DIS 289, Introduction to Genealogical
Information Resources |
Professor Emeritus of
Information Studies, UCLA 9-12:30PM in GSE&IS
Bldg., Room 245 Course Description:
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. Course Outline:
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:
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
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.
"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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