Creating a Biographical Sketch

Begin your genealogical research by making a few notes about yourself. You already know a great deal — you probably know your birth date, place of birth, parents' names, and where you've lived. So, sit down at your computer, open your word processor, and begin creating an autobiographical sketch (of course, you can take out a piece of paper and start writing down all those details instead).

The easiest method is to begin with current events and work back through your life. For instance, first note the basics: your current occupation, residence, and activities. Then move back to your last residence, occupation, and so on, until you arrive at your birth date.

Make sure that you include milestones like children's birth dates, marriage dates, military service dates, and other significant events in your life.

(If you prefer, you can cover your life by beginning with your birth and working forward to the present. Either way is fine, as long as all the important events are listed in the sketch.)

After you complete your own biographical sketch, you will probably want to take the next step and begin interviewing your family members to collect information about them and other relatives.

Click here for some interviewing tips.

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