The five golden rules

Welcome to the Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine guide to getting started researching your family tree.

Over the next eight pages, we'll talk you through some of the best ways to track down information to help build a better picture of who your ancestors were and the lives they may have lead. And, with more and more resources becoming available on the web, we'll also explore the top online resources to help take your research further.

1. Begin with known facts and work backwards – checking the validity of each new piece of information against an original record.
 
2. Document your sources at each stage, whether that’s a person, or a piece of paper.
 
3. Always keep a record, even if an avenue of research proves to be fruitless – it will stop you making the same mistake again at a later stage.
 
4. Do your own research. Don’t assume that information supplied to you by another party is accurate, and always check the authenticity of information you find online.
 
5. Take advantage of others' expertise. When you hit a brick wall, solicit the help of professional organisations, family history societies, specialist publications such as Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine, and forums like our own.