Hi, I began collecting information 34 years ago, but did not have any guidelines at the time. I have since learned that documentation is crucial, but I had failed to get any in the beginning. I made many mistakes because I didn't know what I was doing - such as "making assumptions", rather than having facts. Unfortunately, some of these mistakes have been perpetuated by others, and it is now impossible to "put the toothpaste back in the tube". So, it really helps to know what you are doing and to do it correctly right off the bat. There are many places online where you can find lessons in how to do research: http://rootsweb.com/ http://www.familysearch.org http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com There are also instructive books, such as Netting Your Ancestors, by Cyndi Howells Virtual Roots, by Thomas Jay Kemp Hope these help! Happy Hunting, Ann Billings Rheney