Genealogical research relies on a variety of different types of databases, resources, and their associated records.
Genealogical records are the paper trail each of us leaves throughout the course of our lives. Solid genealogical research means finding, uncovering, that paper trail, and subsequently linking the pieces together to tell someone's story.
This guide introduces the beginning genealogical researcher to three types of records:
Comprehensive database resources for finding various types of records from wide ranging geographic areas and time frames.
For help understanding different types of genealogical records and their corresponding geographic locations, use the FamilySearch Wiki.
Historic newspapers are a logical entry point to genealogical research and have the potential to yield rich and varied information about people, events, and times past. Newspapers databases readily available to the HWS community include:
For a comprehensive listing of newspaper databases available, see also:
City directories listed each household alphabetically within a given geographic area. Useful for placing individuals and families in a given place at a particular time. These resources also given insight into local businesses organizations of the day.
The United States census yields rich details about families and individuals across the years. Available in 10-year increments from 1790-1940, census questions changed regularly to reflect data the government was most interested in collecting. Population schedules from 1850-1940 are navigated more easily than their earlier counterparts from 1790-1840.
Reading Early American Handwriting by 
Evidence explained : citing history sources from artifacts to cyberspace (2nd ed., rev.) by 
New York Family History Research Guide and Gazetteer