Tuesday, July 5, 2016

Gettin' By With Help From Our Friends~Caitlin Gow


Today's Tips come from our Aussie friend, Caitlin Gow~

Tips from a young Genealogist
I started doing genealogy when I was 18 in 2009. Over the years, I have discovered that there are things I should have done from the get go. I did not have anybody to learn from or ask questions, so I was kind of doing my own thing. I guess that means these tips are directed more so at beginners, and are focused on things I wish I had known back then.
- Record your sources – that place where you get your information from. It makes it a bit difficult when you start working on an ancestor you haven’t paid much attention to, and discover that you have information you collected way back when but cannot remember where you found it. 
- Source Citations for genealogy related information can be confusing at first. Don’t over complicate things. Start off with the most important details. If you were to read your source citation a few years later and understand where that record came from, you’re all good. 
- Don’t believe all the information on the internet – that goes with anything though doesn’t it? Not all family trees you find on the internet are 100% true.  
- Research Genealogy Groups on Facebook – I wish I had thought of that when I started. You can ask questions & talk to others. Big help! 
- Research Genealogy Societies in your local area and the areas your ancestors came from. They can help with accessing records, giving advice, and often host seminars and other fun stuff. This also allows you to meet other genealogists! Socialising with other genealogists is one of the best things ever.

 Caitlin Gow, 25, is the author of the blog Genealogically Speaking. Based in Brisbane, Australia, she has a Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice from Griffith University. She is an avid supporter of using social media fro genealogy. She loves encouraging other young people to learn more about their family history and using her "detective skills" to solve mysteries.


Thanks for the great tips, Caitlin!


Are we kin? Need help with your research? Please contact me.
Together we can find our people.
Thanks so much for stopping by!


4 comments:

  1. Cheri, I'm afraid that I have been busy with family matters & did not see the new look to your blog till now. It is very nice! The photos & quote are very eye catching.
    Caitlin gives some good tips for genealogy; nice post.

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  2. I met Caitlin at Rootstech several years ago (same year I met you Cheri!) and I love her enthusiasm and passion for genealogy. She is very inspiring!

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