How To Let Go Of Those Dead End Leads In Genealogy Research
December 1st, 2008

When someone begins to make efforts in finding out their past with genealogy research, they may begin to run into dead end leads. This happens when you begin to find something on your family history, but it ends up going in circles or leading to the same information that you have already found. Often times, information will lead to no new insights at all. If you begin a search, there are several ways that you can determine what a dead end is and how to let go of the dead end when conducting your family tree research. The best thing to do, if you have found a lead that is going nowhere, is to either validate the information, or drop the information completely.

The first way to find out if you have a dead end lead is through the type of resource that you are using. There are primary and secondary sources that you will be using when you are looking for your family history. A primary source will most likely include direct links to dates or will be recorded during the correct time period from your lineage. Secondary sources make more assumptions and interpretations. If you believe that your source is secondary, it is best to compare it to other sources. If it doesn't match, then it is a dead end link and should be recorded as not having the right information.

While you are searching for your family history, you can keep track of what led to the dead end and what you were able to use in finding accurate information. This will help you from going around in circles with the information that you are finding and will allow you to find new avenues of information when trying to put together your history. If you are finding information that has too many gaps or has been interpreted through several other sources, then you should let that particular source go as it will only lead to more dead ends.

Dead ends are most often going to be found from false information that is discovered on websites and search engines or from secondary sources. Sifting through the information that is available on the web and by validating your sources will help you to get away from genealogy information that is not correct. There are several places available that will let you know whether a website is valid or not. You can do this by finding more primary sources out of books and information from certificates. Websites should also be able to give you certain site information that gives it validity.

While websites and search engines can help direct your search by giving you a basis to find your information, often times the information may be misleading and run you into dead ends. The best way to use websites and search engines is as a basis for finding better, primary sources that will lead to accurate information. For example, if you find an obituary notice on a search web, you can validate the information or request more information from a different source, such as the Social Security office. This will help to ensure that you are getting the right information for your genealogy research.

After you have received a certain amount of information about your genealogy, you should look into the holes or gaps that are left from certain time periods. By doing this, you will be able to find validated information about your family. You will be able to gain clues into whether the information that you have found is misleading or is the truth. Finding details into your family tree is important in knowing whether what you have found is a dead end or will help you in finding more information.

Beginning genealogy research can lead to several revelations and new understandings about your family history. However, dead ends can often times be part of this process. By knowing how to validate your information, knowing which resources and sites will help in gathering new insights, and knowing when to fill in the gaps to your search, it will make it easier to trace your history. By knowing when to take a turn, you will avoid running into the dead ends of tracing your history

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