Start with place, time and jurisdiction
Identify the colony or state and the period before choosing a repository. Birth, death and marriage systems are state or territory responsibilities, while the National Archives holds Commonwealth records such as immigration, naturalisation and defence. Earlier colonial records may be arranged differently from later federal series.
Follow the strongest record sequence
Work from state civil indexes and certificates into passenger records, naturalisation, electoral rolls, probate and military service. RecordSearch locates Commonwealth files; Trove can reveal notices, obituaries and community events. Search initials, spelling variants and ship names because newspaper and migration indexes are often inconsistent.
Preserve evidence and local context
Cite the responsible archive, series and control symbol or item number, page or image and access provider. Separate a newspaper claim from an official record and attach both to the conclusion they support. Respect culturally sensitive descriptions and access conditions, particularly for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander records.