It's time for this week's Ancestry Quick Tip Jamboree! Thanks to everyone who has sent in a Quick Tip. Please keep them coming so that we can keep this tradition going. You can send your tips to ADNeditor@ancestry.com.

Quick Tips may be reprinted, with credit to the submitter, in other Ancestry publications, so if you do not want your tip included in a publication other than the Ancestry Daily News and Ancestry Weekly Digest, please state so clearly in your message.

Have a great day!

Juliana

The Tale of Three Brothers

Years ago, while attending a one-day course at the National Archives, the instructor asked for a show of hands of people who had a family tale of three brothers coming to America. Hands went up for about 75 percent of the group. She said that this story is common with every group she works with but rarely turns out to be true.

Another important point that was made was to never request any information by mail unless you include a self-addressed stamped envelope. Your response time is much faster.

Norma Day

Trays Keep Track of Backup Data

On my desk by my computer, I have a letter tray (the kind used for in and out mail). Every time I enter data into the computer from a document or note, I place the item in the letter tray. Then when I back up my data file to a CD, I remove the items and file them in the appropriate family file.

This way, if I have a computer problem, I know what information has not been saved to a CD and have to reenter only the information from the letter tray.

Joan Miles

Saving E-Mail Correspondence

When I e-mail my cousins asking questions about the family and such, I always print out both my e-mail and the responses from my cousins. Sometimes the e-mails include photos, things we remember about other family members and our different viewpoints about them, the passing of a relative, etc.

It is like keeping a journal that I can look back on when I want to recall a conversation or clues for more family research. One of the cousins that I corresponded with passed away four years ago, and I am thankful now that I thought to print out our conversations, as she provided me with a lot of family history. I have put all the e-mail printouts in a three-ring binder and have separated it by my cousin's names.

Peggy Fox