1. ATTITUDE IS KEY
   1. ATTITUDE IMPROVES WITH SUCCESS
      1. Your attitude is important. You must first believe that a problem can be solved. Generally, this attitude will evolve as you learn more, and have increasing success. Recall the problems you have solved in your past research. How did you solve each prior problem? Did you find a new record? Did you use a different spelling? Did you look in a different locality? You must believe that problems can be solved. There are now so many records that you can find information about virtually any person.
      2. Emotional blocks  These can be difficult to overcome because they require a change in attitude, which may take some time to learn. The following methods help to achieve this change: ·         accept that if you are looking for new, better ways  of doing something, some mistakes are almost inevitable ·         remember that many great thinkers have been , ridiculed for what turned out to be great inventions eg the heavier-than-air flying machine
   2. IF THERE ARE RECORDS-THEY ARE FINDABLE
      1. Analyze what you did right. This is one reason documentation is so important to solving problems--it lets you review where your journey has taken you.
2. REVIEW WHAT YOU HAVE
   1. OLD INFO. MAY PROVIDE CLUES
      1. Information that you found a few years ago may include names, dates or other details that now provide clues given new facts that you've since uncovered.
   2. ORGANIZE FILES
      1. Organizing your files and reviewing your facts may uncover just the clue you're looking for.
   3. REVIEW FACTS
      1. It seems basic. But I can't stress enough how many brick walls are breached with information that the researcher already had tucked away in files, boxes or computer disks. Information that you found a few years ago may include names, dates or other details that now provide clues given new facts that you've since uncovered.
3. GO BACK TO ORIGINAL SOURCE
   1. MAY NOT HAVE RECORDED ENOUGH
      1. Many of us are guilty when transcribing information or recording notes of only including the facts we deem important at the time. You may have kept the names and dates from that old census record, but did you also keep track of other information such as years of marriage and country of parent's origin?
   2. MAY HAVE MISREAD NAME
      1. Or, perhaps, you misread a name or misinterpreted a relationship? 
   3. MISINTERPRETED A RELATIONSHIP
   4. WHAT SEEMED UNIMPORTANT - NOW IS IMPORTANT
      1. If you haven't already, be sure to go back to the original records, making complete copies and transcriptions and recording all clues - however unimportant they may seem right now.
   5. WHY CAREFUL DOCUMENTATION IS SO IMPORTANT
      1. Not only is careful documentation important learning how to document is crucial.
4. KNOWLEDGE OF THE PROBLEM
   1. SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCES OF PROBLEM
      1. While education is a general price you need to pay, the first tactic is to gain more knowledge about the specific circumstances of the problem. When it comes to solving a specific problem, you need specific knowledge to help you evaluate information about that problem.
   2. WHERE IS IT LOCATED
      1. How many people live there? What are the geographic features?
   3. TIME PERIOD
      1. When did your family live there? What was happening in the country’s history then?
   4. RELIGION
      1. What churches existed in that locality, at that time? Where are their records?
   5. HISTORY
      1. When was the locality settled? Who first (and later) came there? How did they arrive, and from where?
   6. WHAT RECORDS ARE AVAILABLE
      1. What records are available for this problem? Are there unique lists or other sources for just that village, town, district, province?
5. BROADEN SEARCH
   1. ASK FAMILY & NEIGHBOURS
      1. When you're stuck on a particular ancestor, a good strategy is to extend your search to family members and neighbors.
   2. CHECK SIBLINGS RECORDS
      1. When you can't find a birth record for your ancestor that lists his/her parents, maybe you can locate one for a sibling.
   3. CHECK NEIGHBOURS IN CENSUS
      1. Or, when you've lost a family between census years, try looking for their neighbors. You may be able to identify a migration pattern, or a mis-indexed census entry that way. Often referred to as "cluster genealogy," this research process can often get you past tough brick walls.
   4. COLLATERAL LINES
      1. SIBLINGS, AUNTS, UNCLES & IN-LAWS
      2. DON'T KNOW SIBLINGS
         1. lf you don’t know the names of your ancestor’s siblings, you can often find them In census records, wills, probate records and obituaries.
      3. MARRIAGE RECORDS
         1. Early marriage records were often skimpy on details, but later marriages of siblings may contain further Information such as birthplaces and parents’ names.
      4. CHECK CENSUS
         1. Elderly or widowed parents may be found listed in the census with a sibling’s family.
      5. MAIDEN NAME
         1. The informant who provided the information for your ancestor’s death certificate may not have known their mother s maiden name, but a sibling’s certificate may yield further clues.
6. SOURCES
   1. LIBRARIES
      1. Archives of Ontario
      2. City of Toronto Archives
      3. Toronto Reference Library
      4. North York Central Library
      5. Toronto Family History Centre
      6. JOHN P. ROBARTS LIBRARY
      7. Petro Jacyk Resource Centre
      8. St. Vladimir Institute Library
   2. FAMILY SEARCH
      1. DISCOVER YOUR FAMILY HISTORY
      2. FAMILYSEARCH
      3. FAMILYSEARCH LABS
      4. FAMILYSEARCH LABS RECORD SEARCH
      5. FAMILYSEARCH RESEARCH WIKI
      6. NEW FAMILYSEARCH
      7. RECORDS UPDATE
      8. TECH TIPS
   3. ARCHIVES
      1. CANADA
         1. LIBRARY & ARCHIVES CANADA
         2. AMICUS
         3. ARCHIVES CANADA
         4. ARCHIVIANET
         5. CANADIAN GENEALOGY CENTRE
         6. CANADIAN FAMILIES
      2. PROVINCES
         1. ALBERTA
         2. BRITISH COLUMBIA
         3. MANITOBA
         4. NEW BRUNSWICK
         5. NEWFOUNDLAND/LABRADOR
         6. NOVA SCOTIA
         7. ONTARIO
         8. PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
         9. QUEBEC
         10. SASKATCHEWAN
      3. AMERICAN
         1. US GENEALOGY RESOURCES
         2. US ARCHIVES
         3. US ARCHIVES MOST REQUESTED
         4. AAD BY CATEGORY
         5. AAD GENEALOGY/HISTORY
         6. AAD INDEX
         7. AAD COUNTRIES
         8. AAD COUNTRIES
         9. AAD STATES
         10. AAD WARS
      4. UKRAINE
         1. ARCHIVES
         2. LIST OF RAHS
         3. POSTAL CODES
         4. ARCHIVES IN UKRAINE-HARVARD
         5. UCRDC archive
         6. UKRAINE SIG
      5. POLAND
         1. AGAD
         2. CENTRAL ARCHIVES OF MODERN RECORDS
         3. PRADZIAD DATA BASE
         4. Polish State and Ecclesiastical Archives
      6. EUROPE
         1. ARCHIVES PORTAL EUROPE
         2. Repositories of Primary Sources - Europe
         3. REPOSITORIES OF primary sources
         4. Slovakia Genealogy Research Strategies
   4. COMPILATIONS
      1. CYNDI'S LIST
      2. FAMILY GENEALOGY & HISTORY INTERNET EDUCATION DIRECTORY
      3. LINKPENDIUM
      4. MARY'S GENEALOGY TREASURES
      5. PROGENEALOGISTS
      6. THE OLIVE TREE GENEALOGY
   5. SEARCH ENGINES
      1. ALLTHEWEB
      2. ALTAVISTA
      3. ASK.COM
      4. GENSOURCE I FOUND IT
      5. ENTIRE WEB
      6. FAMILY FINDER
      7. GENEANET
      8. GIGABLAST
      9. KEYBOARDR
      10. MOCAVA
      11. PIPL
      12. STARTPAGE
      13. WEBCRAWLER
      14. YAHOO
      15. ZABASEARCH
7. EDUCATION
   1. BOOKS
      1. AMAZON BOOKS
      2. GOOGLE BOOKS
      3. HIGGINSON BOOK CO.
      4. CHAPTERS INDIGO.CA
      5. ONLINE HISTORY & GENEALOGY LIBRARY
      6. PROJECT GUTENBERG
      7. THE DESPERATE GENEALOGIST'S IDEA BOOK
      8. WILLIS MONIE BOOKS
      9. WORLD CAT
   2. JOURNALS
      1. FAMILYTREE MAGAZINE
      2. GENEALOGYINTIME MAGAZINE
      3. EASTMAN'S ONLINE NEWSLETTER
      4. FAMILY RESEARCH
      5. ANCESTRY INSIDER
      6. GLOBAL GAZETTE
      7. FAMILY CHRONICLE MAGAZINE
      8. INDIANA GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY
      9. GENEALOGY MAGAZINE
   3. LEARN PROBLEM-SOLVING TECHNIQUES
      1. Brick Walls are problems looking for a solution. Problem-solving techniques are all about overcoming Brick Walls
      2. OVERCOMING BRICKWALL PROBLEMS
      3. Problem Solving Skills – Start Here!
      4. Problem-Solving Skills
      5. 6 Ways to Enhance Your Problem Solving Skills
      6. Problem Solving Techniques
      7. Problem Solving Skills
      8. Problem solving-from Wikipedia
      9. Problem Solving Strategies
      10. creativity & thinking skills
      11. The skills of problem solving
   4. TUGG SESSIONS
      1. For genealogists, education is never-ending. Each research situation is a new problem. Therefore, we must always be learning new things.  Every TUGG meeting is an educational opportunity.  
   5. TEACH
      1. FAMILY HISTORY IN THE CLASSROOM
      2. TEACHING FAMILY HISTORY
      3. TEACHING GENEALOGY
      4. TEACHING GENEALOGY TO KIDS
      5. TEACHING GENEALOGY
      6. GENEALOGY IN THE CLASSROOM
   6. COURSES
      1. GENEAWEBINERS
      2. GENEALOGY.COM LEARNING CENTER
      3. NATIONAL GENEALOGY SOCIETY
      4. PROGRAMS IN GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH
      5. LEARNING CENTER GENEALOGY COURSES
      6. BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY
      7. FREE ONLINE COURSES
      8. FAMILY TREE UNIVERSITY
      9. BOSTON U GENEALOGY PROGRAM
8. ASK FOR HELP
   1. FRESH EYES
      1. Fresh eyes can often see beyond brick walls
   2. BOUNCE THEORIES OFF OTHERS
      1. What is your theory of why there is a problem?  Try bouncing your theories off other researchers.
   3. TALK TO OTHER GENEALOGISTS
      1. Check with TUGG members, or members of other historical or genealogical societies.  
   4. EXPLAIN YOUR TACTICS/STRATEGY
      1. Be sure to include what you already know, as well as what you'd like to know and which tactics you've already tried.
   5. ARE YOU NETWORKING?
      1. POST QUERIES TO LISTS
         1. Post a query to a Web site or mailing list and message board which focuses on the locality in which the family lived,
         2. LEGACY FAMILY TREE MAILING LIST
         3. LEGACY USERGROUP ARCHIVES
         4. LEGACY YAHOO GROUPS
         5. ROOTSWEB LEGACY SOFTWARE
         6. ROOTSWEB MAILING LISTS
         7. THE COMPLETE RESOURCES FOR GENEALOGY MAILING LISTS
      2. MESSAGE BOARDS
         1. ANCESTRY MESSAGE BOARDS
         2. GENEALOGY FORUM
         3. GENFORM SURNAMES
         4. HERITAGE.COM FORUMS
         5. ROOTSWEB LEGACY SOFTWARE
         6. ROOTSWEB MESSAGE BOARDS
      3. SUBMIT ARTICLES
         1. Do an article about your Brick Wall and submit it to various genealogical publications.
      4. JOIN GENEALOGY SOCIETIES
         1. Along with TUGG, there is the OGS and others.
      5. ATTEND CONFEREFNCES
         1. Check out the many Conferences held by groups, such as the East European Genealogical Society, Federation of Eastern European Genealogical Societies, Polish genealogical societies in the USA, The Jewish Genealogical Society of Canada Provincial Genealogical Societies
9. LEARN YOUR BOUNDARIES
   1. DO YOU HAVE WRONG JURISDICTION?
      1. You could waste hours of precious time searching for records in the wrong place. By expanding research for records of those changing Raions can provide many new clues.
   2. TOWN, DISTRICT, PROVINCIAL BOUNDARIES SHIFT
      1. Raions/Powaits, Oblast and Ukraine’s boundaries have moved many times through the years, so It is also important to know where those boundaries were at the time your ancestor lived in the area.
   3. LEARN THE HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHY
      1. Look for books and historic resources for Ukraine and Poland
   4. FOLLOW THE LAND
      1. GROUP MIGRATION
         1. Families often lived close together. It was very common for families to migrate in groups with cousins and friends taking up land in the same area.
      2. INTERMARRIAGE
         1. It was also common for these neighboring families to Intermarry.
      3. FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS
         1. Deeds, mortgages and other land records hold a myriad of answers to family relationships. Family members may also be listed as witnesses on land deeds.
      4. NEIGHBORING FAMILY
         1. A neighboring  family may turn out to be the parents of your female ancestor with the unknown maiden name.
      5. CENSUS RECORDS
         1. When recording census records record the family under Investigation and six families on either side of them. While they may seem unrelated now, you may find something In the future to indicate otherwise.
   5. FAMILY HISTORY IS LOCAL
      1. Family history is, to some degree local history
      2. Your ancestors cannot be adequately researched outside of the historical and geographical context of their location and time period.
   6. LEARN HISTORY & GEOGRAPHY
      1. An acquaintance with the geography and political history of the area can prove Invaluable in determining: — what records were kept — where copies may be found — and in which format they exist.
10. CHECK NAME VARIATIONS
    1. LOOKING AT WRONG NAME
       1. Are you looking at Boychuk, when you should be looking at Boyachuk?  
    2. GIVEN NAME MAY DIFFER
       1. Maria, Marya, Marija, Marea
    3. GET CREATIVE WITH NAME VARIATIONS
       1. My fairly innocuous Onyschuk surname can also be spelled: Onisscscak, Oniszczak, Onysczak, Onyszcak, Onyszczak, Oniczuk, Onyszczek, Oneszczak, Oneschuk, Oneszczuk, Onischuk, Onlsczuk, Onlszcsuk, Oniszczuk, Onosczak, Onusciak, Onuszcsak, Onuszczak, Onischczuk,, Onyshchuk, Onyszczuk, Onysczczuk, Onysczuk, Onychuk or Onyshuk
11. QUESTION & VERIFY
    1. INCORRECT DATA
       1. Many brick walls are built from incorrect data. Your sources may be leading you in the wrong direction through their inaccuracy.
    2. TRANSCRIPTION ERRORS
       1. Published sources often contain transcription errors, while even original documents may contain misinformation, whether purposefully or accidentally given. 
    3. 3 RECORDS TO VERIFY
       1. Try to find at least three records to verify any facts that you already know and judge the quality of your data based on the weight of the evidence.
    4. WEIGHT OF THE EVIDENCE
       1. A reasonably exhaustive search for all pertinent information   A complete and accurate citation to the source of each item used   Analysis of the collected information's quality as evidence   Resolution of any contradictory or conflicting evidence   Document the conclusion that is best supported by the evidence