As of few weeks ago, when I crafted this post, there were 150,162 articles under this Resource Guide on the FamilySearch.org website.  So what is the Wiki anyway?

The Research Wiki is a tree, online genealogical guide that lists websites and resources to help you find your ancestors from countries around the world. The Wiki is a community project where anyone can contribute.

What can you find on the Wiki?

• Genealogical databases and online resources 
• Genealogy research strategy and guidance
• Explanation of genealogy record types and their uses
• Locality pages for countries, states, counties and parishes with relevant resources.
• Topic pages about genealogy, such as Organize Your Genealogy, or Gazetteers.

Pro tips for navigating the Wiki:

• Don’t search by name; individuals are NOT listed in the Wiki but you will find links to databases or other resources that may contain the information you seek.
• Do search by location; search by location, smallest to largest (parish/town, county, state, country). 
• Do check for pertinent records in each jurisdiction. 

Recommendations:

• For the country, or state, and/or county of your interest, consider printing out those pages for better study; keep them in your research notebook. 
• Do check for specific topics: Land records, Military Records, Church Records, Emigration, Immigration, etc. Such sites give you an overview while a locality search gives you specifics to that locale. 
• When you learn the European (or other) country of your ancestors’ origins, go to that country and print out/really study that material……. your own personal self-help guide.

The bestest advice I can give you today is to grab a hot or cold drink, set a timer for a full hour, and go explore the FamilySearch Wiki! That’s the “bestest” way to learn how to really utilize this fantastic FREE resource.