You will find many of these described in the Genealogy Forum's Resource Center. Once you have determined which type of information source is most likely to answer your specific question, it is time to move on to Step 4. Once you have decided which type of information source is most likely to answer your specific question, you will need to obtain a copy of the information, and examine it. This may be easy or difficult depending on the type of information source, its availability, its location, and the ease with which it may be searched. In any event, make sure to include which information sources you plan to search on your research plan.
Some information sources are available online, via the Internet.
You may want to visit the Genealogy Forum's Internet Area to see what is available. Other sources can be purchased on CD-ROM and then searched on your own home computer. See genealogical supply houses for information about these products. Copies of some information sources, especially vital records, can often be obtained via postal mail. For more information on obtaining records held by U.S. states, counties and towns, see the book Ancestry's Red Book , edited by Alice Eichholz.