
 * Help:Basic Searches
 * Select Records to Search

What other information is in the Research Wiki?
There is really no limit as to the topics covered by the Research Wiki.

Entry tracks into the Research Wiki

(Levels of interest and experience in the Research Wiki)

Needs Information about genealogy and how to do genealogical research

Experienced in genealogy, needs information about Research Wiki Looking for specific content information, needs help finding the information