Grow as a Genealogist

Family history research is a growth process which begins when you ask your first question about your roots.
Consider the following progression of activities to further your growth as a genealogist.

Ask Questions

• Interview relatives
• Look for information online

Write it Down

• Record family data on charts or in database software
• Write about yourself or an ancestor

Develop Research Techniques

• Write to relatives seeking information
• Learn about available resources and their use
• Write to or visit a repository
• Cite your sources
• Learn to dig deep and seek records beyond the low-hanging fruit
• Attend a genealogy program or conference
• Join a genealogical society
• File, organize, store, and backup research notes, papers, and memorabilia
• Evaluate evidence

Educate your Family Members

• Find excuses to tell children about their ancestors
• Share your findings with your family
• Print a booklet or book about your family

Preserve your Family Data for the Future

• Share your family data with a library
• Apply for a pioneer certificate or a lineage society

Recognize Resources Useful to Other Researchers

• Identify records kept by your family which also name non-relatives
• Rescue genealogically-valuable books, photos, or ephemera from antique stores, used bookshops, garage sales, thrift shops, or online sellers.
• Look for name-rich records held by churches, businesses, or organizations with which you are affiliated

Preserve and Disseminate Resources for the Benefit of Others

• Contribute data to genealogy websites and libraries
• Donate money to support genealogical projects
• Join an indexing or transcription project
• Volunteer to help a genealogical society in other ways
• Submit clippings or other records to a genealogical newsletter or journal

Educate other Genealogists

• Conduct research for others
• Present a genealogy program or teach a class
• Write how-to articles or literature
• Serve as a consultant or mentor