Enrollment options
Optional Print Course Material: Discover Your Family History
*Course material will only be sent to students who are registered in the course.
This is an introductory course to start tracing your family
history. To begin your family history, we will start with
answering the question “why should I trace my family history?”
and then focus on “how do I trace my family history?” We will
fill in a Pedigree Chart and Family Group Record to get started.
We will then learn how to begin with family history research
basics, from asking questions of living family members to finding
“home sources” that provide relevant information. This will be
followed with a review of the websites most used in family
history research and sources that are available to research your
family history. The course concludes with a look at next steps to
continuing your research including DNA testing and hiring a
genealogist.
Course Length: 7 weeks
MODULE 1
WHERE DO I BEGIN? INTRODUCTION TO FAMILY HISTORY
The Basics of Genealogy
Starting Genealogical Research
Planting an Online Tree
Genealogy Software
Home Sources
MODULE 2
ORAL INTERVIEWING AND PLANNING RESEARCH
Introduction
Interviewing
Family Stories and the Truth
Getting Ready to Research: Understanding Sources
Information within Records
Cite Your Sources
Planning Your Family History Research
MODULE 3
COMMONLY USED RECORDS
Introduction
Online & Offline Records and Missing Records
Commonly Used Records in Genealogy
But What Do I Need?
Next Steps
MODULE 4
FAMILY HISTORY ON THE INTERNET: USING FAMILYSEARCH
Introduction
FamilySearch Catalog
FamilySearch Digital Library
FamilySearch Historical Records
FamilySearch Research Wiki
MODULE 5
FAMILY HISTORY ON THE INTERNET
Searching Online Records vs. Offline Records
Start Online, But Don’t Stay There!
Online Resources
Don’t Stop at the Homepage
Been There, Done That, Now What?
Genealogy Finding Aids
Digital Collections
Searching on Google Books
MODULE 6
ASKING FOR HELP AND NEXT STEPS
Next Steps
Help!
Be Prepared
Take a Research Trip
Hiring a Professional Genealogist
DNA
Why Am I Testing?
Which DNA Test Should I Take?