3,970
edits
New to Genealogy - Beginners First Step: Difference between revisions
New to Genealogy - Beginners First Step (view source)
Revision as of 09:06, 20 February 2015
, 20 February 2015added link + fixes
Luccagenes (talk | contribs) (added condensed outline) |
Luccagenes (talk | contribs) m (added link + fixes) |
||
| Line 37: | Line 37: | ||
<font color="blue">'''ONE.'''</font> The first goal is to take care of the [[New_to_Genealogy_-_Beginners_First_Step#What_goals_can_be_set_when_starting_a_family_history.3F|critical steps]] while there is still time to do so. | <font color="blue">'''ONE.'''</font> The first goal is to take care of the [[New_to_Genealogy_-_Beginners_First_Step#What_goals_can_be_set_when_starting_a_family_history.3F|critical steps]] while there is still time to do so. | ||
* Don’t rush to collect names until the “perishable” things are collected and protected.<br><br> | * Don’t rush to [[Searching Genealogy Names|collect names]] until the “perishable” things are collected and protected.<br><br> | ||
* Capture the memories before they are forgotten or gone. | * Capture the memories before they are forgotten or gone. | ||
:*[[New_to_Genealogy_-_Beginners_First_Step#Preserving_information_and_memories_.28questions_produce_answers.29.|Ask questions]]; record or videotape the answers if possible. | :*[[New_to_Genealogy_-_Beginners_First_Step#Preserving_information_and_memories_.28questions_produce_answers.29.|Ask questions]]; record or videotape the answers if possible. | ||
| Line 47: | Line 47: | ||
<font color="blue">'''TWO.'''</font> Examine your choices and decide on your goals (use small manageable steps). | <font color="blue">'''TWO.'''</font> Examine your choices and decide on your goals (use small manageable steps). | ||
* Is this a hobby, a passion, a calling, a vocation, a career, or a legacy?<br><br> | * Is this a pastime, hobby, a passion, a calling, a vocation, a career, or a legacy?<br><br> | ||
* Start slowly to build confidence. | * Start slowly to build confidence. | ||
:* Build a cooperative [[New_to_Genealogy_-_Beginners_First_Step#Build_a_small_network_of_family_and_distant_cousins_to_collaborate_with.|network]] to share data and activities. | :* Build a cooperative [[New_to_Genealogy_-_Beginners_First_Step#Build_a_small_network_of_family_and_distant_cousins_to_collaborate_with.|network]] to share data and activities. | ||
| Line 99: | Line 99: | ||
==== <br>What goals can be set when starting a family history? ==== | ==== <br>What goals can be set when starting a family history? ==== | ||
The very first goal can be one of the easiest, one of the most rewarding, and is actually the most important. The first step is a '''critical''' step because time is running out and you may only have a short window of opportunity to complete this step. Preserving memories, documents, and photographs has to be your number one priority. All the other goals can be slowly and progressively added as you become more and more interested and confident when researching your family’s history. It is important to remember that this endeavor can take the form of a hobby, a passion, a calling, a vocation, a career, or a legacy and if kept in the correct perspective it can be quite rewarding. | The very first goal can be one of the easiest, one of the most rewarding, and is actually the most important. The first step is a '''critical''' step because time is running out and you may only have a short window of opportunity to complete this step. Preserving memories, documents, and photographs has to be your number one priority. All the other goals can be slowly and progressively added as you become more and more interested and confident when researching your family’s history. It is important to remember that this endeavor can take the form of a pastime, hobby, a passion, a calling, a vocation, a career, or a legacy and if kept in the correct perspective it can be quite rewarding. Once the '''critical''' steps are taken care of, you can relax and enjoy you new endeavors. | ||
Even though the natural urge when starting a genealogy project is to jump right in and start collecting names of as many ancestors as possible, '''''you should somewhat resist this urge'''''. It can become very addictive and getting those names identified, collected, and organized in a website like [https://familysearch.org/ familysearch.org] or a software program ([https://familysearch.org/products/ see '''compatible''' Family History Products]) can start to consume much more of your time than you anticipated and this also has the disadvantage of obscuring an important issue. | Even though the natural urge when starting a genealogy project is to jump right in and start collecting names of as many ancestors as possible, '''''you should somewhat resist this urge'''''. It can become very addictive and getting those names identified, collected, and organized in a website like [https://familysearch.org/ familysearch.org] or a software program ([https://familysearch.org/products/ see '''compatible''' Family History Products]) can start to consume much more of your time than you anticipated and this also has the disadvantage of obscuring an important issue. | ||
| Line 105: | Line 105: | ||
An alternative approach when starting out is to initially record your ancestors back only 2 to 4 generations and then record all the descendants from each of those identified names. The next step is to identify those people who are still living and try to make contact with as many as possible. Your aim is to collect as many copies of documents/photos and record their memories while these people and objects are still available. Remember that people do not live forever, that memories are fragile and can be forgotten, and that documents and photos may get destroyed or passed on to someone else so that you may never see them again. | An alternative approach when starting out is to initially record your ancestors back only 2 to 4 generations and then record all the descendants from each of those identified names. The next step is to identify those people who are still living and try to make contact with as many as possible. Your aim is to collect as many copies of documents/photos and record their memories while these people and objects are still available. Remember that people do not live forever, that memories are fragile and can be forgotten, and that documents and photos may get destroyed or passed on to someone else so that you may never see them again. | ||
Searching through the online data for information back 5 to 10 generations may seem to be the appropriate goal and in and of itself may feel rewarding but what happens later when you say to yourself that I wish I had talked to my Aunt before she passed away or that I wished I sat down with my Uncle before he started losing his memory. Set your first objective to be one where you collect as much of the available information (documents, photos, and memories) while you still can. The online information is interesting and valuable but you have to remember that the same information will still be there months or years from now and there may actually be more information that is available the longer you wait. That data is not a time sensitive issue so it should have a lower priority while talking with those that may not be around later or recording information that may soon be forgotten should be the highest priority. This perishable information may actually hold the clues that make it possible to find the 10 generations in the first place. Setting the right priorities will give you the best chance at success. | Searching through the [[Searching Genealogy Names|online data]] for information back 5 to 10 generations may seem to be the appropriate goal and in and of itself may feel rewarding but what happens later when you say to yourself that I wish I had talked to my Aunt before she passed away or that I wished I sat down with my Uncle before he started losing his memory. Set your first objective to be one where you collect as much of the available information (documents, photos, and memories) while you still can. The online information is interesting and valuable but you have to remember that the same information will still be there months or years from now and there may actually be more information that is available the longer you wait. That data is not a time sensitive issue so it should have a lower priority while talking with those that may not be around later or recording information that may soon be forgotten should be the highest priority. This perishable information may actually hold the clues that make it possible to find the 10 generations in the first place. Setting the right priorities will give you the best chance at success. | ||
===== <br>'''Preserving information and memories''' (questions produce answers). ===== | ===== <br>'''Preserving information and memories''' (questions produce answers). ===== | ||