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Winter 2018, Dr. John V. Richardson Jr.
Professor Emeritus of
Information Studies, UCLA
9-12:30PM in GSE&IS
Bldg., Room 245
Course Description:
Genealogy is one of the most popular leisure-time activities in the United States.
Many library and archival users are curious about the past and their
ancestors’ roles. Some are interested in providing their family and children
with an accurate record. Local history collections play a significant role in
preserving community knowledge as well as family cultural and ethnic
traditions. This course addresses issues of personal identity; epistemology,
especially primary versus secondary sources; the nature of different types of
records and correlating differing information; and effective search
techniques.
Prerequisites
An
understanding of basic techniques and issues in information access as well as
historical context. Hence, a strong background in American or English history
(and possibly Reformation church history) as well as late European history
would be beneficial.
Learning Objectives:
By
the end of the course, library and archival students will: a) understand the
importance of starting from the present and working back in time; b) be able
to evaluate and select the best software to help organize and structure
genealogical knowledge; c) be able to select the most appropriate federal,
state, county or local as well as foreign government genealogical resources
along with church related records; d) understand why people emigrate/immigrate;
and e) be able to think logically (using primary rather than secondary
sources and rationally (based on following historical naming conventions)
about genealogical relationships. In short, I hope you will become interested
in genealogical informatics or becoming a genealogical informatician.
I. Introduction to Course; Vision, Mission, Goals and Objective
Setting; Software Selection Criteria
II. The Search for Evidence: Family Memories; Primary versus
Secondary Sources; Role of DNA
III. Synagogue and Church Records (including vital records)
IV. US Federal Records (including Patent Office,
Census Bureau, BLM General Land Office, Slaves and Native Americans records,
US military records, and USCIS records)
V. US State Records (including state censuses as well as birth,
marriage, and death records)
VI. US County Records (including naturalization, deeds, land, and
probate records)
VII. US City Records (including use of city directories)
VIII. UK Records (including London, Scotland, and Ireland)
IX. Continental Records (including Germany, France, and Switzerland
as well as Belgium, Netherlands, Italy and Russia)
X. Other Countries of the World (including Philippines,
Japan, Japan, South Korea, and China)
Required Textbook
·
Board
for Certification of Genealogists. Genealogy
Standards. Washington, DC: BCG, 2014.
Recommended, NOT Required, Textbooks, and Societies
In
addition to selecting free or fee-based genealogical software (such as Legacy
or RootsMagic), please consider:
- Textbooks
- Elizabeth A. Mills, Evidence
Explained: Citing History Sources from Artifacts to Cyberspace. 3rd
ed. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Company, 2015. –how to cite sources
completely and accurately
- George G. Morgan, How to
do Everything, Genealogy. 4th ed. New York: McGraw Hill, 2015.– most recent textbook to discuss the
Internet/Web based resources
- Loretto D. Szucs,
Sandra H. Luebking, eds., The Source:
A Guidebook of American Genealogy,
3rd Revised Edition (SLC, UT: Ancestry, 2006).—Excellent maps and lots of citations to sources
for primary research (NOTE:
in 2010, it became available on ancestry.com in a wiki format).
Professional
Conferences, Blogs, and Societies
Finally, I would
encourage you to attend an upcoming conference, follow the relevant blogs
(such as The Ancestry Insider or The Legal Genealogist) as well as join the appropriate
local as well as a national group (in addition to ALA RUSA’s Genealogy
Committee, or SAA) such as:
ONE SHORT WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT, ONE ORAL PRESENTATION, ONE FINAL
PAPER, AND DUE DATES
1)
The first written paper must not be longer than a single page, double-spaced.
You must state your vision, mission, goals and objectives for your
genealogical research topic (5% of grade)—Due at the beginning of the second
class session. 5% of grade
2)
Volunteer to prepare and present on one topic in class from the course
outline above. Grading will include content foremost, but will also include
good eye contact, use of gestures, lack of disfluencies, and use of
appropriate technology (e.g., a handout or PowerPoint). Worth 45% of final
grade. I will try to give you your first or second choice, if at all
possible.
3)
You have three options for the final assignment: a) prepare a well-documented
(using primary sources) case study of your own ancestors (or another family
line, perhaps somebody well-known in librarianship like Melvil Dewey, Pierce
Butler, or Jesse Shera)--note: please output your file as a GEDCOM or PDF
file (so, you can share with other programs as well as other researchers), or b) write a scholarly, research
oriented paper with notes and a bibliography on some aspect of serving
genealogical library users or some other significant topic/issue in this
field, or c) RESEARCH METHODS OPTION: The final assignment would include two components (a research
agenda first, and then a proof argument):
1) a well-formed research agenda including a
reasonably exhaustive search plan as well as 2) a proof argument including a) a
statement of what is to be proven and whether it is based on indirect or
direct evidence; b) be presented in logical order; c) provide an analysis of
the quality of evidence (i.e., derivative and secondary versus contemporary
or original source and hence a primary piece of evidence); d) draw inferences
and conclusions from comparison and note which documents support the argument;
e) provide source citations to primary and secondary sources of information;
and f) draw conclusions.
--50%
of final grade (informal class presentation on last day for case study and the
proof argument, but the research agenda must be turned in well before the
proof argument)
GRADING CRITERIA
Attendance
is expected; you cannot pass this course, having missing sessions. Otherwise,
attendance is not formally counted except for the class presentation; class contributions
are formally graded during the oral presentations; in borderline cases,
however, I will consider overall attendance and class contributions in
determining your final grade. As you know, all grades, including the final
grade, are subjective--merely the opinion of the instructor. Papers should
cite the textbooks and/or other sources. When you receive a paper back with a
grade, be sure to check ursa.ucla.edu or My.UCLA.edu to be sure that they
match.
Again,
grading is necessarily subjective; if these
standards are not clear, please ask for further clarification at any time.
STUDENT EXPECTATIONS
"Readings,"
so labeled in the PowerPoint presentations, are required; "additional
readings" are optional. Backup your work regularly. During class,
cell phones should be off or on vibrate. As for late papers: all papers
and presentations are due on due date. Unexcused late papers will be
substantially penalized—half letter grade per session. Suspected research
misconduct (including fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism--such as
click, drag, copy, and paste without adequate attribution) will result in a
grade of DR and be reported to the UCLA Dean of Students; be sure to submit
your first paper to TurnItIn.com, if you have any doubts about plagiarism,
before handing it in to me. No extra credit is given. Incompletes
are not awarded in this class; plan accordingly. Disabled students must
present the appropriate form from the Office of Student Disabilities at the
beginning of the quarter, if they wish special accommodation. You may drop
the class up until the last class, according to the UCLA Registrar.
I
reserve the right to change the content of this syllabus for any reason
including the accommodation of field trips and guest speakers.
Updated
and spell checked: 6 February 2017; Created: 9 June 2010.
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