Exploring your family history is like solving a never-ending puzzle. Each piece reveals more about where you come from and who you are. But in this journey, things can get tricky. That’s where continuing education steps in. It’s not just about picking up new skills; it’s about having the right tools to navigate the twists and turns of your family tree.
In this post, let’s dig into why ongoing learning in genealogy isn’t just helpful—it’s essential for uncovering your roots and understanding your story.
Navigating the Abundance of Resources
There are many resources to choose from in genealogy, from traditional archives to modern databases. Staying educated keeps you aware of all the places you should be looking for ancestral clues – not only repositories but also, new tools and methods. Did you know Ancestry and FamilySearch constantly add new records to their collections? They let you know what’s been updated on their home pages.
Being alive in this digital age is exciting. Archives, libraries, and other repositories are making their collections viewable online. What once was only available with a visit, is now at our keyboard fingertips.
For Example:
- Ancestry.com: A website that offers billions of historical records, family trees, and documents.
- FamilySearch: A free genealogy website maintained by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, providing access to a huge collection of records and resources.
- MyHeritage: A genealogy website with tools for building family trees, exploring historical records, and connecting with relatives.
- Findmypast: An online genealogy website specializing in British and Irish records. They offer access to many different types of records.
- Fold3: A repository of military records and historical documents, particularly focused on U.S. military history.
- National Archives: The official repository of the United States government’s documents, including census records, immigration records, and military records.
- Cyndi’s List: A huge directory of genealogy resources organized by category, covering a wide range of topics and geographical regions.
- BillionGraves: A database of cemetery records and headstone images. You can search for your ancestors’ burial locations and contribute to database yourself.
- The USGenWeb Project: A volunteer-driven website providing free genealogy resources and transcriptions of public domain records for each U.S. state and county.
- FamilyTreeDNA: A genetic genealogy company offering DNA testing services for exploring your ancestry and connecting with genetic relatives.
- JewishGen: A website dedicated to Jewish genealogy, providing access to databases, research tools, and resources for tracing Jewish family history.
- Newspapers.com: A subscription-based service offering access to historical newspapers from around the world, invaluable for researching obituaries, birth announcements, and local news.
- Library of Congress: A huge digital repository of historical documents, photographs, maps, newspapers, and more.
- Ellis Island Database: An online database of passenger manifests from ships arriving at Ellis Island and other U.S. ports of entry.
- Find A Grave: An online database of cemetery records and memorial pages, allowing users to search for and contribute information about gravesites, including photos, biographies, and virtual memorials.
- American Ancestors: The website of the New England Historic Genealogical Society, offering access to a wide range of genealogical resources and research services.
- The Genealogy Center: A specialized research facility associated with the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana. They offer extensive collections of genealogical resources and are staffed by knowledgeable professionals.
- The British Library: A rich source of historical documents, manuscripts, maps, and newspapers, particularly valuable for researchers with British ancestry.
- GenealogyBank: A subscription-based service offering access to historical newspapers, obituaries, and other genealogical records from the United States.
- International Society of Genetic Genealogy (ISOGG): A nonprofit organization dedicated to educating the public about genetic genealogy, providing resources, forums, and DNA project support.
Mastering New Techniques
In some areas of genealogy new methodologies are discovered almost daily. I’m mainly talking about DNA research, but you could apply this thought to many topics.
Only through continuing education can we stay up to date with the latest advances. Perhaps that’s done through a class, webinar, or blog post. Look online to find the people writing about the topic you want to learn. There are many blogs and Facebook groups about DNA, ethnic research, and more.
Interpreting Data
Genealogy isn’t all about gathering information. It’s also about understanding and interpreting what you’ve found. This requires a blend of skill and knowledge. Continuing education refines those analytical skills allowing you to answer your genealogy questions more efficiently and accurately. You will catch the nuances from records that a less educated genealogist would miss.
To find out more about document analysis, read this blog post.
Not all evidence we collect is direct evidence (a piece of evidence that directly answers your research question.) Sometimes all we get is pieces of the puzzle that we have to assemble to solve our problem. That’s called indirect evidence. Educating ourselves on how to do that can be key to the solution.
To learn more about direct vs. indirect evidence, read this post from the website, Evidence Explained.
My Continuing Education
I had the opportunity to attend the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG), one of several institutes in the country giving us a chance to improve our skills.
Out of the more than 15 courses to choose from, I picked the Advanced Genealogical Methods curriculum and it was fantastic!! The instructors for the weeklong study-fest included some of the best in the business…Paul Graham, Tom Jones, Judy Russell, Rick Sayre, and Paul Woodbury.
No matter what line of work you’re in, you’ve probably attended a conference or some other type of training. You know how wonderful and exhausting it can be.
Each day we started with a homework review then 5 hours of classes and concluded with a new homework assignment. It may sound like a lot of work, but when you are learning about a subject you love, it’s not work, it’s a joy!
Here’s a glimpse into some of the topics we covered:
Not all institutes record their sessions, but I’m so happy SLIG did. The ability to go back and rewatch every class is key for me to get every detail of what was taught.
Besides SLIG there are other institutes to choose from including the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP), the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research (IGHR), and the Genealogical Institute on Federal Records (Gen-Fed) out of Washington, D.C., to name a few.
Finally
Most of us do genealogy because we love it. Continuing education then becomes a pleasure instead of a chore. Take time out to figure out what direction you want your genealogy to go. Making an education plan is always a good idea.
Genealogy tip: If you have the opportunity to attend an institute (in person or virtually) you should. The amount of knowledge you gain will blow your mind.
If you need help with your research, let me know. I love helping others find their ancestors.
