How to Do a Family Tree Journal
Genealogical researchers spend a lot of time poring over names and dates in order to prepare a family tree. This can be confusing, especially when information is sketchy and sources broad. Those who keep their facts organized stand a better chance at piecing information together, and keeping a family tree journal is one of the best ways to organize genealogical information. Here's how to make and keep a family tree journal.
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Instructions
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Organize previously gathered information and transfer it to your journal. This might include notes you have from online sources, records in old family bibles, the captions on the back of old photographs or information in family letters.
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Draw a skeleton tree on the first page of your journal. Start with your mother and father and work your way back. Include birth and death years to date the information, but nothing more. Mark uncertain or missing information with the highlighter.
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Write down a list of genealogical objectives for your journal. This is the place to make note of surnames that have become difficult to trace, information that needs verification and questions that you think you'll be able to answer with some research.
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Dedicate the last page of the journal to resources and links. This will be your lifeline to information and also will serve as a place to start for future researchers. Include a variety of sites, including forum pages like Genforum.com and Myheritage.com. Also include such genealogy staples as Ancestry.com and Cyndi's List.
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Write in your journal consistently, whether it be once a day, once a week or once a month. Don't over-think your topics, and in fact you should write what you feel at the time. Mundane activities like going to that last parent-teacher conference or fixing a picnic lunch for the kids are encouraging topics that future generations are more likely to find interest in. When writing, add some info on what is currently going on in the world.
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If you keep an online family tree journal, back up your information regularly. With the advent of electronic journals, it is easier to preserve information than it used to be, but servers still crash and files can be corrupted. Print off a copy of your journal pages or save them to disk and put them somewhere safe.
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Tips & Warnings
Don't be afraid to doodle. This is just one more way to express your creativity and can be very revealing to future generations of your family. Use slang or dated words only if they come natural to you, and make sure that you provide your descendants with a way to interpret the meaning of these words or phrases.
If you are uncertain of any information in your journal, admit it. Even one letter difference in a surname (for example, Duggar vs, Dugger) can make a difference between finding information on a branch of your tree or losing the trail permanently. You can always update later.
