Back To School: Day 100

An update on my participation in the Boston University Certificate in Genealogical Research online program which began on 13 January 2010.  You can read here about Day 1, Day 20, Day 72 and Day 92.

I am happy to say that I just finished probably the best 13-weeks of education in my adult life.  Yes, school is finally over for me and I am actually a bit sad to see it completed.  Not so much because of the assignments (some were very complex and challenging) but because of the camaraderie developed among the participants - students, professors and teaching assistants - during the semester.  Luckily many of these folks will continue to be involved in the genealogy profession and I look forward to running into them at conferences and other events.

So what genealogy skills have I been able to develop during these past 13 weeks? How has taking the BU course changed the way I look at research and the genealogy industry?

• The course has given me a better understanding of what is required in terms of a skill set to be a professional genealogist.  And even if I didn't want to pursue my CG or become a professional researcher, the course has improved my ability to conduct research and analyze results.

• I can now cite some sources in my sleep - for realz!  In my research log I can now type out US Census citations from memory as well as newspaper articles and more!  For me this is a big deal.

• I research differently - more efficiently and more critically.  I enter the results in my research log and then I add my analysis notes.  I weigh negative evidence and try to resolve conflicts.  I now see the value of the Genealogical Proof Standard and why it should be followed by not just professionals but by anyone serious about genealogy.

• I know where my weaknesses are - the most difficult module for me was Immigration Records.  As part of my continuing education, I need to improve my background in certain types of records and certain ethnicities.  I will probably do this in a variety of ways.

I have so much to say about the BU online course - I'd be happy to answer any questions readers may have.  And don't forget that Boston University will have a booth at NGS 2010 next week - look for them at Booth 216.  Stop by and meet some of the fantastic instructors and other staff involved with the program!

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Reminder!  The next session of Boston University online classes in this program starts on 10 May 2010 and the registration deadline is 23 April 2010.  I highly recommend this class whether you want to become a professional genealogist or you just want to improve your own research skills. Call 1-877-290-9005 or visit the website at http://www.bugenealogy.com.

© 2010, copyright Thomas MacEntee

Back To School: Day 92

An update on my participation in the Boston University Certificate in Genealogical Research online program which began on 13 January 2010.  You can read here about Day 1, Day 20 and Day 72.

I just finished the Immigration module and it was actually more difficult than I thought.  Here are some details:

• The text - A Genealogists's Guide to Discovering Your Immigrant & Ethnic Ancestors by Sharon DeBartolo Carmack was better than I expected and I know I will be using this in the future.

• The module focused on the "push" and "pull" factors for specific ethnic groups during specific centuries.  Discussions involved the reasons why certain groups came to America and what pushed them from their homelands as well as what pulled them to America.

• There was an African-American Records "self-check" and it was an eye-opener for me.  I don't think you can really appreciate the challenges of doing African-American genealogy research unless you are actually given a case to work on.

In addition, today was the deadline for my repository report.  This assignment was given the first week of the course back in January: go to a local archive or repository and report on the facility, the resources, as well as take a manuscript and document it.  To me this was an important component of an online course: it made sure that participants didn't rely solely on on-line resources and it also ensured that they became familiar with how to work with local resources.  I used the Newberry Library here in Chicago and focused on Welsh immigrants to the Mohawk Valley area of New York, namely Utica.

Today I've started the Professional Genealogist module which lasts for a week and ends next Tuesday, 20 April 2010.  So far the information is very useful in terms of calculating an hourly rate, adhering to a code of ethics and more.  While not all participants in the BU program will go on to pursue genealogy as a professional, the information is helpful to get a sense of what it takes to become a professional genealogist.

* * *

Reminder!  The next session of Boston University online classes in this program starts on 10 May 2010 and the registration deadline is 23 April 2010.  I highly recommend this class whether you want to become a professional genealogist or you just want to improve your own research skills. Call 1-877-290-9005 or visit the website at http://www.bugenealogy.com.

© 2010, copyright Thomas MacEntee

Teaching a Genealogy Class - 2,000 Miles Away!

Just a quick note - this past Saturday, April 10, 2010 - I taught a class on how to find living people for the California Genealogical Society and Library in Oakland, CA.  And the fun part is - I was able to do so without traveling to California!

You can read more at my other site High-Definition Genealogy and learning more about other webinars I'll be offerings in the future.

© 2010, copyright Thomas MacEntee

Ancestor Approved Award!

I am late in getting my thank-yous out to everyone who has given this blog - Destination: Austin Family - the Ancestor Approved award.  In addition, my other blogs (GeneaBloggers and High-Definition Genealogy) have also been honored.  I personally want to thank Dionne at Finding Josephine, Denise at The Family Curator, Dee at Funeral Cards & Genealogy,  Pat & Judy at The Genealogy Gals, George Geder at Geder.Genealogy, and Yvonne Henriksson at Swedish Thoughts for their recognition in bestowing the Ancestor Approved award to my sites.

© 2010, copyright Thomas MacEntee

The Generations Project Comes To My Hometown

Wow!  I sat down on the computer tonite to get my weekly dose of The Generations Project and guess what?  This week's episode with Lumina Gershfield was partially filmed in the small town in upstate New York where I grew up!  Not only couldn't I believe it (my town - Liberty - has maybe 4,000 people) but I also knew all the landmarks such as Kaplan's Restaurant in Monticello, the people and more. It was like "old home week" watching the episode.

But Lumina and I seem to have another connection - Alzheimer's Disease.  As part of her journey to learn more of her family, she travels to see her grandmother Ann Kaplan (former mayor of Monticello NY and owner of Kaplan's Restaurant) who is in the advanced stages of Alzheimer's.  It was difficult even for me to watch this portion - her visit was much like my last visit to see my own mother last month.  You could sense the desire to connect and while outwardly there was no response, you just hope that the person hears you and feels your presence.

You can learn more about The Generations Project at their website and follow them on their Facebook fan page.  Here is this week's episode:



© 2010, copyright Thomas MacEntee