Here's everything you need to know to start researching your family ancestry. Designed to inspire and encourage anyone interested in learning about his family background, this comprehensive guide offers a basic introduction to the primary methods and sources used in genealogy work. Begin by organizing and evaluating the information that is readily available to you, such as documents and photographs in your possession. Explore fundamental research techniques such as keeping a research log, interviewing relatives, making charts, citing sources, and using the Internet. Find out how to utilize more advanced methods to find information such as using census records, maps, cemeteries, church records, land, tax, and military records, early newspapers, immigration records and passenger lists, and naturalization and citizenship records. Suggestions are also included for preserving, displaying, and using your findings. Plenty of photographs, charts, and lists help you embark on your journey of discovery.
Best distills a complex subject into bite-sized pieces for the beginning genealogist, providing a brief overview of the research process and breaking down each step into individual tasks. Each two-page section discusses a specific topic, ranging from definitions (e.g., primary sources vs. secondary sources) to specific resources, including the United States Census, vital statistics, and military records. Also included in each section is a column called "Technique," in which the steps involved in the task under discussion are given in clear and logical order. The book includes helpful forms (e.g., Pedigree Charts, genograms, family group sheets, research logs, concept charts, and fan charts) and references current web sites from the Social Security Death Index and the Family History Library in Salt Lake City to the National Archives of Canada, the Library of Congress, the National Archives and Records Administration, and the Public Record Office for the United Kingdom. There is also a section on the role of family photographs in the research process. Throughout, Best emphasizes how vital it is to cite one's sources and verify the correctness of the information. Color photos, a large font, adequate margins, and a detailed index make this book approachable and appealing to the neophyte genealogist. Affordable for the smallest library, this is an excellent introduction to genealogical research. Recommended for all collections in need of basic materials on how to get started researching your family tree.-Laurie Selwyn, Grayson Cty. Law Lib., Sherman, TX Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
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