Three Quick Reminders While Doing Your Genealogy and Family History

1. Back-up your digital archives. Most people think a hard drive crash will never happen to them, or they put off doing a backup. As one of our friends recently lamented when her computer crashed, "I've just lost several years of my life!"

2. Remember not everyone is thrilled about doing genealogy. Contact distant relatives and strangers in the least intrusive way as possible and be very specific about the information you need. Reimburse them for copies or postage if you request documents. And lastly, provide your newfound friends with copies of your research. You may inspire them to learn more about their families!

3. Keep a research log. A research log helps you to keep track of the information you find about your ancestors. You can print out a simple log. If you want to track your progress, there are some great forms at Census Tools.