A successful research endeavor results in the accumulation of reams of paper. Failure to organize the documents, however, can stunt the growth of what otherwise might have become a healthy family tree.
In last week's column I suggested that following a seven-step research process could train family historians to be methodical and approach research in an organized process.
This whole topic began when a reader asked for a resource to help her organize. There are plenty of commercial software products that guarantee to help you organize anything. But the truth is that every computer comes equipped with most of what you need to organize your documents.
I do recommend that you purchase genealogy software (FamilyTreeMaker, Roots Magic, Legacy, Reunion, etc.) to help you organize your information. More about that later.
Every computer has a folder called "Documents" or "My Documents." Picture that folder as a virtual filing cabinet, and we're going to put individual file folders into various drawers.
Under "Documents" create a subfolder and label it "Genealogy." Inside that folder create a separate folder for each surname you are researching. Exactly how you organize and label from this point can vary depending on personal preferences.
Under each surname, there will be various folders. Here are some of the folders I create for each surname:
Background: This is where I drop materials I find from a variety of sources This folder is filled with anything that explains or helps me understand my ancestor and the times and places in which he lived and worked. I might copy and drop snippets from websites or pages I scan from books at a library. Don't forget to record the source information onto the copies or scans!
Cemeteries: Sometimes we find surveys that record all the graves in a cemetery where our ancestors are buried. I copy and drop them into this file — the website might disappear so I don't want to assume it will be there when I need it again.
Emails: Under this folder are many other subfolders, each with the name of the relative writing to me. I give each email a new title that will be meaningful to me. For example, Mary Dawsey sends several emails about an old letter she discovered. I create a folder labeled "Mary Dawsey" and within that her emails would be "Michael Dawsey Letter 1" and "Michael Dawsey Letter 2," etc.
Family Folders: Keep in mind that the main folder in which we're working carries the family surname. Now I create a folder for each individual person I discover. As I collect documents and materials about that person, I can quickly and easily drop them into this file. With each document is the transcript that I discussed in last week's column. If a person is a key figure in research, I likely will collect many and varied documents about him. It keeps me organized to create additional subfolders for him to include things like "Censuses," "Land," "Military" and "Probate."
Photographs: If a photograph is of a single person, I place it in his individual person file of the family folders. But if the photograph is of a group of people, I place it in this separate file. If people have different surnames, I might label it as "Family and Friends of Michael Dawsey."
Research Plans: Last week, I explained the important role planning plays in keeping research organized. Those plans deserve their own folder — it also makes it easy to quickly access them when an opportunity for a research trip unexpectedly presents itself.
To Be Processed: This is sort of a dump folder. Rather than have loose paper piles all around, scan what isn't already digitized and drop it into this folder where it can safely sit until you have time to process it. Used properly, this file will keep you organized. Abuse it and it becomes just a hodgepodge of things you never get around to — leading to that state of disorganization we're trying to avoid.
Experience has taught me that genealogy software is not the center of the universe. I don't try to use all the bells and whistles it provides. I use it simply to organize the individuals and how they relate to one another.
By entering the key events and dates (such as birth, marriage, military service, appearance in censuses, migration routes and dates, etc.), I can use this software to give me a quick overview of the key times in each person's life and see his parents and his children.
The system I describe here works well for me. An identical system won't work for everyone, but I can pretty much guarantee you that if you faithfully use this or a similar system you'll stay organized.
Return to Main Page, Wound Care Institute Newsletter, Fall 1996
