If you are interested in tracing your family's roots, but are uncertain where to begin, do not feel discouraged. Most beginning genealogists experience this! There is a lot of information to take in when you first embark on uncovering your ancestral past, and the most important thing you can do is not let yourself get overwhelmed. This guide will help direct you on the basics for performing genealogy research.

Genealogy is a hobby that is growing in popularity, due in part to all the advances the internet has provided for genealogical research. Websites devoted to genealogy research offer users access to growing databases of information for a nominal fee, and help connect distant cousins from all over the world. If you are curious about your own ancestral past, this guide will provide you with all the necessary information on how to do genealogy research.

The best place to begin is with the basics. In genealogy, this means understanding the process of tracing your family tree and getting an overview of all the different forms of information that will help you fill in the blanks. Consider:

1. Attending genealogy workshops or conferences
2. Signing up for a class at your local genealogical society or library
3. Reading genealogy books and reading about genealogy online

By doing any one of the above, you should begin to learn and understand about the importance of land and census records, military rolls and tax lists, birth, marriage and death records. All of these documents will become commonplace as you begin your quest to uncover the past, so make sure you are well schooled in them before you move on to the next phase.

Now that you have an idea of what is involved in genealogy research, you need to decide both who you intend to research and what information you already have at your disposal.

1. Which family are you going to research, your paternal or maternal side of the family? How far back do you want to go? Set some goals, as well as some boundaries. It is easy to get sidetracked on a different ancestral line as you move forward, so you need to know when to stop and regroup. Begin small, and expand your branches later.
2. Gather as much information as you can about your family line from your family. Find out as many names, dates, events, placenames, etc. This will help you direct your research when you venture to the library or into online communities. If you can, interview your parents, grandparents, aunts or uncles. You never know what information may help you out down the road.

Online research can provide a vast amount of information to the aspiring genealogist. If going to the library or local courthouse is not something you are interested in, then start with the internet. Although libraries and courthouses will likely be necessary as you progress further, many people can find what they are looking for online. There are many free sites online, but most family history sites will charge you a small monthly or annual free. However, these sites will often offer a free two week or one month trial. Great starting parts include:

1. Ancestry.com - This website offers a free two-week trial before allowing you to sign up for monthly or annual membership. Invaluable information can be found on the site, including but not limited to census records, state marriage, birth and death records, land records, military records, etc.
2. Familysearch.org - This is the free Mormon research site, offering the 1880 census and various user submitted information. It also has indexes for the various microfilm rolls that can be ordered from the main library in Salt Lake City
3. Rootsweb is a free site offering specific county research and message boards
4. Geneforum is also a free site offering message boards and other information for users

Visiting a local genealogy library, genealogical society or your local library is a great place to perform your family history research. Genealogy libraries have a wealth of information that has been collected from various places. People often submit books and folders on their family genealogy. Genealogical societies often are set up like libraries, and provide similar resources, including microfilms filled with census records, family trees, military records, newspaper files, etc. Finally, local libraries often have a special genealogy section, often focusing on more regional localities. Most of these libraries offer classes and workshops to help direct you in your research activities.

Other places to consider visiting are:

1. Cemeteries
2. County Courthouses
3. The National Archives