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
Course Overview and Intellectual Property Concepts
Instructor: Annette Burke Lyttle, CG, MA
Immigration and Naturalization: Laws and Records
Instructor: Alec Ferretti
Week 2
The Genealogical Proof Standard: Sources, Information, and Evidence
Instructor: Angela Packer McGhie, CG, FUGA
Strategies for Using Authored Works and Newspapers
Instructor: Annette Burke Lyttle, CG, MA
Week 3
Planning, Conducting, and Recording Genealogical Research
Instructor: Angela Packer McGhie, CG, FUGA
Combining DNA Evidence with Traditional Research
Instructor: Angie Bush, MS
Week 4
Evidence Analysis, Correlation, and Conflict Resolution
Instructor: Nancy A. Peters, CG, CGL
Citations: Not as Scary as You Think
Instructor: Annette Burke Lyttle, CG, MA
Week 5
Federal Land (First Purchase)
Instructor: Angela Packer McGhie, CG, FUGA
Verifying BMD: Vital Records and Vital Record Alternatives
Instructor: Gena Philibert-Ortega, MA, MAR
Week 6
State and Local Land Records
Instructor: Kimberly Powell
Introduction to Neighborhood Research
Instructor: Annette Burke Lyttle, CG, MA
Week 7
The Census: Pre-1850 Strategies and Special Schedules
Instructor: Angela Packer McGhie, CG, FUGA
Probate: Wills and a Whole Lot More
Instructor: Annette Burke Lyttle, CG, MA
Week 8
Legal Strategies: Foundations of Genealogical Research
Instructor: Judy Russell, JD, CG, CGL
Finding Genealogical Evidence in Military Records
Instructor: Michael Strauss, AG
Week 9
Transcribing and Abstracting Documents
Instructor: Nancy A. Peters, CG, CGL
Constructing Proof Statements and Proof Summaries
Instructor: Annette Burke Lyttle, CG, MA
Week 10
Research Ethics and Continuing Education
Instructor: Annette Burke Lyttle, CG, MA
Project Review
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.