Select Records to Search: Difference between revisions

''[[Principles of Family History Research|Principles of Family History Research&nbsp;]] &gt;&nbsp; Select Records to Search''<br>

'''Step 3: Select records to search.'''  

Selecting a record to search is the most complex part of the research process. You will need to—  

*Identify a category of sources.  

*Choose a record type.  

*Select specific records.  

*Describe the record on a research log.

This is called a record selection strategy—an orderly approach for identifying the records most helpful for your research objective.  

At the end of this step you will have a research log with descriptions of records you will search to meet your objective.  

=== Creation of Records ===

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|+ '''Creation of Records'''  

'''Events'''<br>Most records were created to register events such as birth, death, or military service. Noteworthy happenings in a person’s physical, social, religious, family, civil, or private life were recorded by various jurisdictions.  

'''Locality'''<br>Usually records are connected to a specific locality; a town, county, state, province, region or nation. In order to find a person in a record, you must know the specific place (usually the town or county) where the family lived ''when the record was created.'' Sometimes the place may have changed since the person lived there. It may have a new name or belong to a new county, province, or state. Gazetteers (geographic dictionaries) can help you determine this information. Also see the discussion of [[Select Records to Search#Jurisdictions|Jurisdictions]].  

'''Creating the Records'''<br>Authorities create records to serve their organization. The records may describe (1)&amp;nbsp;an event or (2)&amp;nbsp;the size and nature of the population. It is helpful to understand why a record was kept. For example, to use a tax list, you need to know if the government was taxing real or personal property, or every head of household or adult males. Each tax list may include different people and property.<br>  

= Identify a Category of Sources =

There is no substitute for learning about records in order to select the best records to search. The more you understand about the records used for genealogical research, the more effectively you will be able to select and use them. The first step to understanding the records used in research is to learn the genealogical classification of records You can then use that classification to help you select appropriate records. You cannot select an appropriate records unless your objective is clearly defined.  

You cannot select an appropriate record unless your objective is clearly defined.  

Genealogical sources can be grouped into two divisions, each with two categories. The following chart illustrates the relationship of these four categories.<br> [[Image:Genealogical Sources Tree.jpg|frame|center]] Review your objective. If you have a genealogical objective you will be selecting ''genealogical records''. For reference objectives, you will want to select ''reference tools''. When you know which kind of source you want, the following guidelines will help you choose from these categories of records: (1)&nbsp;compiled records, (2)&nbsp;original records, (3)&nbsp;background information, or (4)&nbsp;finding aids.  

== Genealogical Records ==

=== Compiled Records ===

Compiled records can:  

 

=== Original Records ===

[[Select Records to Search#Original Records Choices|Original records]] provide information about events in a person’s life. This includes birth, marriage, immigration, military service, land purchases, and death. Most also document relationships. These records were usually created near the time such an event took place. Based on the information in them, they can be grouped as:  

Original records can:  

 

== Reference Tools ==

Reference tools can help you find or understand genealogical records and the people in them. This includes information about:  

=== Background Information ===

Background information is often needed to identify which records to search.  

=== Finding Aids ===

[[Select Records to Search#Finding Aids Choices|Finding aids]] can help you determine ''where'' information can be found. There are two groups of finding aids—  

= Choose a Record Type =

== Sources Useful to Genealogists ==

[[Image:Sources Useful to Genealogists.png|frame|center|600px]]  

=== Compiled Records: Choices ===

[[Image:Choose a Finding Aid Record Type.png|frame|center|600px]]  

= Select Specific Records =

You have identified a record type. Now you are ready to compare information on your family group record with catalogs or record lists in order to choose which specific records you will search. First, look again at the family group record for information about where and when a selected event occurred. If necessary guess when and where it happened.  

== Helpful Guessing Skills ==

To find useful source documents, sometimes a researcher needs to be good at guessing information needed to find ancestors in documents. Each of the following involves being able to guess some '''''additional''''' information based on what is already shown on a family group record:<br>  

*[[Guessing a Place|Guessing a Place]] for every event on that family group. Usually you need to guess where an event happened to be able to guess where to look for records of that place.<br>  

*[[Guessing a Date|Guessing a Date]] for every event on that family group. You need to guess dates to narrow searches when indexes are not available or cover only limited periods.<br>  

*[[Guessing a Name Variation|Guessing a Name Variation]] for every name on that family group. Your ancestors may have always spelled their name a certain way, but the clerks who wrote their names probably used some surprises. Learn to look for ancestors under unexpected spellings and names.

== '''Catalogs and Record Lists''' ==

To select a specific record, it is most useful to review a list of records, such as a library catalog or bibliography. Most such lists organize the records they describe into groups and often use the same or similar groupings (or "Record Types") used above.  

Many genealogists do much of their research in one or two repositories. You may want to select some record(s) for your objective from the collections where you do research. For a discussion of the many kinds of record repositories, see [[Obtain and Search the Records#Obtain the Records|Obtain the Records]].  

However, since ''no'' library or archives has all possible records for your objective, you may need to use lists that best fit your research opportunities.  

Experienced researchers who have used many different records will often be able to select a specific record based on past experience. However, use of a comprehensive list of records will help identify records that are often overlooked, forgotten or not previously available.  

You can look for the record type you choose in the following sources—  

=== '''Family History Library Catalog''' ===

This lists and describes the records in the Family History Library—the largest collection of genealogical records in the world. It is the key to research in the library and its family history centers. If the records from your locality of interest have been microfilmed or digitized, the Family History Library Catalog would usually be the most comprehensive list you could use to select the best records for your search.  

The catalog, updated regularly, is on the Internet at http://[http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.asp www.familysearch.org/Eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.asp]  

You may search the catalog by '''''Surname''''' (for family histories), by '''''Place''''' (for record types), by '''''Subject'''''' (such as Navajo Indians), or by '''''Author''''' or '''''Title''''' if known. The record types listed in [[Select Records to Search#Sources Useful to Genealogists|Sources Useful to Genealogists]] are mostly the same as the headings used in the Place Search of the catalog.  

For more information see the wiki article [[Introduction to the Family History Library Catalog|Introduction to the Family History Library Catalog]].  

=== '''Other Internet Sites''' ===

The Internet has search engines and lists to help find and select genealogical records:<br>  

*[http://www.google.com '''Google''']'''.''' Use this search engine to find records with search phases like '''''Moffett genealogy''''' or '''''New Orleans marriages''''' or '''''Hamburg passenger lists''''' or '''''Quebec census'''''.<br>  

*[http://www.cyndislist.com '''Cyndi's List'''] is a large categorized list of tens of thousands of links to genealogical sites and records.<br>  

*[[Family History Library Internet Favorites|'''Family History Library Internet Favorites''']] are selected browser links (bookmarks) to identify good genealogical Internet sites.

Many other library catalogs have been published and are in the reference collections of major libraries, such as catalogs for genealogies at local histories at:  

*Library of Congress  

*Daughters of the American Revolution  

== '''Selection Criteria''' ==

To select a record, read its description and compare it to what you know or [[Select Records to Search#Helpful Guessing Skills|guess]] about the event you want to document. Make sure the record—<br>  

#has the content (information, location, and time period) you need, and  

#is available.

=== '''Record Content''' ===

'''''Information.''''' Does the record have the kind of information you are looking for? If, for example, you need to find out about a marriage, does the record give marriage information?  

The [[Select Records to Search#Sources Useful to Genealogists|Sources Useful to Genealogists]] table puts each record type with those having similar information. If the type you choose is not available, choose a type from the same group.  

'''''Location.''''' Is the record from the place where you believe the event occurred? Are there other local jurisdictions that may have similar records that you should search? Did the boundaries of a jurisdiction change while or after your ancestor lived there? Did you ancestor move to nearby jurisdictions? Select records from every jurisdiction where the family lived and consider nearby jurisdictions. Sometimes you will need to do an area search (see [[Obtain and Search the Records#Search Ranges|Search Ranges]]).  

=== '''Record Access''' ===

'''''Obtain it.''''' Is the record in a repository you can visit? Can you get a copy? Are you permitted to use the record?  

'''''Read it.''''' Are there skills or knowledge you need to read the record, such as (1)&nbsp;ability to read foreign languages, (2)&nbsp;ability to read old handwriting, or (3)&nbsp;knowledge of terms used? Remember that—<br>  

*Records are usually in the language of the country.  

*Many early records are in Latin.

'''''Find information in it.''''' Can you locate the information in the record? Do you have the information necessary to recognize the relative you are seeking? Will there be so many of that name (such as Smith) that you must know the first name? Will the search be too extensive if you don’t know a specific place? How many microfilms or volumes will you need to search if you don’t know the year? Before you select a record, determine if you may need—<br>  

*An index.<br>  

*The ancestor’s given (first) name. <br>  

*The name of the county or town. <br>  

*A limited time period. <br>  

*More specific information about the ancestor’s religion, military service, or occupation.

=== '''Interest, Inspiration, and Intuition''' ===

As you select a specific record, follow your best judgment. If you feel strongly interested or your intuition suggests a record not recommended by the strategy, then select that record.  

=== Selecting More Than One Record ===

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|+ '''Selecting More Than One Record'''  

*The first record you select and search may not provide the information you seek.  

*Different genealogical sources often provide conflicting evidence of events or relationships. To resolve these discrepancies, it is necessary to locate more than one piece of evidence in support of any genealogical fact. In fact, the more pieces of acceptable evidence found, the more sure you can be of the fact. Where possible, strive to find multiple sources for every fact.

However, in doing this you may find discrepancies. For example, the sources may not agree on Uncle Harry’s birth date. You will then need to evaluate the information you find as explained in Step 5. <br>  

All records have a limited scope that defines their coverage. The scope is usually limited by time and geography with a topical consideration (such as a list of Union officers in the U.S. Civil War.) As you select specific records to search, you will need to learn the different jurisdictions that may have kept a record, and the scope of the records they kept.  

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= Describe the Records on a Research Log =

[[Obtain and Search the Records|''Next page'']]