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Foundations: The Research Process

This course will be available soon
  • Description
  • Curriculum

The goal of this course is to help students understand the genealogical research process in order to be able to research efficiently and effectively to produce reliable answers to research questions. Students choose a research project of their own to work on throughout the course, and weekly homework assignments allow students to immediately practice skills they are learning.

Every step of the research process is covered: formulating a useful research question, assembling and analyzing starting point information, researching the locality of the target ancestor, constructing a research plan, understanding source citations, logging and organizing research, analysis and correlation, and writing up results. The course also includes mind mapping to visualize information, how to know when the question has been answered reliably, and what to do if the research plan doesn’t provide an answer. A session on AI tools for genealogy provides a glimpse into the future. Two workshops and the opportunity for one-on-one consultations with instructors provide students with the chance to engage with the faculty and each other about the research process.

This is a companion course to Foundations: Methods and Records.

Week 1, 8 September

Course overview, 1:00-1:30

Instructor: Annette Lyttle

Choose a Project and Craft a Research Question, 1:30-2:45

Instructor: Annette Lyttle

Assemble, Organize, and Identify Sources for Starting Point Information, 3:15-4:30

Instructor: Annette Lyttle

Introducing the Project, 4:30-5:00

Instructor: Annette Lyttle

Week 2, 15 September

Homework Review, 1:00-1:30

Analysis and Correlation of Starting Point Information – Part I, 1:30-2:45

Instructor: Shannon Green

Analysis and Correlation of Starting Point Information – Part 2, 3:15-4:30

Instructor: Shannon Green

Week 3, 22 September

Homework Review, 1:00-1:30

Mind Mapping to Visualize Information, 1:30-2:45

Instructor: Amy Giroux

Identify Gaps in Starting Point Information, 3:15-4:30

Instructor: Ari Wilkins

Week 4, 29 September

Homework Review, 1:00-1:30

Instructor: Amy Giroux and Ari Wilkins

Locality and Destination Research, 1:30-2:45

Instructor: Ari Wilkins

The Importance of Background Information, 3:15-4:30

Instructor: Nancy Peters

Week 5, 6 October

Homework Review, 1:00-1:30

Instructor: Ari Wilkins and Nancy Peters

Planning and Prioritizing Research, 1:30-2:45

Instructor: Annette Lyttle

Understanding Citations, 3:15-4:30

Instructor: Shannon Green

Week 6, 13 October

Homework Review, 1:00-1:30

Instructor: Annette Lyttle and Shannon Green

Ways to Log and Organize Research, 1:30-2:45

Instructor: Fiona Brooker

Using AI Tools in Genealogy Research, 3:15-4:30

Instructor: Fiona Brooker

Week 7, 20 October

Homework Review, 1:00-1:30

Instructor: Fiona Brooker

Writing Proofs, 1:30-2:45

Instructor: Nancy Peters

Writing Reports of our Results, 3:15-4:30

Instructor: Nancy Peters

Week 8, 27 October

Homework Review, 1:00-1:30

Instructor: Nancy Peters

What to Do if We Get Stuck, 1:30-2:45

Instructor: Amy Giroux

How Much Research is Enough? 3:15-4:30

Instructor: Annette Lyttle

Week 9, 3 November

Homework Review, 1:00-1:30

Instructor: Amy Giroux and Annette Lyttle

Research Process Workshop, 1:30-2:45

Instructor: Annette Lyttle

Resources and Further Education, 3:15-4:30

Instructor: Annette Lyttle

Week 10, 10 November

Homework Review, 1:00-1:30

Instructor: Annette Lyttle

Sharing Our Research Projects, Part 1, 1:00-1:30

Instructor: Annette Lyttle

Sharing Our Research Projects, Part 2, 1:30-2:45

Instructor: Annette Lyttle

Course Wrap-up, 3:15-4:30

Instructor: Annette Lyttle

This course begins 8 September
Foundations_ The Research Process.png
Coming soon
Course details
Duration Tuesdays, 8 September-10 November
Lectures 1
Level Intermediate
Basic info

$545. UGA Members receive a 10% discount.

This course meets on Tuesdays, usually from 1:00-4:30pm, Mountain Time.

Coordinator: 

Annette Burke Lyttle, MA, CG

Additional Instructors:

Fiona Brooker

Amy Larner Giroux, PhD, CG, CGL

Shannon Green, CG, CGG, CGL

 

Nancy A. Peters, CG, CGL

Ari Wilkins