Genealogy research notes software

Wherever you record any information in genealogy, the source should always accompany it. Whether you are writing in cursive or print, use your best writing. You want to be able to read your own writing later, as well as make it easy for future researchers to interpret and read what you wrote. And pay extra special attention to years. As long as you record the month and year in a way that they are absolutely clear to you and anyone reading your notes, your preferred format is fine.

It is tempting to change information that you think is misspelled, nonsensical, or otherwise incorrect when taking notes. People centuries before us often had different ways of writing things, and there was no uniform way of spelling in the English language until the early s.

Record everything exactly as it is, and interpret it later when you get home. For now, I am going to keep using an excel file for my research log. This way I can keep everything in one file and have the capability to sort as I want to. While here in Salt Lake City I used a spreadsheet to record everything I viewed simply because it was quicker and easier and I was often working "on the fly. Then I'll create To Do items for what records or info I still need to get.

What I really like about the Legacy To Do feature is when you select the option to print you can create a CSV file that can be imported into a spreadsheet program and manipulated in various ways according to your needs.

It works really well to print a selected group of "to do" items or a log of what you've done for an individual. I don't particularly like the way Legacy prints the reports - they use way too much paper. So I almost always use the option to create a CSV file. Since the end result of your research efforts will be to compile complete, correct and connected families, the use of family group sheets from the beginning will make the compilation much easier.

Source Summary - It is helpful to be able to refer quickly to information you have found for a particular family and the sources of that information. Keep a separate source summary of information found for each family group. Census Forms - Census extraction forms are doubly valuable: not only do they allow researchers to see the format and column headings for various census years especially if the schedules themselves are hard to read , they also provide a clean and convenient method for extracting and filing important information you find.

Family Tree Template - Download a free family tree template. Insert your ancestors in the editable fields. Print, and frame. Family record sheet - Used to keep track of family data. It features references for each piece of information. Its main feature is that it is simple. Pedigree fan chart - Holds 8 generations people. It is also very simple. Names of family members or couples are written in boxes.

We need to develop and improve our research note-taking skills on our journey to become better family historians. The basic steps of the genealogy research process involve:. As we're working through the process, have you ever wondered where note-taking happens? I hope so! Note-taking happens at any stage of the research process. I find myself making notes as I'm developing my question, reviewing research, developing a plan, and every time I evaluate a historical document or photograph.

In short, a genealogy research note is any thought, question, or possible conclusion we have as we climb our family tree. Your notes may also include:. What you looked for - including specific search terms and collections. What you found - the answers to your questions including transcriptions. What you did not find - yep. We have to record that we searched in a collection and didn't find anything.

Any problems encountered while researching - incomplete record collections, damaged files, privacy restrictions, etc. Knowing that we need to track our notes may happen at any stage of the research process, where should we keep track of our notes?

In my thirty years of genealogy research, I've tested the organizational strategies and methodologies put forth by many books, lectures, blog posts in our beloved hobby. Mix in the multiple cross-countries moves that I've muddled through, hoping my research would remain organized during the process.