Foundations: Methods and Records
- Description
- Curriculum
The goal of this course, which is a companion course to Foundations: The Research Process, is to help students understand intermediate-level records and research methods in order to be able to research efficiently and effectively and 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 immediate practice of concepts learned. A variety of records are explored, including local and federal land, military, immigration and naturalization, DNA, and the laws underlying the records researchers consult. Also covered are research methods and concepts such as the Genealogical Proof Standard, evidence analysis, neighborhood research, and writing genealogical proofs. The course equips students with the skills necessary to find and understand intermediate-level records and to use the evidence from those records to come to sound conclusions about their ancestors.
Class meetings are Tuesdays, 8:00-12:00 Mountain Time, 9 September-11 November. Homework will be due each Saturday at midnight.
Week 1, 9 September
Introduction and Questions, 8:00-8:30
Course Overview and Intellectual Property Concepts, 8:30-9:45
Instructor: Annette Burke Lyttle, CG, MA
The Genealogical Proof Standard: Sources, Information, and Evidence, 10:15-11:30
Instructor: Angela Packer McGhie, CG, FUGA
Week 2, 16 September
Homework Review, 8:00-8:30
Immigration and Naturalization: Laws and Records, 8:30-9:45
Instructor: Alec Ferretti
Strategies for Using Authored Works and Newspapers, 10:15-11:30
Instructor: Annette Burke Lyttle, CG, MA
Week 3, 23 September
Homework Review, 8:00-8:30
Planning, Conducting, and Recording Genealogical Research, 8:30-9:45
Instructor: Angela Packer McGhie, CG, FUGA
Combining DNA Evidence with Traditional Research, 10:15-11:30
Instructor: Angie Bush, MS
Week 4, 30 September
Homework Review, 8:00-8:30
Evidence Analysis, Correlation, and Conflict Resolution, 8:30-9:45
Instructor: Nancy A. Peters, CG, CGL
Citations: Not as Scary as You Think, 10:15-11:30
Instructor: Annette Burke Lyttle, CG, MA
Week 5, 7 October
Homework Review, 8:00-8:30
Federal Land (First Purchase), 8:30-9:45
Instructor: Angela Packer McGhie, CG, FUGA
Verifying BMD: Vital Records and Vital Record Alternatives, 10:15-11:30
Instructor: Gena Philibert-Ortega, MA, MAR
Week 6, 14 October
Homework Review, 8:00-8:30
State and Local Land Records, 8:30-9:45
Instructor: Kimberly T. Powell, AG
Legal Strategies: Foundations of Genealogical Research, 10:15-11:30
Instructor: Judy Russell, JD, CG, CGL
Week 7, 21 October
Homework Review, 8:00-8:30
The Census: Pre-1850 Strategies and Special Schedules, 8:30-9:45
Instructor: Angela Packer McGhie, CG, FUGA
Probate: Wills and a Whole Lot More, 10:15-11:30
Instructor: Annette Burke Lyttle, CG, MA
Week 8, 28 October
Homework Review, 8:00-8:30
Introduction to Neighborhood Research, 8:30-9:45
Instructor: Annette Burke Lyttle, CG, MA
Finding Genealogical Evidence in Military Records, 10:15-11:30
Instructor: Michael Strauss, AG, AGL
Week 9, 4 November
Homework Review, 8:00-8:30
Transcribing and Abstracting Documents, 8:30-9:45
Instructor: Nancy A. Peters, CG, CGL
Constructing Proof Statements and Proof Summaries, 10:15-11:30
Instructor: Annette Burke Lyttle, CG, MA
Week 10, 11 November
Homework Review, 8:00-8:30
Research Ethics and Continuing Education, 8:30-9:45
Instructor: Annette Burke Lyttle, CG, MA
Project Review, 10:15-11:30
Instructor: Annette Burke Lyttle, CG, MA

9 September-11 November.
Class meetings are Tuesday from 8:00-12:00 Mountain.
Homework will be due each Saturday and midnight.
Coordinated by: Annette Burke Lyttle, CG, MA
Faculty:
Angela Packer McGhie, CG, FUGA