Space Available in ProGen Study Group

Have you been thinking of joining a ProGen Study Group to work through the manual Professional Genealogy with other genealogists? Do you have a friend that you would recommend for the course? There is an unusual opportunity right now to skip the waiting list and join a study group starting June 1st. 

If you feel you have the time and the experience requisite for the challenge of the ProGen Study Program, please see our website for details and then submit your application to the waiting list at http://progenstudy.org/. 

The study groups that have current openings will meet the first week of the month for a 60 minute discussion, once a month for 18 months, at the following times:

Friday, 11:00am Pacific, Noon Mountain, 1:00pm Central, 2:00pm Eastern

Sunday, 7:00pm Pacific, 8:00pm Mountain, 9:00pm Central, 10:00pm Eastern

If these do not work for you, then you can join the waiting list and hold off for the next study group to form in October.

ProGen Study Group Names New Administrator

Many of you know that for the last six years I have served as the administrator of the ProGen Study Program. I have encouraged genealogists to study Professional Genealogy: A Manual for Researchers, Writers, Editors, Lecturers and Librarians, edited by Elizabeth Shown Mills, by organizing online groups to work through the book, completing practical exercises and discussing each topic. This week I will transition my role from administrator of the ProGen Study Group to a position on the board of directors. This change will allow me to pursue some of my other goals in genealogy.

Rebecca Whitman Koford, CG has been named as the new administrator of the ProGen Study Program, and will begin her service on January 1, 2015. Rebecca has completed the ProGen program, served as a ProGen coordinator, and is well prepared to take over leadership of the ProGen Study Program. I am confident that the vision of ProGen will continue under her direction.

Rebecca Whitman Koford, CG, is a board certified genealogist with special emphasis in Maryland and War of 1812 research.  She was coordinator for the 4th and 14th ProGen groups and coordinator for the 16th Gen Proof online study group (peer-led group study of Dr. Thomas Jones’ book Mastering Genealogical Proof).  She has spoken for the Maryland State Archives and for conferences and groups in Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. She has taught beginning and advanced genealogy courses for Howard Community College.

Rebecca is a member of DAR, NGS, MGS, MDHS, NEHGS, and NYG&B.  She was formerly assistant director of the Columbia Maryland Family History Center and was the treasurer for the National Capital Area Chapter of the Association of Professional Genealogists.   She completed courses with NGS, NIGR, and SLIG (Advanced Methodology), and has recently authored articles for the Maryland Genealogical Society Journal.  She now serves as a board member of the Maryland Genealogical Society and volunteers at the Family History Center in Frederick, Maryland.   Rebecca has been taking clients and lecturing since 2004.  Her current passion is for the Preserve the Pensions: War of 1812 project sponsored by FGS.  She lives in Mt. Airy, Maryland, with three active teenagers and a very patient husband.

CG (SM) and Certified Genealogist (SM) are service marks of the Board for Certification of Genealogists® and are used under license by Board-certified associates who meet program standards and periodic competency evaluations.

About the ProGen Study Program:

The ProGen Study Groups are organized to encourage professional and aspiring genealogists to put into practice the principles found in Professional Genealogy: A Manual for Researchers, Writers, Editors, Lecturers and Librarians, edited by Elizabeth Shown Mills. This program employs an innovative method of collaborative learning focused on developing genealogical research skills and business practices.

Each month group members study one or two chapters of Professional Genealogy and complete a practical assignment relating to the material. They meet online to discuss the topic in small group discussions. Members review each other’s assignments and offer constructive feedback. Participation in the program requires a time commitment, but provides a unique opportunity for constructive feedback from colleagues. Each ProGen study group has a board-certified genealogist mentoring the group. These volunteer mentors participate in the monthly discussions to answer questions and offer guidance.

There have been twenty-four ProGen study groups, with over 500 genealogists participating in the 18-month program. The list of ProGen alumni can be viewed at http://progenstudy.org/alumni/  For more information on the ProGen Study Program see http://progenstudy.org/

Insider's View of the ProGen Study Program

Have you considered participating in the ProGen Study Program studying the manual Professional Genealogy? For this week's Follow Friday post I would like to share some posts written by recent alumni of the program. They share their experiences and their advice for others who may want to join one of these study groups.

Some Comments about ProGen by Jill Morelli on the blog Genealogy Certification: My Personal Journal 

I'm a ProGen Alumnus! by Miriam J. Robbins on the blog AnceStories: The Stories of My Ancestors

The ProGen Study Groups were also featured on the Genealogy Professional Podcast with Marian Pierre-Louis. You can listen to the episode here.

 

Follow Friday - Genealogy Certification Blog

For the "Follow Friday" blog theme I would like to recommend Jill Morelli's blog "Genealogy Certification: My Personal Journal." Jill writes about her educational process as she prepares for certification through the Board for Certification of Genealogists.

I met Jill through the  ProGen Study Groups and enjoyed getting to know her a little better at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy last January. On her blog she sometimes posts her thoughts about the ProGen Study Group assignments, but generally focuses on what she has learned as she studies and prepares to submit her BCG portfolio. As a genealogy education blogger, I appreciate her posts on the conferences and institutes she has attended. It is interesting to hear her perspective.

Jill has a series of posts on the elements of the Genealogical Proof Standard:
GPS Element #1: Thorough Search 
GPS Element #2: Informative citations
GPS Element #5: Writing your conclusions

Another one of my favorite posts is: 
What is “Context” Anyway?

I hope you enjoy reading her blog as much as I do.
Angela

Elizabeth Shown Mills Ten-point Study Blueprint

In December 2007 I joined a new Rootsweb mailing list called the Transitional Genealogists Forum (TGF). This list provided a place for genealogists transitioning into professional work to network and ask questions. Respected professional genealogists also joined the list to answer questions and share their advice.

In one post to the list I asked Elizabeth Shown Mills about educational preparation for certification through the Board for the Certification of Genealogists [1]. She recommended studying Professional Genealogy: A Manual for Researchers, Writers, Editors, Lecturers and Librarians [2] and attending genealogical institutes and university-sponsored programs. Another participant on the discussion list asked about options for those unable to attend formal programs. Ms. Mills wrote a ten-point blueprint for enhancing the skills of any serious genealogist [3]. She has given me permission to share it on this blog as it is excellent advice for anyone seeking to improve their genealogical skills.

Elizabeth Shown Mills wrote:

What I have to offer is a 10-point blueprint that would provide solid grounding and enhanced skills for any genealogist who is making or considering the transition from "family researcher" to
"professional."

TOTALLY FREE:

 

1. www.bcgcertification.org
Read all the "Skillbuilding" articles, study all the work samples, and do the "Test Your Skills" module at the Board for Certification of Genealogists website.

BASE-LEVEL STUDY:

 
2. Greenwood, Val D. Researcher's Guide to American Genealogy. 3d ed. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2001.

Read Greenwood from cover to cover--several times or until you feel you have well learned its content. For three decades, this has been the leading textbook for genealogical study, and Greenwood has kept it up to date. It's big, but easily digestible. This is the textbook for the NGS Home Study course and is the equivalent of Samford IGHR's Course 2 (Intermediate Genealogy).

3. Professional Genealogy: A Manual For Researchers, Writers, Editors, Lecturers, and Librarians. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2001.

For skillbuilding (as opposed to building a business practice), focus first on these chapters:
1 "Defining Professionalism," Donn Devine, J.D., CG, CGI
14 "Problem Analyses and Research Plans," Helen Leary, CG,CGL, FASG
15 "Research Procedures," Linda Woodward Geiger, CGRS, CGL
16 "Transcripts and Abstracts," Mary McCampbell Bell, CLS, CGL
17 "Evidence Analysis," Donn Devine
18 "Research Reports," Elizabeth Shown Mills
20 "Proof Arguments and Case Studies," E. S. Mills
23 "Family Histories," Christine Rose, CG, CGL, FASG
24 "Lineage Papers," Mary Bell & Elisabeth Schmidt, CLS

4. Mills, E. S. Evidence Explained: Citing History Sources from Artifacts to Cyberspace. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2007.

Thoroughly study the first two chapters (ca. 90 pages of the 885 pp. total):
1 Fundamentals of Evidence Analysis
2 Fundamentals of Citation

(These are not the same as chapters 1 and 2 of the little 1997 "briefcase edition" of Evidence.)

5. The BCG Genealogical Standards Manual. Provo: Ancestry, 2000.

Read *all* of the standards, starting with the Genealogical Proof Standard. Examine the appendixes for the models they provide.

MORE ADVANCED STUDY:

6. (for Methodology)
National Genealogical Society Quarterly , 1987-to date. 

**Study** the case studies in every issue you can get your hands on. It does not matter what family or what region the case study deals with. You are studying it for techniques and methods. Almost every library with a genealogical collection,as well as many university libraries, have NGSQ. At www.worldcat.org you can identify libraries in your region that carry it. NGS has also begun to put back issues online at www.ngsgenealogy.org, if you are a member.

7. (for Methodology)
Rising, Marsha Hoffman, CG, FASG. The Family Tree Problem Solver. Cincinnati: Family Tree Books, 2005. 

8. (for Sources)
Luebking, Sandra Hargreaves, and Loretto D. Szucs, The Source. 3d ed. Provo: Ancestry, 2006).

GROUP STUDY:

9. If you live within driving distance of other serious genealogists, consider starting a study group along the Litchman Model that has been discussed over the years in various NGS and APG forums. Basically: the groups that follow the Litchman Model meet monthly, choose a case study (usually from NGSQ) for each month's meeting, require participants to read the assigned case study at least three times, make notes, and come prepared to discuss the methodology, sources, and strengths and weaknesses in the research or analysis. Check the APG-L archives for discussions particularly by the late Ken Aitken regarding his group.

SCHOLARSHIPS:

10. Scholarships and awards to attend conferences and institutes (typically in the $500 range) are available through several genealogical channels, particularly these:

A. ASG Scholar Award (for attendance at either IGHR or NIGR)
http://www.fasg.org/asg_scholar_award.html

B. BCG Education Fund Scholarship (for attendance at IGHR, NIGR, NGS Conference, or FGS Conference)  http://www.bcgcertification.org/educationfund/index.html#SCHOLAR
[Note: This scholarship has been discontinued since the study blueprint was originally posted in 2007]

C. IGHR Jean Thompson Scholarship (to attend IGHR)
http://www.samford.edu/schools/ighr/IGHR_scholarship.html

D. NGS Family History Writing Contest (to attend NGS Conf)
Http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/comfamhist.cfm

E. NIGR Richard Lackey Scholarship (to attend NIGR)
http://www.rootsweb.com/~nigraa/

Needless to say, winning any of these scholarships puts one on the fast-track professionally, from the standpoint of recognition of one's merit.

Good luck,
Elizabeth
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG, CGL, FASG

Comments by Angela:

Those of us on the TGF list at the time took Elizabeth's advice to heart. She had recommended participating in study group and so we organized online study groups to connect with others across the country. The first was an NGSQ study group, which still meets monthly and accepts new participants. Contact Sheri Fenley at sherifenley@gmail.com for more information. The second is the ProGen Study Group studying the manual Professional Genealogy. This study group was very successful and many others wanted to participate. There are now eighteen ProGen Study Groups with over 300 people participating. For more information on this program see www.progenstudy.org

Reference Notes:

[1]  Angela McGhie, "Thanks Elizabeth " Transitional Genealogists Forum, discussion list, 18 December 2007 (http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/TRANSITIONAL-GENEALOGISTS-FORUM/2007-12/1198006142 : accessed 6 June 2012).

[2] Professional Genealogy: A Manual For Researchers, Writers, Editors, Lecturers, and Librarians. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2001.

[3] Elizabeth Shown Mills, "Educational prep & mentorships," Transitional Genealogists Forum, discussion list, 19 December 2007 (http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/transitional-genealogists-forum/2007-12/1198123606 : accessed 6 June 2012).

ProGen Study Group Mentors and Alumni Speak at NGS 2012

I am very excited to attend the NGS Family History Conference in Cincinnati this week! I am also excited about presentations by some of the ProGen Study Group mentors and alumni. [The ProGen Study Program is designed for professional and aspiring genealogists to put into practice the principles found in Professional Genealogy: A Manual for Researchers, Writers, Editors, Lecturers and Librarians, edited by Elizabeth Shown Mills. See the website for details.]

This is the first time that many of the ProGen alumni will be speaking at a national conference and I would like to encourage my blog readers to support them. (Disclaimer: I am one of those speaking).

Here is the schedule of mentors and alumni speaking in Cincinnati this week:

ProGen Study Group Mentors:

Claire Bettag, CG, CGL (ProGen 11)

10 May 2012       4:00 p.m.             Assumptions: A Genealogical Slippery Slope       

Elissa Scalise Powell, CG, CGL (ProGen 1)

11 May 2012       9:30 a.m.              They Went West on the O-HI-O: Using the GPS to Follow a Family's Trail

12 May 2012       2:30 p.m.             The Mighty Ohio: Migration West From Pennsylvania    

Craig Roberts Scott, CG (ProGen 3 & 12)

09 May 2012       11:00 a.m.           Researching Your War of 1812 Ancestor                

10 May 2012       2:30 p.m.             Pension Research: You Stopped Too Soon

11 May 2012       9:30 a.m.             Known Dead of the War of 1812               

11 May 2012       4:00 p.m.             Union Provost Marshal Records               

Stefani Evans, CG  (ProGen 2)

10 May 2012       2:30 p.m.             Red Herrings and a Stroke of the Dead Palsy: Analyzing and       Correlating Evidence     

J. Mark Lowe, CG, FUGA (ProGen 5)

09 May 2012       11:00 a.m.           Focusing on Pathways ‘cross the Ohio River        

10 May 2012       8:00 a.m.             Understanding Court Records: Hands on Workshop        

ProGen Study Group Alumni:

Angela Packer McGhie (ProGen 1)

11 May 2012       8:00 a.m.              Read All About Your Ancestors by Locating Historic Newspapers               

Michael Hait, CG  (ProGen 5)

12 May 2012       8:00 a.m.              African American Genealogy: Tearing Down the Brickwalls          

12 May 2012       2:30 p.m.              Online State Resources for Genealogy: Beyond Ancestry(TM) and FamilySearch(TM)     

Harold Henderson (ProGen 1)

11 May 2012       9:30 a.m.              Orphans No More: Records of the Indianapolis Orphan Asylum 1851-1941           

12 May 2012       9:30 a.m.              Indirect Evidence: What To Do When Perry Mason Isn't on Your                Side      

Stephen J. Buffat (ProGen 9)

11 May 2012       11:00 a.m.            In Search of your Civil War Ancestry       

Thomas MacEntee (ProGen 4)

10 May 2012       9:30 a.m.              Utilizing Social Networks for Genealogy Research