Genealogy: Researching Your Family Tree
Discover the basics of genealogy, dive into your ancestry and create a family tree with this online course by the University of Strathclyde.
Duration
6 weeks
Weekly study
4 hours
100% online
How it works
Unlimited subscription
Learn more
Discover the basics of genealogy and build your own family tree
Have you ever wondered about your family ancestry or wanted to create a family tree of your own? On this 6-week genealogy course for beginners, you’ll learn how to uncover the past and record your family history.
The information on this course does not apply to just one country, so you can learn about your family lineage no matter where you’re from.
Gain an introduction to genealogy
Learn how to find and analyse sources, discover different research strategies, and tackle genealogy databases and wildcards. You’ll learn about the importance of names and explore the challenges that name changes cause for genealogists.
You’ll be introduced to the main source types including civil, church, census and military records and learn how to use these different kinds of data.
Discover DNA testing
Learn about the more technical sides of genealogical research such as the principles of the Genealogical Proof Standard, where you’ll discover how to establish proof.
You’ll be a scientist for the day and find out how DNA testing works in genealogical research. You’ll learn about the principles of genealogical inheritance, find out how autosomal DNA testing helps genealogists and learn about Y chromosome inheritance.
Create a family tree
Uncover the secrets of your family’s past and turn your genealogy into a tangible family history. You’ll discover the best ways to record your research, document it and protect it so that it lasts for generations to come.
You’ll learn how to balance genealogical data and historical context, delve into local and general histories, and use maps and photographs to bring your family history to life.
Throughout the course, you’ll also follow one woman’s journey as she researches her family tree and learns about her past.
What topics will you cover?
- A consideration of the differences between primary, derived primary and secondary sources.
- An understanding of the importance of knowing who made a document and why and how they were created. *A key challenge of genealogy – finding the right person among a number of possible candidates, with ever-changing spellings of surnames – will be considered.
- Lateral ways to approach research including the FAN/cluster technique and mind mapping.
- Primary source databases including searching techniques to deal with name change or spelling differences; these include the use of wildcards.
- An introduction to main source types including civil, church, census and military records to give a sense of the typical type of data these records contain and how to use them.
- Review the content of major international and selected local and specialised databases and consider ways to evaluate databases.
- The principles of the Genealogical Proof Standard including how to establish proof and how to evaluate evidence.
- The use of DNA testing in genealogical research with a focus on autosomal (‘cousin-matching’) and Y-testing techniques.
- An exploration of secondary and primary sources which provide historic and social context, considering their quality and how to find them.
- The importance of providing evidence of the sources used in family history research and an exploration of the various systems of referencing in use.
- A consideration of tools used to store, track and analyse genealogical data; various types of family trees and reports including paper based resources, software programs and online tools.
- What are the best ways to begin writing a family history?
- Ways to protect and preserve physical records and digital data.
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