| How Darius Used the 5-Step Research Process |
|---|
| Step 1: Write down what you know. |
Darius discovered a family record by talking to his mother. She gave him a handwritten note, apparently created by his father, which listed the names, birth dates, and death dates of his father's immediate family, including his paternal grandfather. |
| Step 2: Decide what you want to learn. |
Being an African-American descendent of slaves, Darius doubted that he would be able to find any more information about his family, but he decided to at least try to see if he could find some additional information about his father's father. |
| Step 3: Choose a source of information. |
Based on the dates listed on the note, he decided the 1880 census would be a good record to search. |
| Step 4: Learn from the source. |
Darius went to the FHL, searched the 1880 census and found his grandfather listed in the census. That information led to other records which took his family history back to the Revolutionary War era. |
| Step 5: Use what you learned. |
When he found the information, he recorded it. Darius did additional research and is now writing a family history. |
