This introductory course will tackle the common questions: “Why trace our ancestors?”, “How far back can I go?” and “How do I proceed after I’ve talked to my family?” Participants will immediately start filling in their Family Group Record (or Individual Family Form) and their Pedigree Chart(or Ancestral Chart). The course takes a look at the mementos and documents found in our own homes which hold so much information, but which are often overlooked. This will be followed with a general review of the public resources available. The course concludes with a look at the frustrating and confusing situations you may encounter as you undertake your research.
Please note that for students seeking the certificate, this course is a prerequisite for the remaining courses.
MODULE 1
Introduction to Genealogy
What Genealogy Means
Why would you want to trace your ancestors?
How far back can you go?
What to Do Before You Start Your Research
Construct a Miniature Tree
Privacy and GDPR
Recording Your Information
MODULE 2
First Steps in Genealogy Research
Websites
The Family Group Record
How to Begin the Research Stage
What sources does your family have?
Finding Living Relatives: A Resource Not to be Missed
MODULE 3
Researching
Websites
Research Objectives
The Sources We Use
Types of Information
MODULE 4
Confusing Situations
Meaning of Words
Surnames
Changes in Boundaries
Changes in the Calendars
MODULE 5
Repositories
Websites
What Outside Repositories To Contact
Genealogical & Historical Associations
Archives
Public & Provincial/State Libraries
Newspapers
Indexes of Various Data
Periodicals, Magazines & Newsletters from Genealogical
Associations
MODULE 6
Case Study
OUTSIDE REPOSITORIES TO CONTACT
Private Libraries & Associations
Family History Centers
Churches & Religious Records
Cemeteries
Advice
Transcription of Documents
A Basic Genealogical Research Plan
Methodology-Part 2: Organizing and Skill-Building has two underlying themes. One is to help you organize your paperwork and all the other documents or family material you will be collecting. The pedigree chart and the family group record are your "best friends" but there are many other suggested forms to keep track of your research, your correspondence, and all the material you collect as you become known as the family historian.
The second theme continues from Methodology-Part 1: Getting Started with learning basic research skills. You need a solid foundation to apply to your personal research—research planning, evaluating sources and analyzing the information they contain. We will review the subjects of sources and information, and add more about the third factor, evidence. In Methodology-Part 1 you learned something about transcribing historic documents related to your research work. This will also continue with the skill of abstracting information from sources.
MODULE 1
ORGANIZING & SKILL-BUILDING
Getting Started…Some Basic Points
Consistency
Abbreviations
Storage of Your Materials
DEVELOPING RESEARCH SKILLS
Research Skill: Transcribing Documents
Transcribing Standards
Punctuation/Diacritical Marks
Handwriting
Obsolete Letters
Dates
Square Brackets and Illegible Words
Comments and Interpretation
MODULE 2
ORGANIZING YOUR INFORMATION
Reference Numbers
Ancestral Reference Numbering System
Descendants Reference Numbering System
Forms to Organize Your Information
Pedigree Chart
Family Group Record
DEVELOPING RESEARCH SKILLS
Research Skills: Abstracting Documents
Abstracting Standards
Identifying the Document
Staying Faithful to Original Order
Quotes and Extracts if Useful
Spelling, Dates ...
Illegibility
Clarification
MODULE 3
ORGANIZING YOUR INFORMATION USING FORMS
Forms – Part 1
Research Forms
Research Log
Daily Journal
Address & Telephone Directory
Location
Research Checklist
DEVELOPING RESEARCH SKILLS
Research Skills: Sources, Information & Evidence
Sources
Information
Evidence
Proof
MODULE 4
ORGANIZING YOUR INFORMATION USING FORMS
Forms – Part 2
Information Request
Resource Centres & Websites
My Ancestors and My Ancestors’ Descendants
Difficult Searches
DEVELOPING RESEARCH SKILLS
Research Skills: Genealogical Proof Standard
“Evidence” and “Proof”
The Genealogical Proof Standard
Sample Genealogical Proof Standard (GPS) Proof Argument
Research Planning
MODULE 5
ORGANIZING INFORMATION USING FORMS
Additional Forms
Expense Journal
Precious Documents Inventory
Special Family Memento
How Has Your Family Changed?
Personal Diary
Organizing Precious Documents & Photographs
Major Disasters
Summary of Getting Organized
MODULE 6
DEVELOPING RESEARCH SKILLS
Research Skills: Citing Your Sources (Citations)
Core Elements for Original Sources
Core Elements for Derivative Sources
Core Elements for Online Sources
Structure
Example Citations
Vital Record
Civil Registration
Book
Chapter/Article
Online Family Tree
Database
Digital Image
Summary of Research Skills
HANDY FORMS
This course will introduce the myriad ways that the Internet can support our family history research efforts. We begin with some ways to prepare before conducting our research and move forward identifying the many different categories of websites that are potentially useful to genealogists. We end with learning how to harness the power of the collaborative web and social media, and how we, as researchers, have the opportunity to help increase the amount of genealogical information available online.
MODULE 1
PREPARING FOR INTERNET RESEARCH
Protecting Your Computer
Purchasing Records Online
STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS
Have a Research Plan
Ways to Stay Focused
Web Clipping and Note-taking Software
Creating a Personal Research Toolbox
Spreadsheets are a Genealogist’s Best Friend
Citing Your Information
THE INTERNET AND GENEALOGY
Common Misconceptions
What is a URL, Exactly?
Copyright Issues
Standards for the Use of Technology in Genealogical Research
GOOD PLACES TO BEGIN
Genealogy Gateway Websites
General Genealogical Gateway Websites
Locality, Ethnic and Religion Gateway Websites
Groups for Genealogy
Searching Google Groups
Facebook Groups and Pages for Genealogists
MODULE 2
DATABASES ONLINE
Tips and Techniques for Searching Databases
The Two Most Important Free Database Websites
FamilySearch
Searching Historical Record Collections
RootsWeb
The Free Versus For Fee Debate
Major Commercial Databases Online
Ancestry
Fold3
Findmypast
RootsIreland.ie
Additional Free & For Fee Databases Online
Vital Statistics: Births, Marriages, Deaths
Census and Census Substitutes
Wills and Probate
Emigration/Immigration
Land and Property
Military
Other Subjects
MODULE 3
SEARCHING FOR SURNAMES
Using Surname Websites Effectively
Privacy and Security Issues
Surname Query Websites
Smaller Surname Query Websites
Message Boards and Forums
Smaller Surname Message Boards and Forums
GEDCOM Websites
More Surnames Sites
Personal Family History Websites
Personal Genealogy Blogs
The Science of DNA and Family Connections
Locating Living Descendants
MODULE 4
ONLINE LIBRARIES, ARCHIVES AND RECORD OFFICES
Library, Archive & Record Office Gateway Websites
Worldwide Libraries and Archives
Canada
United States
United Kingdom and Ireland
Europe
Other Countries
Worldwide
FAMILY HISTORY AND GENEALOGICAL SOCIETIES
MODULE 5
INTERNET SEARCH TOOLS
General Search Engines
Yahoo!
Bing
More on Boolean Searching
Search Engine Alerts
Regional Search Engines
MetaSearch Engines
Specialized Genealogy Search Engines
Searching for Images
Searching for Books
STEPS FOR FINDING RELEVANT INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET
EVALUATING INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET
How to Evaluate What You Find
How to Use What You Find
MODULE 6
SITES THAT ADD RICHNESS TO YOUR FAMILY HISTORY
Geography
Gazetteers, Atlases and Place Name Indexes
Maps
Historical Maps
Modern Maps
History
Local History
Military
Directories
Occupations
Biographies
Diaries and Letters
Newspapers and Journals
Directories and Indexes of Newspaper Titles
Larger General Sites
Smaller Collections and Individual Newspapers
Canada
United States
United Kingdom and Ireland
Other Countries
Current Newspapers Online
Photographs and Images
MODULE 7
THE COLLABORATIVE WEB
Blogs
Finding Relevant Blogs
Reading Blogs
Wikis
Podcasts
Webinars and Webcasts
Social Networking Websites
Social Bookmarking
Online Family Trees
Social Media
KEEPING UP TO DATE WITH NEW INTERNET RESOURCES FOR GENEALOGY
Paying It Forward
This Skills: Transcribing, Abstracting & Extracting course has been designed to promote the quality of work that every family historian and genealogist should strive to achieve. Do not limit your level of excellence by assuming that this program is not relevant to your specific projects. You will already have studied the instructional materials required in your Basic Level Methodology courses. Enriching your skills, this course will allow you to implement the knowledge and training you will receive through the course reading materials, practical exercises and assignments to practice and improve your transcribing, abstracting and extracting capabilities. It is advised that you complete the Methodology - Part 1: Getting Started and Methodology - Part 2: Organizing and Skill-Building courses before beginning this one.
This course will teach students the transcribing, abstracting and extracting skills to enhance their genealogy research. Practicing these skills will form a large part of the course work. Examples will be provided for your reference in order to give you a model on which to base your developing skills. As well, citations have been included with the examples and are provided for reference purposes.
Please note: Our students are studying different courses or countries, many examples of documents from around the world are used to give as much experience of the differing formats and types of documents.
MODULE 1
TRANSCRIPTIONS
What is a Transcription?
General Rules for Transcriptions
Citation and Other Documentation
Method of Transcribing a Document
Method of Transcribing Directly from the Original Document
MODULE 2
WORD PROCESSING FEATURES
Auto Correction
Spell Check
Automatic Capitalization
Superscript and Subscript
Small Capitals
Lines Over Letters
Tables
Indentations & Margins
Large Bracket
MODULE 3
ABSTRACTING
What is an Abstraction?
When to Abstract a Document?
General Rules for Abstracting
Method of Abstracting from a Transcribed Document
Method of Abstracting Directly from a Document
MODULE 4
PRACTICAL EXERCISES
Transcription Exercise
MODULE 5
EXTRACTION
What is an Extraction?
Census
Church Registers
General Rules for Extracting
QUOTATIONS
What is a Quotation?
General Rules for Quoting
MODULE 6
PRACTICAL EXERCISES
Transcription Exercise
Abstraction Exercise
Transcription Exercise
Quotation Exercise
The Analysis & Skills Mentoring Program has been designed to promote quality work every family historian and genealogist should strive to achieve. Expand your level of excellence by assuming this program is relevant to your specific research.
This course allows you to implement the training you received throughout the Basic Level courses. There is compulsory reading. You studied all the instructional materials required for this course within your Basic Level Methodology courses. In Analysis and Skills-Part 1, you’ll practice and improve problem-solving capabilities and enrich your researching skills. If you’re a beginning level genealogist, complete all other Basic Level Methodology courses before starting this one. If you’ve been involved with genealogy for a few years, have a solid understanding of basic records and methodology, you can work on this course in conjunction with the other Basic Level courses. Please understand taking Analysis and Skills-Part 1 without the prerequisites could be difficult regardless of skill level due to regular referencing of previous material.
The assignments will be reviewed by an instructor. Instructional feedback will be provided during two individual consultation appointments intended to help you succeed. An integral part of this program involves discussing your completed assignments, guidance, and advice regarding the appropriateness and quality of your work.
Please be aware this course is set up in a different format than most of our other courses. Although this is a 26-week course, it means you have up to six months from the start date to submit all the assignments, and the private one-on-one consultations. Many students complete this course in two months or less. Consider your schedule. Then block out time on your calendar to work towards completing the course’s required reading, assignments, attend the Virtual Meetings, and consultations with an instructor. You’re provided with a Course Study Plan to help you keep on track in completing the course in the allotted time.
COURSE INTRODUCTION
General Notes & Overview
The Learning Process
Course Guidelines
COURSE DETAILS & INSTRUCTIONS
Virtual Meeting - A&S General Discussion
Course Reading Materials - Part 1
Required Reading
Private - First Consultation Appointment
Course Reading Materials - Part 2
Required Reading
About the Scholarly Article for Review
Virtual Meeting - A&S-Part 1 Article Review
Private - Second Consultation Appointment
SUPPLEMENTAL COURSE READING
Ethics in Genealogy
Codes of Ethics
Citing Your Sources
Core Elements
Elements for Original Sources
Elements for Derivative Sources
Elements for Narrative Sources
Elements for Online Sources
Analysis Process
History of the Genealogical Proof Standard
Scholarly Article Interpretation
How to Read & Study a Scholarly Article
NOTE: This course requires compulsory materials to be ordered. Please click on the Supplies tab for details.
This course is at the Basic Level; however, if you do not have basic methodology knowledge, this course could be difficult to complete. It is recommended that you complete or have knowledge of what is taught in the Methodology - Part 1: Getting Started and Methodology - Part 2: Organizing and Skill-Building courses as a bare minimum before attempting this course. Ideally, it is recommended to complete all the Basic Level Methodology courses to help you understanding what is being taught in this course.
Please click here to view the general details on this course.
One student’s experience:
To hear a student discussion regarding their experience with this course, please click here. (This is a large file and may take a minute or two to download.)