After gathering all these, read on for the free stuff offered on genealogical sites: Genealogical forms for downloading like charts as basis for the family tree, calendar (used for research), forms for note taking, deed indexes (grantors and grantees), checklist for libraries or archives the researcher visited), journals and worksheets for research, table of contents, index for marriages (statewide), and vital records. org This site not only includes detailed tips on how to begin recording your family history, it also includes a good database of research documents categorized by state for easy browsing. The same documents can also be sorted by title, subject and document type. Helpful documents include U.S. Federal Census Records that date back from 1790 up to 1930, immigration records, ship passenger lists, newspapers, even naturalization and military service records. They could also suggest possible sources of vital info regarding your relatives and family. Doing a search online may also be of help. There are genealogy web sites as well as newsgroups. Store and organize all info When you think you have as much information as you could possibly gather, make group pedigree sheets that have the basic info about a wife, her husband and their kids. Document it all Of course, mere documentation is not enough. It is important that you document everything as carefully and as appropriately as possible. First things first, copy the book title, reel number of the microfilm, the number of the page, author, publication year, publisher and whatever detail you could see on the sheet cover. The usage and design of characters in the Chinese dictionary creates an interesting problem. There are so many indexing schemes which are made for the usage of Chinese characters. Most of these schemes were shown in only one dictionary which has the radicals system. You can search the Chinese character dictionary in various ways. Ask your parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins. Start with what is current and then work backwards. Look at family Bibles, birth, death and marriage certificates, diaries, letters, military certificates and scrapbooks. Don t ignore the family photo album. Useful bits of information can be gathered from the back of photographs.