Make a Chronology

Looking at things when they are out of order only adds to the chaos.

One good data organizational technique is to list every event in your ancestor's life from their birth through their death. Viewing the chronology gives the researcher a nice overview of an individual's life. This also makes it possible to see unaccounted time gaps and possible oversights in your research.

A chronology is also an excellent framework from which to write an ancestral biography. This is especially true for those who would like to create a biography, but don't think they are really "writers."

A chronology puts everything in sequence and sometimes can make inconsistencies a little easier to spot.

Be certain to put the source for every item in your chronology.