Online Class: Genealogy 101

Course Lessons

• Lesson 1: Introduction to Genealogy

  Simply put, genealogy is the study of family history. Make no mistake however, genealogy is anything but simple.

• Lesson 2: Getting Started

  Chances are, you didn't wake up this morning and think, "Gee, I think I'll take an online genealogy course today."

• Lesson 3: Sorting It All Out

  Feeling overwhelmed yet? If you are, don't despair, because in this lesson, we will show you how to begin to get a handle on the information you have gathered so far and begin to get it organized.

• Lesson 4: Looking for Clues

  Contrary to what you may believe, it is not always necessary to conduct an extensive search for information about your family's past.

• Lesson 5: Official Records (Part 1)

  Official records-those records kept by local municipalities, churches, and other entities, represent the most accurate source of information.

• Lesson 6: Official Records (Part 2)

  In this lesson, we continue looking at some of the most common sources of information that can help you piece together your family tree.

• Lesson 7: Official Records (Part 3)

  As you may have guessed based on the amount of time we have devoted to this topic, there is a wealth of information available in official records.

• Lesson 8: Learning from Others

  As you can probably imagine, the Internet has made networking with genealogists from around the world nearly effortless.

• Lesson 9: Avoiding Common Mistakes

  Let's face it, if you're new to all of this, you are bound to make a few mistakes along the road to filling out your family tree. And if you do, don't worry - most of them are fixable.

• Lesson 10: Dealing With Dead Ends

  Even with all the resources available, chances are that you are going to hit at least one roadblock in your quest to fill in your family tree.

• Lesson 11: Handling Special Situations

  Up to this point, we've been proceeding with the "one size fits all" approach -- meaning that there is nothing atypical about your family tree. But, we all know that the world - and its inhabitants - are far from "one size fits all."

• Lesson 12: Keeping It All Organized

  In the last 11 lessons, we've covered a great deal of ground, and have given you plenty of direction for researching your family tree.

• Lesson 13: Family Histories

  For many genealogists, the ultimate goal is writing a family history. As daunting as that task may sound, there are ways to turn that goal into a reality. In this lesson, we will discuss how to write and publish your family history.