SLIG 2024: The Family History Law Library

Want to know one of the key differences between a good genealogist and a great one? Knowledge of and experience with court records! And who better to learn from than The Legal Genealogist herself, Judy G. Russell, JD, CG, CGL, and the knowledgeable Richard G. Sayre, CG, CGL, FUGA.

The Family History Law Library will cover the basic legal concepts and legal research approaches appropriate for genealogists. Topics will include courts and their records, estate laws, legislative records, pensions, land law, and more. Elements of both English common law and Roman law will be introduced through classes on the legal concepts found in Irish, German, and French law that relate to research in those countries and their relevance to research in the United States.

Faculty includes:

• F. Warren Bittner, MS
• Forrest R. Hansen, JD
• David E. Rencher, AG, CG, FUGA, FIGRS
• Marian L. Smith (retired from USCIS)

The Family History Law Library is scheduled to meet online January 22–26, 2024. All SLIG 2024 courses will be offered virtually this year.

See the SLIG 2024 Courses webpage for prerequisites and more information, including updates.

SLIG 2024 registration opens Saturday, July 22, at 10:00 am MDT.

SLIG 2023: Corpus Juris: Advanced Legal Concepts for Genealogy

This course will take you deeper into using legal resources and records to solve genealogical questions.

Corpus Juris: Advanced Legal Concepts for Genealogy, coordinated by Judy G. Russell, JD, CG, CGL, is an advanced-level course offering an opportunity for a deeper understanding of the rich research resources of the law, including those generally available only at law libraries. Students will work with legal records and sources, gaining a better grasp of legal history and its implications for research, as well as the skills to find and apply the law to solve genealogical problems.

Faculty includes:

• LaBrenda Garrett-Nelson, JD, LLM, CG, CGL, FASG
• Thomas W. Jones, PhD, CG, FASG, FNGS, FUGS
• David McDonald, DMin
• Forrest R. Hansen, JD
• Richard G. Sayre, CG, CGL, FUGA

This is an advanced-level course. Completion of a basic courese in genealogy and law--Family History Law Library (SLIG) or Law School for Genealogists (GRIP) is recommended.

Corpus Juris: Advanced Legal Concepts for Genealogists is scheduled to meet online January 23–27, 2023. All SLIG courses will be offered virtually this year. (See you in person in Salt Lake City in 2024!)

See the SLIG 2023 Courses web page for more information, including updates.

SLIG 2023 registration opens Saturday, July 16, at 10:00 am MDT.

The 2019 APG Professional Management Conference is in Salt Lake City

The Association of Professional Genealogists is celebrating their 40th anniversary in 2019. Their 2019 Professional Management Conference commenced today and runs through Saturday, September 21st. 

There are SLIG coordinators and instructors who will be sharing their knowledge and expertise during this conference. Make sure to check them out if you are in attendance!

Thursday, September 19th:

• Paul Woodbury - "Genetic Genealogy Mystery Escape Room" and "Genetic Genealogy Case Studies: Choose Your Own Adventure"
• Melissa Johnson, CG - "Can I Really Make Money as a Professional Genealogist?" and "Productivity Hacks for Professional Genealogists"

Friday, September 20th:

• Kory L. Meyerink, MLS, AG, FUGA - "Opening Session: Marketing Genealogy to New Audiences"
• Catherine Desmarais, CG - "Panel: Beyond Solo: Growing Your Business"
• David McDonald, DMin, CG - Lunch Speaker
• Judy Russell, JD, CG, CGL - "Roundtable: Certification: The Line Between Pass and Fail"
• Paul Woodbury - "Discussion Group: Autosomal to X, Y, and Z: Prioritization of Genetic Genealogy Methodologies in Your Research Plan"

Additionally, are you interested in becoming a course coordinator? The three institute directors, including SLIG's Director, Peg Ivanyo, will be facilitating a discussion on the "Secrets of Becoming an Institute Course Coordinator" at 5:15 pm on Friday.

Saturday, September 21st:

• Judy Russell, JD, CG, CGL - "Opening Session: Past, Present, Future: Records Access as a Genealogical Imperative"
• Thomas W. Jones, PhD, CG, CGL, FASG - "Writing, Documenting, and Publishing Conclusions Incorporating DNA Test Results
• Karen Mauer Jones, CG, FGBS - "Illegitimacy, Desertion, and Divorce: Using Indirect Evidence to Find Nicholas Mauer
• Melissa Johnson, CG - "Proof Discussions: Strategies for Success"

Finding Clues Hidden in the Records with the Advanced Legal Concepts Course - A Discussion with Judy Russell

Corpus Juris: Advanced Legal Concepts for Genealogy is unique learning opportunity for those who want to use legal records to uncover clues about the past. Participants will experience hands-on research in the University of Utah Law Library and receive instruction on a higher level than any other genealogy law-related courses. Course coordinator, Judy Russell, JD, CG, CGL, answered our questions about her course. 

Who should take this course?

This is the perfect class for every genealogist who has ever sat with a court record or probate file or legal document and wondered just what story that record was trying to tell. The arcane language, the formalities can all hide some of the most important clues we can have in reconstructing families, and finding those clues requires some special research skills. 

Am I ready for this course?

Anyone who has done onsite research in a courthouse or truly worked through a full case file online is ready to take this next step and dive deeper into legal records and legal research techniques. It's advanced, yes, but not so advanced that anyone who's grappled with court and legal records for their family history should be afraid to take that next step.

What makes this course unique?

What makes Corpus Juris different from other genealogical institute courses is its depth and breadth of focus on understanding the legal foundations of the records we use. In an introductory law-and-genealogy course, it isn't possible to spend a day on researching at a law library or to have multiple sessions on finding exactly the right law that explains what this record means at this place in this time -- while Corpus Juris makes that a keystone.

What is the main takeaway students will gain from this course?
Students come out of this course with a solid understanding of the ways in which major genealogical clues can be hidden in the records -- and with great ways to try to find and understand those clues.

Course instructors include:

• LaBrenda Garrett-Nelson, JD, LLM, CG, CGL
• Thomas W. Jones, CG, CGL, FASG, FUGA, FNGS
• Rev. David McDonald, DMin, CG
• George R. Ryskamp, JD, AG
• Richard G. Sayre, CG, CGL, FUGA

Learn more about this unique advanced course by clicking here: Corpus Juris: Advanced Legal Concepts for Genealogy.

SLIG Instructors at FGS on Friday, August 23rd!

FGS opens on Wednesday, August 21st in Washington, DC.

For those attending SLIG in 2020, you can get a preview of what you will experience, since many SLIG instructors and coordinators will be sharing their expertise throughout the conference. If you are still undecided about whether a week-long institute with expert instructors is for you and you are attending FGS, take this opportunity to see why attending SLIG in January 2020 would elevate your genealogical education!

If you have questions regarding the Institute or just want to see what we are all about, pay us a visit at Booth 704. There is an Exhibit Hall map found here.

On Friday, the following SLIG instructors and coordinators will be presenting the following lectures:

8:00–9:00 AM

Spit and You Shall Find: atDNA Identifies a Charming Scoundrel
F-302
Karen Stanbary, LCSW, MA, CG

Patents, Surveys, and Indexes: Land Resources for Genealogists at BLM
F-305
Angela Packer McGhie, CG

9:30–10:30 AM

New York Land: Patroonships, Manors, Patents, Rent Wars, and Land Companies 
F-313
Karen Mauer Jones, CG, FGBS, FUGA

Finding Families: The Genealogist’s Role in MIA/POW Repatriation
F-318
Catherine B. W. Desmarais, CG

Identifying Woman: The Ultimate Brick Wall
F-319
Barbara Vines Little, CG, FNGS, FUGA, FVGS

Reverse Migration: Colonial Settlers Who Returned “Home”
F-320
D. Joshua Taylor, MA, MLS

10:00–12:00 PM

Genealogy Inclusion: Creating Accessible Digital Content for Your Members, Researchers, and Clients
F-380 (Workshop)
Colleen Robledo Greene, MLIS

11:00–12:00 PM

Third Party Tools the Pros Use
F-322
Angie Bush

History & Records of the German Aid Societies (PA, SC, MD, NY)
F-323
Debra A. Hoffman

Court of Quarter Sessions Research
F-324
Gerald "Jerry" H. Smith, CG

Philip Reid, Enslaved and Free: Tracing Families of Color in the District of Columbia
F-326
John Philip Colletta, PhD, FUGA

2:30–3:30 PM

The Jones Jinx: Tracing Common Surnames
F-331
Thomas W. Jones, PhD, CG, CGL, FASG, FNGS, FUGA

Strategies for Using Pre-1850 Census Records
F-334
Angela Packer McGhie, CG

Blasting Brick Walls with Legislative Records
F-335
Rick Sayre, CG, CGL, FUGA

The Georgetown Memory Project: The Genealogical Pursuit of Truth, Reconciliation & Reunion
F-336
Malissa Ruffner, JD, MLS, CG

Irish Census and Census Substitutes
F-337
David E. Rencher, AG, CG, FIGRS, FUGA

4:00–5:00 PM

From the 18th to the 21st: The Records of Prohibition
F-341
Judy G. Russell, JD, CG, CGL

For complete FGS conference listings and updates, please visit the FGS conference website at https://fgs.org/conference/2019-program/

Registration is open right now for SLIG 2020, both the Institute and the Academy! Visit www.slig.ugagenealogy.org for more information.

So much to learn! So many great educators!

SLIG Instructors at FGS on Thursday, August 22nd!

FGS opens on Wednesday, August 21st in Washington, DC.

For those attending SLIG in 2020, you can get a preview of what you will experience, since many SLIG instructors and coordinators will be sharing their expertise throughout the conference. If you are still undecided about whether a week-long institute with expert instructors is for you and you are attending FGS, take this opportunity to see why attending SLIG in January 2020 would elevate your genealogical education!

If you have questions regarding the Institute or just want to see what we are all about, pay us a visit at Booth 704. There is an Exhibit Hall map found here.

On Thursday, the following SLIG instructors and coordinators will be presenting the following lectures:

8:00–9:00 AM

Columbia Institution: Its History & Records
T-203
Debra A. Hoffman

Who Fathered Jacob and William Northamer? Pennsylvania Tax Records Help Determine Kinship
T-206
Catherine B. W. Desmarais, CG

Proving a Negative, Genealogically Speaking
T-210
Thomas W. Jones, PhD, CG, CGL, FASG, FNGS, FUGA

9:30–10:30 AM

Indirect Evidence: Finding What Was Not Written
T-220
Rebecca Whitman Koford, CG, CGL

11:00–12:00 PM

Carl Ludwig Richter: “Non-Genealogical” Records Portray a Nineteenth-Century Immigrant to Washington, DC
T-226
John Philip Colletta, PhD, FUGA

Direct-Line DNA Tests for Genealogy
T-229
Angie Bush

Genealogy Standards, Second Edition—Overview of the Changes
T-230
Karen Stanbary, LCSW, MA, CG
Rick Sayre, CG, CGL, FUGA
Thomas W. Jones, PhD, CG, CGL, FASG, FNGS, FUGA

12:15–1:45 PM ($)

APG Luncheon: Forty Years of APG: Glancing Back, Looking Forward
T-281
Billie Stone Fogarty, MEd
David McDonald, DMin, CG

2:30–3:30 PM

From Ulster to Virginia and the Carolinas
T-233
David E. Rencher, AG, CG, FIGRS, FUGA

“Death by Undue Means”: Coroners’ Records
T-234
Judy G. Russell, JD, CG, CGL

“Dutch” New Netherland and New York: A Lesson in Flexibility
T-235
Karen Mauer Jones, CG, FGBS, FUGA

2:30–4:30 PM

BCG Certification Seminar
T-240
Angela Packer McGhie, CG
LaBrenda Garrett-Nelson, JD, LLM, CG, CGL
Rick Sayre, CG, CGL, FUGA

Transcription & Record Analysis: Extracting Data from Handwritten Materials
T-270 (Workshop)
David McDonald, DMin, CG

For complete FGS conference listings and updates, please visit the FGS conference website at https://fgs.org/conference/2019-program/

Registration is open right now for SLIG 2020, both the Institute and the Academy! Visit www.slig.ugagenealogy.org for more information.

So much to learn! So many great educators!

SLIG Instructors at FGS on Wednesday, August 21st!

FGS opens on Wednesday, August 21st in Washington, DC.

For those attending SLIG in 2020, you can get a preview of what you will experience, since many SLIG instructors and coordinators will be sharing their expertise throughout the conference. If you are still undecided about whether a week-long institute with expert instructors is for you and you are attending FGS, take this opportunity to see why attending SLIG in January 2020 would elevate your genealogical education!

If you have questions regarding the Institute or just want to see what we are all about, pay us a visit at Booth 704. There is an Exhibit Hall map found here.

On Wednesday, the following SLIG instructors and coordinators will be presenting the following lectures:

8:00–9:30 AM

Coming Home: Finding Our Place in America’s Tapestry
W-100
D. Joshua Taylor, MA, MLS

11:00–12:00 PM

Courting the Nation’s Capital: The Courts of Washington, DC
W-103
Judy G. Russell, JD, CG, CGL

USGS Resources for Genealogists
W-104
Gerald "Jerry" H. Smith, CG

Beyond the Applications: Treasures from America’s Lineage Societies
W-108
D. Joshua Taylor, MA, MLS

2:30–3:30 PM

A Discussion About Diversity & Inclusion: Society Membership, Education, Outreach, and Collaboration
W-110
Colleen Robledo Greene, MLIS
D. Joshua Taylor, MA, MLS
Linda Harms Okazaki

Maryland State Archives Website Decoded
W-112
Rebecca Whitman Koford, CG, CGL

On the Frontiers of Freedom: The Baptists in the South
W-115

Barbara Vines Little, CG, FNGS, FUGA, FVGS

Using DNA Matches to Extend Your Family Tree
W-118
Angie Bush

4:00–5:00 PM

Perspectives on Societies & Inclusivity: A Community Dialogue
W-119
Colleen Robledo Greene, MLIS
D. Joshua Taylor, MA, MLS
Linda Harms Okazaki

For complete FGS conference listings and updates, please visit the FGS conference website at https://fgs.org/conference/2019-program/

Registration is open right now for SLIG 2020, both the Institute and the Academy! Visit www.slig.ugagenealogy.org for more information.

So much to learn! So many great educators!

Solid Research Requires a Solid Foundation

Do you have one experience in genealogy and are now looking to enhance your research skills? If so, this course is for you!

In just six week starting Tuesday, September 10th and running for 11 weeks until November 19th, Sara Scribner, CG, and her team of instructors will expand their student's ability to find and analyze intermediate record types such as:

• Local and federal land
• Military
• Immigration
• Naturalization, and 
• Find the underlying laws

Students will also learn how to conduct research using best practices and following genealogical standards.

Because this course is offered virtually, students can enhance their research skills from home around their busy schedule but still receive an in-depth, institute-intense course, while building on their existing knowledge and experience.

Homework will allow students to practice new skills and to work in original records. Understanding will be enhanced by a homework review session in the week that follows, instructor presence in a closed Facebook group the week following their class session, a homework key, and written class homework summary comments.

Sara provides more details about her course in a short video by going here. Don't miss out on giving yourself a solid genealogical foundation! Register today!

Did you know that Maryland ...

is one of two states, along with Delaware, which gave up some of its land to help form the nation's capital of Washington, D.C in 1790?

Located in the Mid-Atlantic, Maryland is a small state with great diversity. It has been said that it represents America in microcosm. From Western Maryland, which was Maryland’s last frontier, to the Eastern Shore, which is part of the Delmarva Peninsula and consists mostly of flat farmland, to the City of Baltimore, Maryland provides researchers with a wide array of resources to explore.

This course is designed to provide in-depth coverage of Maryland record groups, repositories, as well as social, economic, and historical context for researchers discovering their Maryland ancestors, from the founding as a proprietary colony to the present. The course will cover the Maryland State Archives as well as the collections of other libraries, repositories, and archives available for genealogical research in Maryland. Also covered will be vital records, land records, court records, tax lists, probate records, military records, church records, and online databases.

Additionally, there will be hands-on exercises offered to students to provide reinforcement of the material covered as well as the opportunity to apply what was learned during the course.

Don't miss an opportunity to explore Maryland in-depth! For more details and to register, go here.

John Doe & Richard Roe ... What it all means!

This course offers students an opportunity for a deeper understanding of the rich research resources of the law, including those generally available only at law libraries. This is critical when conducting research to ensure you understand the meaning of the records you are finding.

Students will work with legal records and sources, gaining a better grasp of legal history and its implications for research as well as the skills to find and apply the law to solve genealogical problems. 

Individual sessions will focus on specific legal disciplines (criminal, civil, probate and the like) and students will have the opportunity to visit and use the resources of a major university law library. The visit to the law library provides hands-on experience that puts lessons into practice.

This course has the following prerequisites:
Completion of a basic course in genealogy and law—Family History Law Library (SLIG) or Law School for Genealogists (GRIP)—is recommended.

For more details and to register, go here.

Are you interested in Advanced Methodology?

What part of your genealogical education would you like to elevate this year? 

If it is advanced methodology, check out the courses we are offering in 2020:

• Corpus Juris: Advanced Legal Concepts for Genealogy, Coordinator: Judy G. Russell, JD, CG, CGL
• Applying Standards to Appraise Genealogical Work, Coordinator: Jeanne Larzalere Bloom, CG
• Meeting Standards: Using DNA Evidence, Coordinator: Karen Stanbary, MA, LCSW, CG
• Advanced Genealogical Methods, Coordinator: Paul K. Graham, AG, CG, CGL
• Researching Like a Professional, Coordinator: Michael G. Hait, CG, CGL

SLIG is also offering Guided Research and Consultation with Craig Scott, MA, CG, FUGA.

Registration opens this Saturday! See SLIG's website for more details!

Learn Advanced Genealogical Methods with Paul K. Graham, AG, CG, CGL

Students in Advanced Genealogical Methods will learn how to assemble and use evidence to rediscover ancestral origins, identities, and relationships that have been forgotten over the passage of time. 

The course will address advanced use of evidence derived from a variety of genealogical sources and will explore research techniques for populations for which the usual records are in short supply. Students will also learn how to document their research and develop written proof summaries to reach accurate conclusions and create a credible record of their findings for present and future generations of family historians.

Paul K. Graham, AG, CG, CGL will be assisted by his instructor team including:

• Thomas W. Jones, PhD, CG, CGL, FASG, FUGA, FNGS
• Judy G. Russell, JD, CG, CGL
• Pamela Boyer Sayre, CG, FUGA
• Richard G. Sayre, CG, CGL, FUGA
• Paul Woodbury, MEd

This intense course is targeted to high intermediate genealogists who have completed an intermediate level methodology course or who have equivalent experiences. Their research has led them to encounter relationships that cannot be documented only with direct evidence. They have taken at least one DNA test.

Students are encouraged to obtain and read Mastering Genealogical Proof prior to the start of the course. [Jones, Thomas W., Mastering Genealogical Proof (Arlington: National Genealogical Society, 2013), 26–27.]

Students will need access to a computer with Internet access to participate fully in the course.

Registration for SLIG 2020 opens July 13, 2019 at 9:00 am MDT. For more information, go here.

You Are Invited ... to Speak Publicly!

The ability to transform an initial concept to a full-fledged presentation delivered in front of an audience might seem like a daunting adventure for many professionals. This interactive course is ideal for existing speakers seeking to brush up on their skills and expand their portfolios and anyone seeking to explore how public speaking might align with their aspirations.

D. Joshua Taylor, MA, MLS and his team of instructors, including:

• Angie Bush, MS
• Angela Packer McGhie, CG
• Judy G. Russell, JD, CG, CGL

will provide an intensive week explores key components of public speaking for genealogists:

• Business of speaking,
• Marketing techniques,
• Development, and
• Delivery

Students will also have the opportunity to present two “mini-sessions” to solicit feedback and advice from fellow students and course instructors.

A variety of speaking opportunities will be discussed, including traditional one-hour sessions, seminars, workshops, webinars, institute courses, public programming, continued education courses, and national and regional conferences.

This course requires active interaction and participation. Students registering for the course will be asked to prepare two 10-15-minute presentations for interactive sessions during the course. Presentations will relate to topics agreed upon in advance between the student and the course coordinator.

Sessions include hands-on activities, students should bring a laptop computer with Word, PowerPoint and/or Keynote installed. Optional homework assignments will include work on developing lecture ideas and general presentation preparations.

For more information, go here.

Learn How to Present Genealogical Evidence in Writing

Many skilled genealogists with excellent analysis and correlation skills have trouble communicating their thought processes and presenting evidence in writing. Students in this course will overcome these roadblocks and gain essential skills needed to convey complex concepts in genealogical work products, including proof arguments, affidavits, and research reports. 

The course will cover important issues including:

• Documentation
• Establishing proof, 
• Use of citations, 
• DNA evidence, and 
• Legal and copyright issues

Melissa Johnson, CG and her experienced team of instructors, including:

• Rick Fogarty
• Judy G. Russell, JD, CG, CGL
• Karen Stanbary, MA, LCSW, CG

will instruct students on how to become more comfortable with important skills such as analyzing, organizing, and presenting complex evidence; resolving conflicts; reporting a variety of meaningful and negative findings; using DNA evidence in writing; and qualifying information, theories, and proof. The course will focus on meeting the Genealogical Proof Standard, and writing in a professional, clear and concise manner for a variety of audiences.

Students will be asked to bring a research report and/or proof discussion of no more than four pages. The report/proof discussion can be related to the student’s own family or another family they have researched. This writing sample will be used for in-class activities; students are reminded not to use a sample intended to be used for BCG certification, and not to use a sample that they do not have permission to use or that violates the privacy of living individuals.

Registration for SLIG 2020 opens July 13, 2019 at 9:00 am MDT. For more information, go here.

Maryland: America in Microcosm

Located in the Mid-Atlantic, Maryland is a small state with great diversity. It has been said that it represents America in microcosm. From Western Maryland, which was Maryland’s last frontier, to the Eastern Shore, which is part of the Delmarva Peninsula and consists mostly of flat farmland, to the City of Baltimore, Maryland provides researchers with a wide array of resources to explore.

This course is designed to provide in-depth coverage of Maryland record groups, repositories, as well as social, economic, and historical context for researchers discovering their Maryland ancestors, from the founding as a proprietary colony to the present.

The course will cover the Maryland State Archives as well as the collections of other libraries, repositories, and archives available for genealogical research in Maryland. Also covered will be vital records, land records, court records, tax lists, probate records, military records, church records, and online databases.

The instructor team includes:

• Debra A. Hoffman
• Rebecca Whitman Koford, CG, CGL
• Angela Packer McGhie, CG
• Malissa Ruffner, JD, CG
• Judy G. Russell, JD, CG, CGL

Additionally, there will be hands-on exercises offered to students to provide reinforcement of the material covered as well as the opportunity to apply what was learned during the course.

Registration for SLIG 2020 opens July 13, 2019 at 9:00 am MDT. For more information, go here.

Learn and Understand the Rich Research Resources of the Law with the Legal Genealogist!

This course offers students an opportunity for a deeper understanding of the rich research resources of the law, including those generally available only at law libraries. Students will work with legal records and sources, gaining a better grasp of legal history and its implications for research as well as the skills to find and apply the law to solve genealogical problems. Individual sessions will focus on specific legal disciplines (criminal, civil, probate and the like) and students will have the opportunity to visit and use the resources of a major university law library.

Judy is assisted by the following instructors:

• LaBrenda Garrett-Nelson, JD, LLM, CG, CGL
• Thomas W. Jones, CG, CGL, FASG, FUGA, FNGS
• Rev. David McDonald, DMin, CG
• George R. Ryskamp, JD, AG
• Richard G. Sayre, CG, CGL, FUGA

This is an advanced course with the following prerequisite:

• Completion of a basic course in genealogy and law—Family History Law Library (SLIG) or Law School for Genealogists (GRIP)—is recommended.

Registration for SLIG 2020 opens July 13, 2019 at 9:00 am MDT. For more information, go here.

Land Genealogy is as Important as People Genealogy!

Land genealogy is as important as people genealogy for overcoming family history research barriers. 

This course explores land distribution in the current United States by colonial powers, private land claims, federal land records at both the National Archives and the General Land Office, and local-level county or town deeds. Students will learn about the Public Land Survey System and the metes and bound system. Course content illustrates the use of land records to prove kinship. Use of software and Internet resources for finding land records, mapping, and deed platting is demonstrated and practiced in hands-on labs or classroom exercises.

Co-coordinators Rick Sayre, CG, CGL, FUGA and Pam Sayre, CG, FUGA are assisted by:

• Rebecca Whitman Koford, CG, CGL
• Angela Packer McGhie, CG
• Judy G. Russell, JD, CG, CGL
• Gerald H. "Jerry" Smith, CG

Attendees are expected to have a basic understanding of land records. Attendance at an intermediate level course such as Researching Like a Professional offered at SLIG or Intermediate Genealogy & Historical Studies offered at IGHR or SLIG Virtual Intermediate Foundations is recommended.

Registration for SLIG 2020 opens July 13, 2019 at 9:00 am MDT. For more information, go here.

A Look at SLIG's 2020 Courses

What part of your genealogical education would you like to elevate this year? 

If it is advanced methodology, check out the courses we are offering in 2020:

• Corpus Juris: Advanced Legal Concepts for Genealogy, Coordinator: Judy G. Russell, JD, CG, CGL
• Applying Standards to Appraise Genealogical Work, Coordinator: Jeanne Larzalere Bloom, CG
• Meeting Standards: Using DNA Evidence, Coordinator: Karen Stanbary, MA, LCSW, CG
• Advanced Genealogical Methods, Coordinator: Paul K. Graham, AG, CG, CGL
• Researching Like a Professional, Coordinator: Michael G. Hait, CG, CGL

SLIG is also offering Guided Research and Consultation with Craig Scott, MA, CG, FUGA.

Stay tuned as more information will be coming soon at SLIG's website!

Intermediate Foundations with Sara Anne Scribner, CG

Intermediate Foundations

Tuesdays, 5 February - 16 April 2019
6:00 - 9:00 pm MST (MDT beginning March 12th)
Sara Scribner, CG

10 weeks of instruction with a special assignment in lieu of class during RootsTech week (February 26th).

Students who select this course already have some experience in genealogy, but aren’t quite ready for an advanced class. They have conducted research in federal census records, vital records (birth, marriage, and death), obituaries, and newspapers. They’ve learned their family’s traditions. Using Ancestry or FamilySearch, they’ve looked at results in indexed databases and then gone a step further to find and study some original documents. They’ve thought about assembling the information gathered from documents they’ve found, but haven’t yet written a proof argument or case study. They know they are in transition from one level of expertise to a higher one, but aren’t sure what’s next, what success will look like, or how to achieve it.

Level of Instruction

Intermediate

Technical Requirements

This course will meet online using Zoom Meetings. Sessions will be recorded for personal review and available for up to 30 days following the end of the course. Students are responsible to provide their own equipment and adequate bandwidth to participate actively in the course. Webcams and noise-cancelling headphones are strongly advised. Additional technical information will be sent to registered participants via email.
Students should have a (free) FamilySearch account and either an Ancestry account or access to Ancestry at a nearby family history center or other facility.
Homework: Assignments will be given to work on at your convenience between sessions.

Other Requirements

The following books will be helpful to understanding materials presented in the course and to completing homework, but are not required: Board for Certification of Genealogists Genealogy Standards, Elizabeth Shown Mills Evidence Explained, and Val D. Greenwood The Researcher's Guide to American Genealogy.

Other Instructors

• Angie Bush, MS,
• Rev. Dr. David McDonald, CG
• Angela Packer McGhie, CG
• Nancy A. Peters, CG, CGL
• Kimberly Powell
• Judy G. Russell, JD, CG, CGL
• Michael L. Strauss, AG
• Cari A. Taplin, CG

Technical Coordinator

• Pat Richley-Erickson

Schedule

Tuesdays, 5 February - 16 April 2019

• 5:30 - 9:00 pm MST (5 February 2019)
• 6:00 - 9:00 pm MST (12 February - 16 April 16 2019); MDT begins March 12th 
• Two 75-minute lecture/work periods, with a 10-minute break

Tuition

• Regular Price: $420.00
• UGA Member Price: $380.00

Don't delay, register today and be ready to advance your genealogical education to the next level!

2019 SLIG Academy Highlight: You're Invited: Public Speaking from Concept to Delivery

Do you suffer from Glossophobia?

Glossophobia or speech anxiety is the fear of public speaking. The word glossophobia derives from the Greek γλῶσσα glōssa, meaning tongue, and φόβος phobos, fear or dread. Some people have this specific phobia, while others may also have broader social phobia or social anxiety disorder.

Josh Taylor and his team of expert instructors will help students during this intensive week to explore key components of public speaking for genealogists: the “business of speaking,” outlining contracts, pricing, legal considerations, and marketing techniques; “knowing your audience,” focusing on crafting an array of presentations, keeping lectures current, and answering conference proposal requests; “development,” including details on developing handouts, slide presentations, and other visuals; and “delivery,” centered on finding a speaking style, avoiding pitfalls, structuring your presentations, and the opportunity to present two “mini-sessions” to solicit feedback and advice from fellow students and course instructors. 

The ability to transform an initial concept to a full-fledged presentation delivered in front of an audience might seem like a daunting adventure for many professionals. This interactive course is ideal for existing speakers seeking to brush up on their skills and expand their portfolios and anyone seeking to explore how public speaking might align with their aspirations.

For more information and registration go here.