Use the Information

Previous page

Step 5: Use the information.

After you have searched records you are ready to use the information you found.

To make best use of the information—

• Evaluate what you found.
• Transfer needed information to the appropriate forms.
• Organize the new records.
• Share your findings.

When you have completed this step, you will have new information organized on family group record and/or pedigree charts. You may also have recorded the information in personal or family history notes.

When you have learned all you wish to learn about a family, share your information with others by contributing it to Ancestral File or by preparing and publishing a book or article or putting up an Internet site. Latter-day Saint Church members will want to prepare their ancestors’ names for temple ordinances.

You will also be ready to start the process again and return to Step 1 to research another objective or individual.

Evaluate the Evidence

Having found one or more records about a person, it is time to evaluate what you found and determine how helpful and reliable it is.

Transfer the Information

Transfer the new information about your objective to the appropriate family group record and/or pedigree chart. The new information may correct earlier information, answer questions, or pose new questions. Where new information conflicts with what is already on the forms, you must determine which is correct. You may want to record both pieces of information until you can determine which, if either, is correct. However, be discrete with confidential or harmful information. After comparing the old and new information, you can return to Step 2 and choose new objectives.

Cite Your Sources

Every time you add new information to your forms or database, cite the source of that information. You may record sources on the bottom or back of most family group record forms or on an attached sheet. If you are using a computer program, there is usually a field for recording source notes.

Citing your sources will—

• Help you and other researchers avoid duplicate searches later.
• Give other family researchers confidence in your research.
• Enable other family researchers to check you sources for additional information.
  

Provide enough information so anyone could easily find the source later.

Without documenting sources, your information is unproven. As you cite a source, be sure anyone could (1) readily locate or identify the source later and (2) evaluate the validity of the source. You should usually include—

• Author’s Name or provider of information.
• Title of the record or book.
• Place of the original information (such as a county name, or a book’s city and publisher.)
• Date of information (if a book, year of publication.)
• Page or entry number, telling where the information is in the record.
• Location of the copy you examined (a call number for library materials, or the person who has possession of the record.)

Only cite the sources you have seen. If you received information second-hand from others, identify the person who provided the information, such as “Lakeshore Cemetery as researched by John Leland.”

Examples of recorded sources:

• From personal knowledge: “Thelma Winter, daughter of George and Grace Winter, statement made at Los Angeles, 24 June 1976. She was present at the funeral of her sister, Margaret.”

• From family sources: “Maude Family Bible; p. 614, copy owned by David Merrik, American Fork, Utah. Births of the children appear to have been recorded on the date they occurred.”

“Letter from John Schmitt, Boston, MA, to Sally Hansen n Chicago, IL dated 4 June 1883; photocopy in possession of Aaron Jones, Santa Clara, CA.”

“Family group record of Aaron Pierce in possession of Albert Fairfield, 1318 Wilmont Drive, Medford, Oregon. Original source unknown.”

• From a published book: “Mary Coffin Johnson, The Higleys and Their Ancestry, 1630-1892. New York: D. Appleton, 1896; pp 9-15; (Sutro C571 H639 1896).”

• From a manuscript document or certificate: “Probate packet for Lawrence Mitchell; County Clerk; Sullivan Co. NH, Will dated 3 August 1838, probate settled 6 June 1846; photocopy in possession of Aaron Jones, Santa Clara, CA.”

“Birth Cert of Harriet Meyerink; 1918; Dept of Vital Statistics, Sacramento CA, Cert #342890; in possession of Aaron Jones, Santa Clara, CA.”

“Census: 1850 Lincoln Co. NE; E.D. 47; p. 271; FHL film 973025.”

For records from a library or archives, include the repository name and call numbers (a film or book number) or document numbers. For example, for a record from the Famiy History Library, add the following to your description:

          “FHL film 906828 item 3”

          “FHL book 974.9 H2ne”

As you document four findings—

• Be consistent in the format you use.
• Avoid unfamiliar abbreviations.
• List all the sources used to support your findings.
• Identify any conflicting or missing information.
• Indicate if additional research is needed.

For more information on recording sources and footnote style guides see Cite Your Sources: (Source Footnotes).

Using a Computer for Genealogy

Using a Computer for Genealogy

You do not have to have a personal computer to keep genealogy records, but it helps! Computer note keeping offers an important advantage. After typing the information once, you can use it repeatedly in many different ways. The same information can be used in pedigrees, family group records and descendancy charts, and is easily shared for other people to use. This flexibility saves time. Reports and charts are easily updated without extensive retyping. A computer program can help you analyze some information by preparing special reports, such as possible errors (for example, children born before parents’ births). However, computers may be expensive and are not as portable as a pencil and paper. Specially designed computer programs are available to help genealogists more easily compile— Lineage-linked databases (files which can be searched by name, date, place, or relationship and which show a person’s ancestors and descendants) Reports and charts Blank forms (for example, research logs) Autobiographies and family histories Indexes Transcriptions of records such as censuses When selecting computer programs to help with genealogical note keeping, consider these factors: Does it enable you to create a lineage-linked database and to print the reports and charts you want? Does the program communicate and work well with New FamilySearch? Does the program support GEDCOM? (Genealogical Data COMmunications) so you can easily send and receive genealogical information and contribute to Ancestral File? Does the publisher have a good record of answering user questions and helping to solve problems? Is it easy to use? Is the price reasonable? Does the program offer all the features and capabilities you want? Two helpful reviews of dozens of genealogy programs are on the Internet at: “Best Genealogy Software” ConsumerSearch at http://www.consumersearch.com/www/software/genealogy-software/ [cited 5 April 2008]. “Genealogy Software Reviews, Ratings, and Comparisons” About.com:Genealogy at http://genealogy.about.com/od/software_reviews/ [cited 5 April 2008]

For Further Reading

Appendixes

Family History Library (FHL); now called, FamilySearch Library (FSL)