It can be really frustrating spending time and money on family history research only to find out later that you already have that information or source. Here are some simple steps that can minimise the risk of that happening.
Plan
If you take a methodical and systematic approach to your research you are less likely to repeat it unnecessarily (sometimes it is necessary to repeat tasks, but that is a topic for another day). Develop a research plan and identify your research questions.
For tips and articles about planning your family history, go to the Plan page.
Review
Before you undertake new research on a particular person, place or event, review the information that you already have and identify gaps. New research can then focus on those gaps.
This is Step 2 in the Research process that I call Scoping. It is an essential step to ensure that you have a solid foundation before moving on to new research.
My Tree Health Assessment Tool will help you with this step.
Record
When you search for a source or search a database, record the searches you make and your findings. You may still need to repeat searches, using different criteria, in different catalogues, or after new records have been added to collections, but these repeated searches and new searches need to be informed by a record of what you have already searched.
If you include a research log in your research plan, you can record the information there, as you work.
See my article on How to create a research plan in Excel.
Document
Spend a significant proportion of your research time documenting your findings, updating your family tree, adding events and information to your family history and adding source citations. This then feeds into your planning and review steps.
For more of my articles on documenting your family history, go to the Document page.
File
File everything in its rightful place so that you know what you have and can find it again.
For more of my articles about organising your family history, go to the Organise page.
For a comprehensive guide to these steps, you might like my book, The Good Genealogist.
Post last updated 5 June 2024
