A family history book is more useful when a relative can tell which record supports a date, quotation or event—and can find that record again. You do not need to turn every page into an academic paper. You do need to capture source details while researching, connect important claims to those sources, and choose a note system readers can follow in print.
FamilySearch’s genealogy guidance explains that a citation should identify the specific source and help another person locate it. It also recommends recording citations as you find sources rather than trying to reconstruct them at the end. Use the workflow below while you are still drafting.
1. Give each source a stable ID
Assign a short ID to every record or interview, such as SRC-001. Put that ID in your research spreadsheet, draft notes and the digital filename when practical. The ID is your internal link between a story claim and its evidence; it is not the final citation by itself.
| Source ID | What it supports | Details to capture now | Where the original can be found |
|---|---|---|---|
| SRC-001 | One name, date, relationship or quotation | Creator/author, record title/type, date, repository, collection or volume, page or item number | Archive, library, family custodian, stable URL or catalog identifier |
| SRC-002 | Interview or family photograph | Speaker/photographer, interviewer or holder, date, place, file name, permission note | Recording folder or original photo location |
For an online record, capture the repository or site, collection name, record identifier and access date along with the URL. A link alone may be difficult to interpret years later if a site changes its navigation. For a paper record, note enough information to request or locate the item again, such as the repository, collection, volume and page or reference number.
2. Connect claims to sources while drafting
When you write a specific factual claim, insert a temporary marker beside it, such as [SRC-001]. Keep the marker in your draft until it has been replaced by a footnote, endnote or another clear reference system. If one paragraph contains three different claims, do not assume one general citation supports all three; map each claim to the item that actually supports it.
If two records disagree, record both and describe what remains uncertain instead of silently choosing the detail that makes the story simpler. A citation documents where information came from; it does not by itself prove that every interpretation is correct.
3. Choose footnotes or endnotes for your reader
| System | Useful when | Trade-off to check |
|---|---|---|
| Footnotes | Readers should see the source near the passage | Long notes may crowd a page or make a family story feel formal |
| Endnotes by chapter | You want the main text to read cleanly but keep evidence close by section | Readers must turn to the end of the chapter |
| One source register | The project is short and sources are few | Use IDs in the text so readers know which register entry supports each claim |
There is no single format every family book must use. Decide based on how often you cite, how long your notes are, and whether the reader is likely to check records. Apply the same system throughout. If you use a word processor’s automatic footnotes or endnotes, confirm they survive the export and do not restart in an unintended way.
4. Write one complete citation, then a clear short form
For each source, make the first note informative enough to identify it. Depending on the item, that may include its creator, title or record type, date, repository, collection, volume, page, item number or URL. Later notes can use a shorter form—such as a surname, brief title and page—if it still distinguishes the source. FamilySearch’s examples illustrate why “the 1860 census” alone may be too vague when several records or locations are involved.
Keep your style consistent rather than mixing abbreviated notes, bare links and bibliography entries at random. A source register at the back can provide the full details, while numbered notes in the chapters point readers to the matching item. Choose one pattern, test it on three sources, and only then apply it to the entire book.
5. Check the link between each claim and its citation
- Read a paragraph and underline every factual detail a relative might want to verify.
- Match each detail to its source ID in your tracker.
- Open the cited item and check that the name, date, page or quotation actually appears there.
- Replace the temporary ID with the final footnote/endnote marker.
- Confirm the note number in the text points to the correct note after layout changes.
- Check that names, dates and page references in the source register match the notes.
Where the citation includes a quotation, compare it with the original spelling and punctuation. Mark omissions or editorial additions clearly according to the style you have chosen. Do not “clean up” quoted wording in a way that changes what the source says.
6. Make source notes last beyond a broken web link
Printed books can circulate long after a digital page moves. Preserve the institution, collection and record number where available; keep a research copy of the source details in your project archive; and use a stable catalog record or repository page rather than only a temporary session URL. For online material, include an access date when it helps explain what version you saw.
If a source belongs to a relative, do not include a private home address, account credential, identity number or unneeded personal detail in a citation. Ask before reproducing sensitive documents or identifying living people. For uncertain permissions or legal questions, get advice appropriate to your location and intended audience.
7. Review the notes on the actual proof
- Every in-text marker has a matching note.
- Every note points to the intended person, source and page.
- Superscript numbers are visible but do not collide with punctuation.
- Long notes do not leave isolated lines or unreadably tight pages.
- Endnote headings and chapter references remain correct after pagination.
- Links or identifiers are complete and not broken across lines in a confusing way.
- The source register is in the final page order shown by the contents page.
Do this check on the final laid-out PDF, not only in the editable manuscript. If you change a paragraph or add a source after pagination, update the notes and inspect the affected pages again.
Prepare the documented manuscript for one hardcover
Your Book Bound helps turn a completed family-history file into one hardcover. The $99 USD service includes manual file checking, interior layout and cover support, digital proof revisions, one printed hardcover and standard tracked global delivery. Researching sources and substantively editing the family story are not included, so finish those decisions before sending the manuscript. Submit the finished book file for a free manual check.