Research Tips

Research Tip 1
What To Do About Brick Walls

Research Tip 2
How Do I Research My Immigrant Ancestors So That I Can Find Their Place of Origin and Identify Their Parents?

Research Tip 3
African-American Research in the United States

Research Tip 4
You Never Know Until You Look (Part One)

Research Tip 5
You Never Know Until You Look (Part Two)

Research Tip 6
Selected Internet Links for Genealogists

1. Begin with yourself and document your link to your parents, their links to their parents, and so forth, moving backward in time. Don’t skip a generation in your rush to reach an immigrant, “famous,” or other interesting ancestor. Your goal is your correct lineage, not someone else’s ancestors.
    
2. Although you can find much genealogical information on the Internet, you cannot identify and confirm all your ancestors online. (First, it is impossible to identify all your ancestors.) To confirm your lineages, you need to combine the Internet with traditional research in family, census, county, and other kinds of records contemporary with the ancestors. For help in this endeavor, consult Unpuzzling Your Past.
    
3. Consider joining a local, county, or state genealogical society. Benefits include educational opportunities, advice on research, and new friends.