Taking the time to get well-organized now will save you time later, and it will help you research your ancestor lines efficiently. Here is a good overview of getting organized with your genealogy materials.
Being organized while working on genealogy will help prevent duplicate research and make it clear where all information came from.
A physical binder with dividers for subcategories can help in organizing research and making research aids easily accessible.
Having a filing system (digital or physical) will help organize data and findings. Organizing by locality, then record type, then family line is one way many people prefer to arrange their documents.
Here are some tips to get started with organizing your genealogy.
Get a research binder and add page dividers in it, by geographic place of research or family surname.
Determine your own sub-categories within the dividers, such as maps, how-to's, information contacts and websites, where to order records, printed forms, brief blog posts and articles, etc.
Watch this video for tips on creating a research binder.
To-do lists with small but focused tasks will help you achieve research goals.
Electronic or physical to-do lists are both viable ways to track your progress.
Decide on small, focused tasks for your to-do list. Make sure your tasks support the goals you are working on.
Use an electronic to-do list (Outlook, iPhone, word processing document, or spreadsheet) or a paper-based list.
To get started with the FamilySearch To-Do List, a) On the www.familysearch.org page, find To-Do List (right side); b) In the "Add an Item" box, type the task you want to keep track of; and c) Click Add.
To mark a FamilySearch To-Do List item as completed, click its check box. To hide or show the item, click Hide or Show. To delete an item, move the pointer to the right-hand edge of the item and click the red "X".
To delete or edit a To-Do List item, click the three-dot icon next to the name.
For tips on using the FamilySearch To-Do List, click the "Using the To-Do List" link.
For tips on using the Ancestry To-Do List, see Choice C in Ancestry, Project 4: Goal 7.
Resources
This article explains how to turn genealogy clues into "to do's".
Research logs are essential in tracking what was searched, where was looked, and what was found.
Providing as much information as possible when citing a document is important to help find it again.
Taking notes while you research will help you quickly recall relevant information. Make sure to record sources, use a person’s full name, and carefully pay attention to dates.
Store the records you're working with in several places, such as FamilySearch's Source Box.
* Good: Identify a family member or organization you would like to write to for genealogy information. Using the tips in this Choice to guide you, write to that person about your needs or questions.
* Proficient: Same as above, corresponding with at least three people.
FS: Organize Your Genealogy - 2021
Family History Organization—13:17 - 2017
