GENEALOGY RESEARCH
When you start researching there are a few things that are good to know. Using capital letters will cause trouble in most chat rooms on the Internet except one: a genealogy chat room. In a chat room capitals are used to indicate shouting and people don't like others to shout at them but, in a genealogy chat room it is necessary to use capitals to distinguish between a given name and a surname. I should mention that using capitals for surnames in genealogy was a standard practice long before chat rooms were even thought of.

There are two "forms" or "charts" which most genealogists fill out or use in their research. The Pedigree (or Ancestor) Chart showing direct ancestors, and the Family Group Sheet which is mainly used for research purposes. Of course most genealogists use many forms or charts but these two are the most important.

THE PEDIGREE CHART
Okay, go ahead and laugh... I'll wait here till you calm down a little... I know, a Pedigree Chart sounds like something you would fill out for your show dog to prove he came from a pure breed of ancestors. Yes! That is exactly what the genealogist or researcher is doing when they fill out their Pedigree Chart. What it does for dogs and race horses it can do for humans too. I'll have to admit though that when I first started researching I called it my Ancestor Chart (which is OK because genealogists know you mean Pedigree Chart). The Pedigree Chart is the most important chart in genealogy.

The Pedigree Chart always starts with yourself (No. 1) and you list your name, birth date, birth place, and if possible your marriage date and place. Your death date and death place may have to wait awhile, but they would normally go next. Those are known as your vital statistics or vital information . The next person on the chart is your father (No. 2) and his vital information. The next person is your mother (No. 3) and her vitals and so on. IN GENEALOGY YOUR MAIN PURPOSE IS TO FILL IN THIS CHART AS FAR AS YOU CAN GO. Notice that there are no brothers or sisters shown. In genealogy we are mainly interested in direct ancestry . The dates are usually written in the form: 14 Apr 1941 (to indicate April 14, 1941).

THE FAMILY GROUP SHEET
As it's name implies, the Family Group Sheet shows all information about a family. It show the husband (or unmarried male) and his birth, (marriage), death information and; the wife's (if there is one) birth and death information. It also shows the husband's and wife's father and mother, and of course, a list of all of their children and their birth, marriage, and death information. And, a very important thing to remember is to list your sources or where you got each piece of information. Always try to verify all dates and places with documents. Only list as a source what a person tells you until you can verify it with a document or record of some sort. Primary Sources (Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, Death Certificate) are best but Secondary Sources (Census Record, Family Bible, Genealogist, Family History Books, Military Record, Pension Record, etc.) are okay.

The main purpose of the Family Group Sheet is for research. For instance: you are searching for the name of a person's parents. Each of the children should have a Birth Certificate. You would write to the state Health Department where the first child was born and get a copy of that child's birth certificate. If you can't find a birth record for the first child (maybe a fire destroyed their records) you try sending for the records of a child born in a different city or state. When you receive a Birth Certificate it will list the mother and father's name and usually where they were born too.

You should start your research "from the known to the unknown" by sending for your own Birth Certificate (if you don't already have one in the house somewhere), then send for your mother and father's Birth and Marriage Certificates. etc. It will cost you for each certificate. You always have to tell your relationship to the person whose certificate you are requesting (for privacy reasons you must be related) along with as much of their full name as you can give and the probable year (or exact date) of the event weather birth, marriage or death.

When you get back far enough in your search (1800s) it becomes easier because alot of the research has probably been done by a genealogist. It's okay to use a genealogist as a "source" because they have already done the research and there is no sense in spending money and time to redo what they have already done. It's always nice when they list their sources (which they should do). Eventually you will learn about the Federal Census (try searching in Yahoo or whatever on the Web for "National Archives", or "Census", or maybe "Federal Census"), and you will also hear about the Mormon Church (Church of Jesus Christ Laterday Saints) or LDS church. These are the real experts at genealogy. Whether you believe in their religion or not you will want their help. It is part of their religion to research family genealogy and they have an archive of information in a climate controlled underground cavern near Salt Lake City, Utah you wouldn't believe. They are always ready to help, no matter what religion you belong to.

This is the bare minimum for reseaching your ancestors. For more details about researching in genealogy just type "Genealogy" in a Web browser and you will be amazed at how much information is available.