Organize

8 tips for keeping your genealogy research organized and focused.

Starting organized is more accessible than getting organized later on when it comes to genealogy. It didn’t take long before my research became weighed down with pedigree charts, family group records, to-do lists, research logs, documents, notes and research tools. I was robbing myself of precious research time because I spent hours looking for what I knew I had and duplicating research I had already done.

After I became organized, I was able to do the following:

  • Know exactly what information I had for each ancestor
  • Have a complete list of information I was missing for each ancestor
  • Know exactly what resources I had checked and the results of my research
  • Know every book I had ever searched
  • Remember who I had contacted and the responses I had received
  • Easily file new research findings

Here are some tips for getting — and staying — organized:

Choose an organization system that genealogists use

Several popular organization systems exist for genealogy. Research these systems and use the one that fits your style and that you will use.

I have evaluated, started and subsequently abandoned several filing systems. My recommendation? I took a class from Mary E.V. Hill on a filing system, and I reorganized my genealogy using her color-coded filing system.

It is highly flexible — the more ancestors you find, the more expandable and flexible the system becomes. It can be multi-generational and strictly linear at the same time. The system is simple to set up, maintain, well-organized and inexpensive. It is easy to understand for the researcher and the mildly interested relatives alike, and I can find anything in just a few seconds.

I have used the concepts to organize my paper, computer, and oral and personal history files.  See “13-Step Color-Coded Filing System for Ancestry Research.”

Regularly merge and purge files

Once you have set up your filing system, you must periodically purge duplicate items, remove unnecessary documents, make decisions about the contents, and move some items to another type of folder or container. After reviewing, sorting, and purging information in the file folder, I practice asking myself, “What is missing that would help me be a better researcher?”

Keep source citation

Try to maintain a source citation for each document or item in the file so that you can verify the trail of your research. Make it a habit to have the citation available when writing the family history or to share this information with others. It will eliminate the time-consuming extra steps of returning to the original book, document, film or website to secure the source.

Include your handwritten notes

I have had the opportunity to interview many family members, some of whom no longer live. I’ve made it a practice to include the interview notes (original or scanned) in the filing folders. You will find these notes to be pertinent to future research. If you have recorded an interview, include a transcript in the folder. All of these sources are essential family documents.

Include five-generation group sheets

Genealogical computer programs provide many options for charts and reports. A good five-generation chart will quickly outline the relationship between family members. When I started my research, I had many family group sheets that had been handwritten, and I took the time to enter the information into my genealogy software.

Keep photocopies and digital images

As you conduct research, make it a practice to make photocopies or digital images (with your camera or scanner) of the critical sources of your research. It provides proof, citations and clues for future research. Make it a practice to include the title page of your source. If the title page is missing, substitute the library catalog printout. As your research progresses, some of the images are no longer pertinent (not the right family) and should be purged.

Photographs require their storage place

Genealogical file folders are not an excellent location to store family photographs. Take the time to learn about how to preserve and archive photos properly. After I scan or duplicate images, I have made it a practice to catalog and file the images so I can actively use them in my research. I will place a copy of an image in the file folder where appropriate. Because a large portion of my photographs is digital images, I have created a digital catalog that cross-referenced the individuals, locations, and the original.

Keep original documents in a safe place

Store original documents such as birth, marriage, and death certificates under safe archival conditions whenever possible. I have found that archival sleeves or file folders stored in an archival box are best. I place a reference photocopy in the appropriate folder of my filing system. I always make it a practice to scan these documents, which allows me to share this information with other family members and use the digital image in family history research.

Create and file a cross-reference guide

I have created a cross-reference guide indicating which documents pertaining to each person or family are available in other folders for ease of access. There is no reason to duplicate documents within the paper files, such as a marriage certificate or a census page. However, these documents and many others include multiple names, so it’s helpful to have a cross-reference guide.

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