It’s a familiar theme: when we see something in print, we often view it as authoritative, especially if it comes from a source we are familiar with. But not all genealogical records are of equal value, and some may even contain errors or misleading information. Finding original records can be important in your research, and knowing how to handle the record information is just as important.

In The Family History Guide you’ll find some helpful resources for finding and using original records. Here are some links to articles and videos to get you started:

United States, Goal A1, Choice A

• The Importance of Using Original Records, Archives.com article
• It’s Worth It: Obtaining Original Records, RootsTech video
• Finding Original Records, FamilySearch article
• 5 Keys to Discovering More Records, LDSGenealogy article

See also the Record Information section in Choice A for additional resources.

United States, Goal A1, Choice B

• United States Record Finder, FamilySearch document

Vault

• Finding Original Records: The Real Game of Hide and Seek, FamilySearch video

Project 4: Research, Goal 4, Choice B

• Potential Problems with Records, Genealogy.com article
• Working with Unreliable Evidence, Ancestry Academy video
• Look at Both Sides of Documents, Ancestry Academy video

We hope you enjoy learning more about using original records, and how they can make a difference in your research.