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Twenty-four scenarios identify the strongest entry point for your current research judgment.
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Build your skills from genealogy fundamentals through advanced investigation and professional practice.
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Learn how to choose your first research question, start with what you know, evaluate what you find, and avoid common mistakes from the beginning.
Before searching online records, gather the information already available to you. This guide explains which documents, photographs, family stories, and records can provide the strongest foundation for your genealogy research.
Not all genealogy records are created equal. Learn which records usually provide the strongest evidence and where to begin your search.
Learn how to create a focused genealogy research plan before searching records. A clear plan helps you stay organized, avoid wasted time, and build stronger conclusions from the evidence you discover.
Learn what documentary genealogy is, how historical records are used to reconstruct families and relationships, and how documentary evidence differs from genetic genealogy. This beginner guide explains what records can tell you, why sources sometimes conflict, and how genealogists turn individual documents into supported family history conclusions.
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