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Individual Record approach, concentrate on each member of the family separately. Generate individual record sheets with the most important details like sex, date of birth, and marriage details. You could also have an area for religious events and a space for profession and education. Always look to validate your findings by cross referencing several sources.

To compile the data into a family tree you will need to transfer this information to a computer. Remember to keep photos and important documents related to your project in a safe and easily manageable format.

Using maiden names a good method of avoiding confusion. So what kind of family tree software would be suitable?

There are a variety of programmes to suit different requirements. Most have Tree of Ascendants and Descendants, which allows you to add other media types to your document. So it is possible to add pictures of the individuals to liven up your family tree. Reporting tools are part of Family Tree programmes, this feature allows you to create a Tree automatically from your database.

Questionnaires are a useful method of collating data, but remember to tread carefully when questioning as some people don't want to talk about a specific situation or long forgotten events.