"Basic Genealogy" is designed to help people get started in tracing their family tree. The course answers the question "how do I start?" and provides information family historians will need in order to interpret various records they will come across during their research. Full definitions of terms are provided as well as links to valuable research sources both on and off the internet.

Students have access to the "Handout" files which contain all the lessons in numerical order. At the end of each lesson is a quiz. The answers to each quiz are also in the Handout files. As you complete each lesson, and when you feel confident with your quiz scores, move on to the next lesson. You may post questions and comments to the message board, or contact the instructor directly. If you are trying to maintain anonimity, we recommend you contact the instructor rather than posting to the message board.

The only prerequisite is a desire to learn how to trace your family tree.

Course materials can be found in the "files" section on the home page of the the Yahoo Group Course. To access, click on the "Files" link on the left side of the main page.

Once on the "Files" page, the individual course materials may be accessed in the appropriate sub-folders. For your convenience, a detailed lesson plan, with links to each document may be found in the "AAA - Read Me First" subfolder.

You will find it helpful to have a printer if you wish to print out copies of the data forms for your personal use. However, the forms can be constructed at home on a typewriter, or design your own on notebook paper using the course forms as guides.

The only requirement is particpation at your own pace. The course has been designed to allow the student access 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The discussion board is always open for questions and/or communications. If you would like to introduce yourself to the other students, please feel free to post a message.

All information on this website and all course materials are copyrighted, either by the course instructor or the originator of the item and are provided here for educational purposes only. Students are free to copy any of the items for their own personal use. Distribution in any manner or form is prohibited.

At "Basic Genealogy" you grade yourself by taking the quiz found at the end of each lesson. Take it when you are ready; take it as often as you feel you need to do so. You are in control of your time and there is no deadline pressure. The answers to each quiz have been posted in "Quiz Answers" subfolder in the handout section of this site.

• Learning What You Already Know
• Data Forms (to record what you know)
• More Places to Gather Information
• The Safety of your Records

• Recording your Family Tree Information
• Defining Primary & Secondary Sources
• Documenting sources

• Vital Records - What they Are and What they can tell you
• Vital Records - How to obtain them

• Military Records
• Land Records
• Tax Records

• Wills
• Probate Records
• Cemetery Records

• Immigration Records
• Census Records

• The importance of queries and how they are written
• Where to Send Queries for Best Results
• About Mailing Lists

• Understanding terminology used in Colonial Times
• Calculating Relationships

• Ahnentafel Reports
• Register Reports
• Gedcom

• Soundex
• Searching Places
• Cyndi and Genealogy Sites
• Searching Names

• Dictionary of Genealogical Terms
• Dictionary of Genealogical Abbreviations

• Lesson Plan
• Source Types and Documentation Outline
• U.S. Military Branches

• Family Group Sheets
• Family History Survey
• Pedigree Chart(s)
• Person Sheet
• Research Log.

• To obtain Social Security Records
• Vital Record Request
• Sample Surname Query

• NGS Repository Guidelines
• NGS Standards for Sound Research