How to Actually Begin Searching: Use a Research Plan and Log
I learned the hard way that genealogy is not a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants project. New hints and unexpected discoveries make it very easy to chase the next interesting thing and forget the question you were trying to answer.
Write one main question
Define the person and the problem. “Who was my great-grandfather?” is more useful than “research the family.” Then break the question into smaller questions that records may be able to answer.
Plan possible sources
List the records, repositories, databases, relatives, and local sources that might address the question. The plan can change as you learn more.
Keep a research log
Record what you searched, where you searched, when you searched, what you found, and enough source information to find it again. Negative searches matter too: knowing where you already looked can save hours later.