Once you have an idea of what records are available, you should make a reference sheet that will help you navigate and find relevant documents. Ask yourself the following questions:
- What type of information might I find in these documents? (family relations, date of birth, place of birth, etc.)
- What words will I need to know to get this information? (words for months, numbers, basic prepositions, kinship terms, etc.)
For example, if you are visiting a cemetery, you will want to find out the names of the months, the words for husband, wife, son and daughter, the words for "born" and "died" and how to make possessives (see here and here), because these are all commonly found on tombstones. Make sure that if you find something you don't understand you take note and add it to your reference sheet for next time.