Iowa Getting Started: Difference between revisions
(Created page with " {{IA-sidebar}}{{breadcrumb | link1=Iowa | link2=Research Tips and Strategies | link3= | link4= | link5=Getting Started }}__NOTOC__ ==How to Research== # '''Identify what you know:''' Work from the known to the unknown. Don't jump straight back to a distant ancestor. Begin with the present and confirm/document the information and relationships as y...") |
No edit summary |
||
| (5 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown) | |||
| Line 6: | Line 6: | ||
| link5=[[Iowa Getting Started|Getting Started]] | | link5=[[Iowa Getting Started|Getting Started]] | ||
}}__NOTOC__ | }}__NOTOC__ | ||
==Beginning Research in Iowa== | |||
*[[GuidedResearch:Iowa|Finding Iowa Births, Marriages, and Deaths using Guided Research]] | |||
*[[How to Find Iowa Birth Records|How to Iowa Find Birth Records]] | |||
*[[How to Find Iowa Marriage Records|How to Iowa Find Marriage Records]] | |||
*[[How to Find Iowa Death Records|How to Find Iowa Death Records]] | |||
*[[Iowa Research Tips and Strategies|Iowa Research Strategies]] | |||
*See also [[United States Getting Started|United States Getting Started]] for more resources. | |||
==How to Research== | ==How to Research== | ||
# '''[[Identify What You Know|Identify what you know]]:''' Work from the known to the unknown. Don't jump straight back to a distant ancestor. Begin with the present and confirm/document the information and relationships as you work your way back. | # '''[[Identify What You Know|Identify what you know]]:''' Work from the known to the unknown. Don't jump straight back to a distant ancestor. Begin with the present and confirm/document the information and relationships as you work your way back. | ||
| Line 12: | Line 21: | ||
# '''[[Select Records to Search|Select records to search]]:''' Different regions of the United States can have different records. See Iowa's [[Iowa Record Finder|Record Finder]] table to see what kind of record could provide the desired ancestral information. Search the desired records. | # '''[[Select Records to Search|Select records to search]]:''' Different regions of the United States can have different records. See Iowa's [[Iowa Record Finder|Record Finder]] table to see what kind of record could provide the desired ancestral information. Search the desired records. | ||
# '''[[Use the Information|Analyze/use the information]]:''' When you find new sources, carefully [[Evaluate the Evidence|evaluate them]] to ensure they are about the correct ancestors, and that the information in the evidence is being accurately interpreted. [[Transfer_the_Information#Cite_Your_Sources|Cite]] or document your sources in your family tree establish the accuracy of your findings. | # '''[[Use the Information|Analyze/use the information]]:''' When you find new sources, carefully [[Evaluate the Evidence|evaluate them]] to ensure they are about the correct ancestors, and that the information in the evidence is being accurately interpreted. [[Transfer_the_Information#Cite_Your_Sources|Cite]] or document your sources in your family tree establish the accuracy of your findings. | ||
[[Category:Iowa, United States]][[Category:Research Tips and Strategies]] | [[Category:Iowa, United States]][[Category:Research Tips and Strategies]] | ||
Latest revision as of 15:30, 14 February 2025
| Iowa Wiki Topics |
|
| Beginning Research |
| Record Types |
|
| Iowa Background |
| Cultural Groups |
| Local Research Resources |
Beginning Research in Iowa
- Finding Iowa Births, Marriages, and Deaths using Guided Research
- How to Iowa Find Birth Records
- How to Iowa Find Marriage Records
- How to Find Iowa Death Records
- Iowa Research Strategies
- See also United States Getting Started for more resources.
How to Research
- Identify what you know: Work from the known to the unknown. Don't jump straight back to a distant ancestor. Begin with the present and confirm/document the information and relationships as you work your way back.
- Document/source your tree: As you gather information, identify where and who each piece of information came from. Evaluate how reliable the sources are, and ensure you are interpreting them correctly. Don't simply accept ancestral information on your tree. Instead, look for records or other reliable sources to support each date, place, and relationship.
- Decide what you want to learn: Have a specific research goal or objective. This is defined by pursuing a specific piece of information about a specific ancestor. An example of a bad, or too-generic research goal is: "I want to know more about my great-grandfather." An example of a good research goal is: "I want to find the marriage date of my great-grandparents."
- Select records to search: Different regions of the United States can have different records. See Iowa's Record Finder table to see what kind of record could provide the desired ancestral information. Search the desired records.
- Analyze/use the information: When you find new sources, carefully evaluate them to ensure they are about the correct ancestors, and that the information in the evidence is being accurately interpreted. Cite or document your sources in your family tree establish the accuracy of your findings.