January is the perfect time to reset your genealogy practice.
Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced researcher, committing to improvement helps you work more efficiently, build a more accurate family tree, and enjoy the research process more.
Here are 21 practical ways to strengthen your family history research this year.
1. Identify your master tree
Most genealogists maintain multiple family trees across different websites to access various research tools. This can become time-consuming and messy, if not managed properly. Choose one tree as your master. Prioritise keeping it up to date.
See: How to Manage Multiple Family Trees to Benefit Your Research
2. Conduct a Tree Health Assessment
Evaluate the strength of evidence supporting your conclusions using my Tree Health Assessment Tool. This helps you assess accuracy and completeness, and identifies where to focus your research.
See: Tree Health Assessment Tool
3. Make place names consistent and fix names of people
Start tidying your family trees with consistent wording for places and corrections to any errors in people’s names. Focus on your master tree first.
4. Fix other errors in your master tree
Address any other obvious errors such as merging duplicate people.
See: Create an Accurate Family Tree by Fixing Errors
5. Review sources to check they are the best available
A key principle in good genealogy is using the best sources. It’s tempting to add the first sources you find. Take time to go back and verify you’ve used the best ones.
6. Look for more sources to strengthen your conclusions
If you haven’t already used the best sources, find better ones. If your Tree Health Assessment identified conclusions with insufficient evidence, search for more.
7. Reorganise your computer filing system
Good genealogists are well-organised. Improve your filing system so you can quickly find what you need, when you need it. [internal link to blog post 13]
8. Set up a regular maintenance time
Rather than trying to fix everything at once, schedule regular maintenance sessions to make improvements.
See: Maintain Your Family History
9. Improve your research planning
Good genealogists take a systematic approach to research. Make changes to how you plan your research. For ideas and tips, see Plan Your Family History.
10. Visit an archive or library in person
Many family history sources are not available online. Visiting an archive or library gives you access to a broader range of information.
See: Offline Family History Sources: Hidden Treasures
11. Add more FFANs to your tree
Sources about your extended family or friends, associates, and neighbours can provide additional evidence for your family history. Focus on those that may contribute useful information, such as DNA matches on lines with unanswered questions.
See: Broaden Your Genealogy Research: How to Use the FFANs Method
12. Get DNA tested for more evidence
DNA evidence can support or refute documentary evidence, helping make your family history more accurate.
See: Is DNA Essential Evidence for Family Historians?
13. Integrate Tree Health Assessment results into your research planning
Use your Tree Health Assessment results to prioritise which evidence you need to strengthen conclusions in your family tree or answer research questions.
14. Improve your skills in working with DNA evidence
Using DNA evidence well requires specific knowledge and skills. Find a group, read a book, watch YouTube videos. Whatever suits your learning style.
See: DNA program of the Society of Australian Genealogists
15. Take a course
Identify the skills and knowledge you need to improve your research. Find a course that will help you develop them. I teach genealogical research methods, but many other courses are available online and in person.
See: Online courses and programs at the Society of Australian Genealogists
16. Learn about different types of sources
Enrich your family history by learning about different types of sources. They may help you break down a brick wall or provide interesting new perspectives.
See: FamilySearch Wiki
17. Learn how to analyse and document evidence
Adding source citations to your family tree is just one way to document the evidence supporting your conclusions. Sometimes a citation is not enough.
For example, see More Than a Citation for DNA Evidence
18. Start using family history software
Online family trees are great tools, but family history software provides more complete documentation and additional research tools. It also lets you store your family history on your own computer, increasing privacy and data safety. If you’re already using it, learn about some of the features you’ve not yet tried.
See: Where’s the Best Place to Put Your Family Tree?
19. Try a different tool
Many tools can help with your family history. Go exploring! Two of my favourites are Wikitree and Notion.
See: Using Notion in Family History and Five Reasons to Use Wikitree
20. Read or listen to someone else’s family history
Other people’s research can provide information and ideas about sources to investigate or alternatives to explore. It may also inspire you to try different research techniques, tools, or approaches.
See: How to Use Other People’s Family History Research
21. Write up parts of your family history
Writing up your family history isn’t just about sharing your research, although that’s valuable. Writing also helps you process information. It may reveal new research leads, inconsistencies, and gaps.
Start Small, Build Momentum
You don’t need to tackle all 21 suggestions at once.
Pick two or three that resonate with you or address your biggest challenges. Build these into your regular research routine. Once they become habits, add more.
Small, consistent improvements compound over time. By the end of the year, you’ll have a stronger, more accurate family tree and more confidence in your research skills.
Very good suggestions. Everyone of those suggestions could be expanded on. I also like the photograph at the end. I also have many family pictures that will never be identified.