Organize the Search
As your tree starts to bear fruit, you'll find that a computer can be of tremendous help in organizing your research and presenting your results. Some traditional organization of paper files and documents will still likely be necessary, but organization of your overall research is much more important, and this is where the computer can really shine. Not only does it take up much less space than piles of papers and boxes of documents, but a computer also makes it easier to search and sort through your family tree.
Download or Purchase a Genealogy Program
Family tree software is much easier to use than pencil and paper once your family tree begins to grow. Computer software allows you to type in the name, date, and other information on each individual just once; easily move back and forth between generations in your family tree; view and print a variety of reports on your ancestors; and exchange information with family members and other researchers. And since there are a number of good programs available for free, there really is no reason not to use genealogy software.
GEDCOM, an acronym for Genealogical Data COMmunication, is a special file format that can be read by most genealogy programs, allowing easy transfer of your family tree file from one program to the other. Learn how to open and read a GEDCOM file, as well as how to use your family tree program to create and share your own, in “Genealogy GEDCOM 101.”
For those of you wondering which genealogy software is the best, there really isn't a clear-cut answer. Most genealogy programs today offer good, basic functionality, so your choice should really depend upon your individual goals and preferences. Some family tree software excels at publishing books or charts. Other programs do a better job at helping you organize and document your data.
The best option is to try before you buy. Most companies that sell genealogy software have a website where you can download a free trial or demo version. Some programs, such as the standard versions of Legacy Family Tree and Family Tree Builder, as well as RootsMagic Essentials, are free.
There are dozens of genealogy software programs available, but the following are some of the ones most widely used by genealogists (and still offering new versions and updates):
There are some excellent options for Macintosh users as well, including:
Family Tree Maker — Mac version
A number of Internet-based family tree offerings allow you to create, view, and edit your family tree entirely online, an alternative to traditional stand-alone computer software. This is an excellent option for families or groups who are collaborating together on a genealogy, as well as for individuals who like to work on more than one computer.
The most full-featured standalone option is Ancestry Member Trees, which allows you to build your family tree online from scratch (or GEDCOM upload), include notes and sources, and even attach documents (either records found on Ancestry.com or documents/photos uploaded from your own computer).
Other online tools for building and sharing a family tree include MyHeritage, Geni.com, and Family Pursuit. Most require some type of membership fee for full-feature use and none offer the tools, power, and flexibility of the best computer-based genealogy software programs.
For assistance with choosing genealogy software, ConsumerSearch offers an excellent annual roundup of reviews of the most common genealogy programs from a variety of reviewers, including an excellent discussion of the pros and cons of each one. Or, visit GenSoftReviews for user reviews of popular genealogy programs.
Additional software options help you get your family tree information from your desktop genealogy program and then publish it online (usually via a GEDCOM file).
A Research Log Is Essential
Whether you keep it on paper or on your computer, a research log is essentially a place where you keep track of your research, from the planning stage through to completion — essentially a journal of your research process. You use it to record what you are planning to look for and where you plan to look for it. After you search the source, you add information about when you searched, what names and name variations you searched for, and what you did and did not find.
You may also choose to include a record of any correspondence (e-mails, letters, and so on) in your research log, although some genealogists choose to maintain a separate correspondence log. You can track all of your research in one big research log, or maintain separate research logs for each individual, family group, or surname.
Right now, as you're just setting out on your family tree journey, a research log approach may seem like a waste of time. But chances are that after you've spent a few weeks and months researching online, you'll end up visiting the same places again and again. That's not to say that you shouldn't revisit websites.
Most are continually adding new information, and you'll also keep discovering new ancestors to research. But unless you keep track of where you've been and who and what you've searched for, you can end up wasting a lot of time and effort retracing your previous trail.
You can find a variety of research log forms online for free download, or you can easily design your own. Many genealogy software programs also offer a simple to-do list or research log feature. The goal is to keep track of the research you've done and plan to do, and whatever format is the easiest for you to use and maintain is the one you should use.
Clooz is an electronic filing cabinet designed just for genealogists who prefer computer organization to paper files. It includes more than 100 templates for recording information found in a wide variety of different genealogical records, along with blank templates, source templates, and other methods of organizing the little scraps of data you come across when researching your family tree. You can download a free trial.
Taking Good Notes Will Improve Results
You don't want to have to rely on your memory for vital details, so consider using your computer or a notebook to take notes. Most genealogical software has a special space for notes on each individual, and some include a notes field for each individual event as well. Always label your notes with the date and place where they were taken, as well as a complete reference, or citation, to the original source.
Part of taking good notes is learning how to copy the information you find in documents and other source materials. This copying can take a number of forms, but the three most common are transcripts, abstracts, and extracts.
A transcript (transcription) is a complete, word-for-word copy of the original document. Everything is copied exactly as it appears, including any errors, misspellings, abbreviations, and punctuation. If something needs clarification or you want to include your interpretation of something, comments can be added in square brackets [like this], not in parentheses. This convention tells other readers that you have added the information contained within the brackets, and that it was not found in the original.
An abstract is a summary of a document's essential details, including names, dates, places, and events, in the same order that they appear in the original source. Nonessential words and punctuation are omitted. As with transcriptions, copy all names, dates, and abbreviations exactly as they appear in the original.
Extracts are similar to abstracts in that they include only portions of the original document text. Instead of summarizing, however, an extract is an exact word-for-word copy of a selected portion of text, set off by quotation marks. Extracts can stand alone, but you'll more commonly find them included as part of an abstract to highlight essential portions of the text.
Even if you keep both digital and paper copies of original documents such as wills and land deeds, it often helps to make a full transcription and include it in the notes section of your genealogy software, or with your research, for easy reference — a transcription is much easier to read quickly than old, faded handwriting. Transcriptions and abstracts are also useful for situations in which you can't make a copy of the original document.
While transcribing a document, if you feel the need to insert a comment, correction, interpretation, or clarification, include it in square brackets [like this], not parentheses, to avoid confusion. Bracketed question marks [?] can be substituted for letters or words that can't be interpreted, or for interpretations that are questionable.
Tame the Paper Monster
Even if you keep almost all of your genealogy research on the computer, you'll probably still have boxes and files of certificates, photocopies, photos, and other paper records generated during the course of your search. You can scan important documents and photos into your computer, of course, but even then you may not want to throw away the originals.
Genealogists use a number of different systems for organizing their files, including folders, binders, and notebooks. You can find an overview of several common filing systems online — just type genealogy organization into your favorite search engine. The books Organizing Your Family History Search by Sharon DeBartolo Carmack and The Organized Family Historian by Ann Carter Fleming, CG, CGL, offer additional organization examples and advice.
