2025-10-22 Taking Notes - Do's and Don'ts: Taking research notes may seem to be a wide open and free-form activity, but there are actually guidelines about how to take effective notes. You'll find practical advice in this Ancestral Findings article, which explains why good notes are essential and how to avoid common mistakes that put your notes at risk for being misinterpreted. For more tips on creating effective notes for your research, check out Goal 1 in Project 4: Discover. (See all tips.)
Welcome to the Beginner's Path in The Family History Guide,
featuring
Other Platforms: To change to a different family history platform, use the choices in the Versions menu above.
Tips: To return to this page, click The Family History Guide logo (upper left). To get help with basic computer skills, visit the Computer Basics section. Note : Computer Basics is in the Full Version of The Family History Guide.
OUR MISSION: To greatly increase the number of people actively involved in family history worldwide,
and to make everyone's family history journey easier, more efficient, and more enjoyable.
The Family History Guide is approved by FamilySearch as a training resource.