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Foundations: Methods and Records

Registration begins 17 May at noon Mountain Time.
  • 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

book-3964050_1280
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$545. UGA members receive 10% off.
Course details
Duration 9 September-11 November
Basic info

9 September-11 November.

Class meetings are Tuesday from 8:00-12:00 Mountain.

Homework will be due each Saturday and midnight.