SOURCES · METHODS · RESEARCH PATHWAYS
Research Library & Methods
A guided starting point for evidence-based genealogy, archival family history, and bio-historical research. Begin with the question you are trying to answer, then use the appropriate record group, method, or reference tool.
Start with your research question
Choose a pathway rather than treating every source as interchangeable. A census record, an oral-history account, a DNA match, and a historic map each answer different questions.
Evaluate a claim
Learn how this publication distinguishes primary-source confirmation, strong indirect support, oral tradition, and working hypotheses.
Evidence standards →
Learn the language
Use the glossary to clarify genealogical, archival, and genetic terms before drawing conclusions from a record or result.
Work with raw DNA
Use Genotype Scout for privacy-first, client-side genotype analysis. Raw DNA files remain on the device.
Open Genotype Scout ↗
Find a dispatch
Browse the publication by subject area, from family history and matriarchs to genetics, migration, and archival recovery.
Explore the archive →
Primary records & repositories
Use original or near-contemporaneous records wherever possible. Repository links below are starting points, not substitutes for recording full source citations and checking the original image or manuscript.
DNA and bio-historical context
Genetic evidence is most useful when paired with documented relationships, population context, and careful source evaluation. Do not use a DNA result alone to assert a specific historical identity or community affiliation.
