Secrets to Avoid Barking Up the Wrong Family Tree

Anyone who does research will testify to how frustrating it is to follow leads up blind alleys. In terms of genealogy, this could mean following wrong family lines. Anyone who has had a go at genealogy will undoubtedly be familiar with this scenario. It could be that you have been given a bad lead or perhaps misread some information that you have found. Either way, it mounts up to a lot of wasted time.

So how can this pitfall be avoided? Far from giving you a clever answer, I don’t believe that there are any, there are some general tips that I can give that might help you with your genealogy research. In fact the general principles could be applied to any type of research.

The first thing you should always do is keep a track of all of your resources, every book, every article and every web site. And get detailed information too. If your source was a book for example, get all the detail down to the ISBN number. If your research is by word of mouth, write down names, times and dates. Genealogy is all about information, so backing up your facts is critical.

Following a similar theme, you need to organise yourself and your research. File everything and file things where you know how to locate them. You will find yourself back tracking continuously, so make that side of genealogy as painless as possible.

Check your facts. Not just the literal snippets of information that you pick up, but also the logical order of things. Do the facts that you have collected make sense? Apply common sense to all of your findings and question them.

Do not accept carte blanche research from sources you don’t know. What I mean by this is really the types of research that one often sees advertised, offering to write up your family tree for a fee. Beware of these types of offers. The type of research upon which these tress are founded are often questionable. Save your money and do the research yourself. That is after all, part of the fun of genealogy!

If your family has spread it’s wings across borders, be very careful when collecting facts. As one example, dates can be written differently depending on where in the world you are at the time. Easy mistakes can be made under these circumstances. The date 05/04/75 means something different to people in the USA than it does to people in the UK.

Do not make assumptions about any piece of information that you might come across. Stick with the facts that you yourself have collected. One small assumption can lead you in all sorts of directions that you didn’t really want to go down. Remember that we refer to things differently now than we did in years gone by, so when something is taken from letters 100 years ago, it might not mean the same thing to you as it did to your forefathers.

Join up with web sites that have expertise in genealogy. Talk with like minded people and get the benefit of their experience. Not only will they have tips of their own to share to help you, they will have access to sources you might never have thought of. It is well worth your time talking to other genealogists.

About the Author

Get an extensive look at one of the most remarkable Genealogy Reference Books there is available on the market today. Discover what going on in genealogy today!

Genealogy Family Tree Research 160 Full Hours Minimum! $2,000.00

Genealogy Family Tree Research 80 Full Hours Minimum! $850.00

GENEALOGY Publishing GUIDE Research Family Tree History $84.99

6 HOURS OF GENEALOGY RESEARCH FAMILY SEARCH/ FAMILY TREE RESEARCH $50.99

Family Tree – Genealogy Research – 5 Hours $50.00

5 Hrs Genealogy Research / Family History Tree Research $50.00

Family Tree – Genealogy Research – 4 Hours $45.00

3 HOURS OF GENEALOGY RESEARCH FAMILY SEARCH/ FAMILY TREE RESEARCH $26.99

8 Full Hours of Genealogy – Family Tree Research $25.49

Family Tree – Genealogy Research – 2 Hours $25.00

ARMSTRONG Family Name Genealogy Genealogical Research Tree 1975 $13.49

Genealogy Software Research Library – Family Tree on CD $12.95

WANT TO STUDY RESEARCH YOUR FAMILY HISTORY TREE? GENEALOGY RESOURCE PROGRAM CD $9.95

WANT TO STUDY RESEARCH YOUR FAMILY HISTORY TREE? GENEALOGY RESOURCE PROGRAM CD $8.95

Kentucky State History Genealogy on DVD 117 Rare Books Family Tree Research $6.74

How to use Family Archive CD’s in your Research Family Tree Maker …

SVAT CLEARVU11 All-In-One Web Ready 4 Channel Compact H.264 DVR Security System with 15” LCD Screen and 4 Indoor/Outdoor Night Vision Surveillance Cameras $1,199.99 Protect your hard-earned possessions, assets, and family; know who has been on your property; rid yourself of uneasiness when you travel on vacation or business. The CLEARVU11 offers some of the most advanced surveillance options available but in a hassle-free, do-it-yourself approach so you can have a fully functioning security system for your home or business in less time and for less money. The…

RollerCoaster Tycoon Gold Edition: RollerCoaster Tycoon / Loopy Landscapes / Corkscrew Follies $9.99 This is a 2 cd-rom set! this item is supplied as 2 cds in sleeves. contains 3 best-selling games create the ultimate amusement park! product information rollercoaster tycoon gold edition allows players to design build and operate their own simulated theme parks with access to a complete set of design and construction tools that make even the wildest roller coaster easy to build and tune. Offers p…

Age of Empires III $10.49 MODEL- MS-CD04328WI VENDOR- MICROSOFT CORPORATION FEATURES- Microsoft Age of Empires III PC This newest version of the Age of Empires Age of Empires III places you in the age of exploration and conquest– roughly 1500…

CivCity: Rome $5.24 A City-Builder Game in the World of Sid Meier’sCivilization!Product InformationCivCity: Rome is an innovative city-builder inspired by the world of Sid Meier’sCivilization.  Through dozens of missions you will be charged withbuilding nurturing and managing Rome’s great cities as you endeavor to lead theEmpire to its mighty apogee.  Featuring hundreds of buildings includinggladiatorial sc…

10 Takara Detox Foot Patches – Japanese Detoxification Foot Pads Detoxify the Body While You Sleep. More Restful Sleep, Reduce Fatigue, Remove Toxins. $20.00 HOW DO TAKARA DETOX FOOT PATCHES DRAW TOXINS FROM THE BODY? After many years of research and development it was discovered by some Asian researchers that wood vinegar essence found in certain trees has the ability to absorb toxins through the acupuncture points of the feet. The Takara Detox Foot Patch is made from a unique concoction of wood vinegar essence, and several other ingredients. This ori…

Yucca Root Organic Shampoo and Body Bar $5.95 We bring you this all-natural, luxury organic soap bar featuring Yucca Root, hand-crafted by leading maker A Wild Soap Bar.More than just a soap bar, this shampoo and body bar is a deodorizing, exfoliating, moisture rich body bar AND a conditioning shampoo bar all wrapped up in one! Perfect for the gym, at home, or travel. Scented with an antibacterial tea tree essential oil blend, this one is for…

Margosa & Tea Tree Oil Clarifying Shampoo Ayurvedic and scientific research shows that Margosa (Neem) extract has natural regenerative and restructuring properties. Tea Tree is a member of the Myrtaceae Family, which is commonly used to remove impurities and help clean the hair and scalp of dandruff flakes. Our Margosa and Tea Tree Oil Clarifying shampoo will help nourish your hair and cleanse your scalp, leaving your hair looking shiny a…

Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder $6.00 Richard Louv was the first to identify a phenomenon we all knew existed but couldn’t quite articulate: nature-deficit disorder. His book Last Child in the Woods created a national conversation about the disconnection between children and nature, and his message has galvanized an international movement. Now, three years after its initial publication, we have reached a tipping point, with Leave No C…

What to Expect When You’re Expecting $2.80 Eighteen years after it first hit the shelves and having sold more than 10 million copies, What to Expect When You’re Expecting is still on nearly every mother-to-be’s reading list. This completely revised and updated edition is packed with answers to hundreds of questions and worries expectant parents may have. The information is presented in a month-by-month format starting with planning a pregn…

Ancestors and Relatives (Hardcover) $16.31 Genealogy has long been an obsession. From the Sons of Confederate Veterans to Ancestry.com, today`s family-tree researchers crowd libraries and eagerly exchange tips on Internet message boards. But with the dramatic rise of genetics, and increasing me…

Family Tree $5.18 This product is shipped to you in a cardboard sleeve. Preserve a lifetime of family history! The Ultimate Family Tree Genealogy Suite contains everything you need to research and create your own Family Tree. Using the different elements of the program, accessed through one handy browser, you'll be guided through every stage, from tracing your relatives and ancestors to producing a professional looking family tree.ESRB Rating: EveryoneSystem Requirements: Windows 95/98/Me/XP

Lineage Family Tree Software $29.99 Whether you are just starting your family tree or are a seasoned genealogist, Lineage Family Tree Software makes it easy to preserve your family history and share your research with Friends and Family. Preserve your Family History in 4 easy steps: BUILD, SEARCH, DESIGN and SHARE. With an easy-to-use interface, genealogy is made simple for beginners and advanced enough for the seasoned genealogist. Advanced features include : Citation and Source Management Capabilities, Genealogy Scrapbooking Feature, FREE access to over 1 billion online records and more. Create multiple types of charts such as Pedigrees, Descendant Charts, Ancestor Charts, Fan Charts and more.

Family Tree Detective (Paperback) $23.04 Family history is a topic that fascinates anyone, but the research and academics behind tracing a family tree can make genealogy seem like an intimidating hobby. Family Tree Detective will remove the intimidationfactor by breaking down the research methods into basic steps readers can follow to fi nd immediate success. Readers will learn how to start their search with sources in their own homes?journals, scrapbooks and other memorabilia. They?ll also learn how to locateand effectively use census, courthouse and church records and keep their information organized using pedigree charts, group sheets and effective organizing systems.