Originally Posted by Panther Creek Quilting
Now I have many questions concerning documentation.
1. How do you document? Do you get copies of the document or look at it compare to your notes and then enter the location of the document?
2. If you keep a copy of the document, how do you organize them? File system under person name/maiden name?
3. Then if your are filing under names do you put a copy of a marriage certificate in the folder of both husband and wife?
I am an organization freak, would love to have your input and/or suggestions.
Sheila
Hi Sheila, I had to laugh at your questions, 'cause I was invited to give a lecture to a county genealogical society in Ohio on that same topic. I had been up there and met a couple of local researchers who saw me hauling around my binders.
There are lots of different ways to organize your data/documentation. I do it a little differently than the person who taught me, and there is no one right way. It is what ever works for you. How much actual paper/copies you have depends on personal preference and what you can afford. I make paper copies of everything and file it in binders. OK, let me amend that statement. I make paper copies of everything related to my direct line ancestors and family, and USED to make paper copies of everything related to my indirect line or collateral relatives, but now I have a lot of computer documentation that is not on paper, just sourced in my computer for many of my collateral lines.
Hmm, this could be a very long post. I wonder if I should start a different thread about how I organize. If anyone is really interested, just let me know, and I'll start a new thread with photographs. I'll have to think about how to write it. The lecture I gave was 45 minuts long!! LOL