Syllabus

COURSE STRUCTURE

Course Description

Welcome to FHGEN 112: Family History Research—Part 2: Analysis of Research Evidence. A primary goal of this course is to help you learn how to think like a professional genealogist throughout each step of The Research Process. You will learn and practice the skills of a professional genealogist such as defining a research problem, identifying and analyzing known information, developing a research plan, gathering information, analyzing that information, and recording conclusions. Throughout the semester, you will be reminded of how the lesson materials relate back to the overall research process.

This course is also an introduction and continuation of basic genealogical research principles. The coursefocuses on solving basic United States research problems. You will learn how to find and cite original sources, research and analyze pedigrees and evidence, record genealogical information using professional standards, use key genealogical sources, and organize family history information.

This course, in conjunction with the other courses in this program, will help prepare you to apply for a professional genealogy credential through ICAPGen or BCG. This course has been designed to provide you with solid academic content and develop practical research skills which are critical for a professional genealogist across many research settings.

Please note that this course does not teach you basic computer skills, rather it is assumed that you are already quite familiar with using a computer. If you need to develop or refresh your computer skills, youare welcome to study the YouTube video, Learn Computer Basics Tutorial for Beginners – Part 1 and the Computer Basics tutorial series from GCFLearnFree.org.

Course Outcomes

As a result of completing this course, you will be able to do the following:

1. Define a research problem using high-level reasoning.

2. Plan and conduct genealogy research according to proven practices.

3. Solve genealogical problems despite record loss, damage, or ambiguity.

4. Document research results in accordance with professional standards.

5. Defend research conclusions via proof statements or summaries.

Prerequisites

FHGEN 111 is a prerequisite for FHGEN 112. You must complete 111 before taking 112.

Learning Model Architecture

FHGEN 112 follows a weekly cycle of Prepare, Teach One Another, and Ponder & Prove activities.

Prepare:

You will prepare by taking notes as you complete readings and coursework. You will learn how to perform family history research, gather information, and interpret records and censuses.

Teach One Another:

You will teach one another through discussion board interactions to work with and teach others, and share experiences with the class.

Ponder & Prove:

You will demonstrate your skills by completing interactive activities, assignments, assessments (quizzes), and a reflective journal.

Schedule

Introductory Lesson 01— Genealogy in the Information Age

Lesson 02 — Organizing Your Research

Lesson 03 — Define the Problem

Lesson 04 — Develop a Plan

Lesson 05 — Evidence Analysis

Lesson 06 — Source Citations

Lesson 07 — Finding Aids, Maps, and Gazetteers

Lesson 08 — History and Customs

Lesson 09 — Immigrant Origins, Post–1850

Lesson 10 — Immigrant Origins, Pre–1850

Lesson 11 — Repositories

Lesson 12 — Record Substitutes

Lesson 13 — Professional Credentials

Conclusion Lesson 14

COURSE OVERVIEW

Course Expectations

Each lesson includes Activities, Assignments, a Quiz, and a Reflection Journal.
Most lessons include Discussion Boards. Take advantage of these opportunities to participate in discussions and to teach one another.
- Participation is important not only for you, but for your classmates as well.
Activities give you the opportunity to learn by practice and to perfect your abilities and skills. They can be attempted multiple times to master a concept. See the individual assignments for the amount of attempts allowed.
Assignments are different from activities because they will be personally graded by the instructor. Assignments allow you to ponder what you have learned and to prove that you know the materials you have been studying.
Quizzes are taken at the end of every week. They require you to use your skills in a practical way to demonstrate that you know certain aspects of Family History Research.
At the end of each week, you will use your notes to complete the Reflection Journal assignment.The Reflection Journal allows you time to deepen your learning by pondering what you have learned and plan how you will apply your learning.
Assignments are typically due each Wednesday at 11:00 PM and Monday at 8:00 AM local time for you. Refer to the Lesson Information page at the beginning of each lesson for full details.
Late work will generally not be accepted. You are expected to complete your assignments on time.Contact your instructor for additional questions or concerns.
The course is not an independent study course. The group teaching and learning activities require you to cover material at the same time and at the same pace as others in the group.

Writing Requirements

In this course you will be required to write papers and short essays as part of certain assignments. You will need to follow the instructions carefully and submit college-level work. Your writing should be well-organized using paragraphs with correct spelling and punctuation standards. Make sure that your writing is focused on the topic according to the assignment instructions. Be concise and clear. Rambling will not be accepted for full credit. Do not attempt to "pad" your responses by being wordy.

To learn more about writing standards visit BYU-Idaho Writing Center website for tutorials and handouts. Tutoring sessions are also available to online students. Visit the Help for Online Students page for more details on these resources.

Remember, it is your responsibility to understand and follow the instructions completely! If you have a question regarding an assignment, ask your instructor early for clarification. Last minute questions cannot be expected to be answered immediately.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Course Texts and Materials

All necessary materials will be provided for you, so you will not be required to purchase any textbooks or materials for this course.

Since all materials are contained in the course, it is vital that you use the correct browser to access I-Learn. The recommended browsers for accessing I-Learn is Mozilla Firefox. Firefox is free to download;you can download it here. If you ever have technical difficulties with a video or image in the course,ensure you are using Firefox before contacting the Online Support Center for help.

If you do not already have the Microsoft Office Suite downloaded to your computer, obtain it now by visiting the BYU-I Microsoft Student Download page, and clicking on the "Download" link. You will need to sign in with your BYU-I username and password. This valuable download is free to BYU-I students.

Microsoft OneDrive is a free online document storage application which allows you to store your work online and share it with other people. Some assignments will require that you save a document or documents to your OneDrive account, generate a link to your document or documents, and submit that link to your instructor here in I-Learn. You will be taught how to use OneDrive during the Introduction Lesson of the course. If you need further help, refer to the OneDrive Help webpage.

During the semester, you are also welcome to visit the BYU-Idaho Family History Library Guide. (This link can also be found in the Welcome folder throughout the semester.)

Weekly Time Commitment

The online class policy is that for every credit hour, the average student should expect to spend 3 hours of work per week. This means that for this class, you should plan on spending approximately 9 hours per week.

GRADING POLICIES

This course is comprised of readings, activities, assignments, assessments (quizzes), and a final exam.

Grading Scale
A 93% - 100% A- 90% - 92%	B+ 87% - 89% B 83% - 86% B- 80% - 82%	C+,77% - 79% C 73% - 76% C- 70% - 72%	D+ 67% - 69% D 63% - 66% D- 62% - 60%	F Below 60%

Activities

Explanation: Activities are step by step procedures that are followed to gain experience with the new content being taught that week. The activity often contains many documents that need to be examined and analyzed. You will then answer questions in regards to the given documents. Practice makes perfect, so these activities can be completed as much as needed to get the correct answers.

Points for each: 3

Overall percentage of grade: 15%

Discussion Boards

Explanation: Discussion Boards usually begin with a task or assignment that you must complete first. An example could be that you are required to teach someone else about that week's lesson. You are then asked to share your experiences with the class.

Points for each: 5-15

Overall percentage of grade: 10%

Assignments

Explanation: Assignments consist of short essays, questions, or assignments that must be submitted to the instructor. They are only allowed to be completed once.

Points for each: 15 (a few assignments are worth other point values)

Overall percentage of grade: 35%

Reflections and Audits

Explanation: Each week you will take notes as you study using the Note-Taking Template provided in the course. Doing so will deepen your learning as you strive to incorporate the concepts and principles you learn in each lesson. At the end of each lesson, you will share a portion of these reflections with your classmates. There are also two personal audits during the semester which allow you to take a personal inventory of your progress.

Points for each: 5 for Reflections, 10 for Audits

Overall percentage of grade: 5%

Assessments (Quizzes)

Explanation: These quizzes occur at the end of each lesson and measure your abilities and understanding in a particular area. These quizzes are timed and can only be taken once.

Points for each: 30

Overall percentage of grade: 25%

Exams

Explanation: This course has a comprehensive final exam. It includes a number of essay questions and will require you to look at documents to read and identify information.

Points for Final: 100

Overall percentage of grade: 10%

RESOURCES

If any technical difficulties arise throughout the course, first check your browser to ensure you are using Mozilla Firefox. If you are using Firefox, but are still experiencing technical difficulties, contact the Online Support Center or the Help Desk before contacting the instructor.

Online Support Center

Hours: Monday through Friday, 7 AM to 7 PM, MT

Website:http://www.byui.edu/online/online-support-center

Live Chat: Available on the Online Support Center Website.

Phone: (866) 672-2984

Email:onlinelearning@byui.edu

Skype: onlinesupportcenterbyui

Help Desk

Hours: Monday through Friday, 7 AM to 9 PM Saturday, 9 AM to 5 PM

Website:http://www.byui.edu/help-desk

Phone: (208) 496-9000

Toll Free Number: 1 (866) 237-5195

Email:helpdesk@byui.edu

Copyright

Materials on BYU-I, I-Learn, and related sites may be protected by US Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code). These materials are only for the use of students enrolled in this course for purposes associated with this course and may not be retained or further disseminated.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

University Policies

Academic honesty is required and any violation will be dealt with according to the University Academic Honesty Policy.

Policy on Sexual Discrimination/Harassment

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits sex discrimination against any participant in an education program or activity that receives federal funds, including Federal loans and grants. Title IX also covers student-to-student sexual harassment. If you encounter unlawful sexual harassment or gender based discrimination, please contact the Personnel Office at (208) 496-1130.

Reasonable Accommodation for Students with Disabilities

Brigham Young University-Idaho is committed to providing a working and learning atmosphere, which reasonably accommodates qualified persons with disabilities. If you have any disability, which may impair your ability to complete this course successfully, please contact the Services for Students with Disabilities Office, (208) 496-1158. Reasonable academic accommodations are reviewed for all students who have qualified documented disabilities. Services are coordinated with the student and instructor by this office. If you need assistance or if you feel you have been unlawfully discriminated against on the basis of disability, you may seek resolution through established grievance policy and procedures. You should contact the Personnel Office at (208) 496-1130.

Personal Conduct

All of your correspondence with the teacher or other classmates must be respectful. Writing something disrespectful or "venting" is unprofessional and not becoming of a university student. In addition, it is not in accordance with the Honor Code of BYU-Idaho and you will be subject to discipline accordingly. You are invited to re-read the BYU-I Honor Code and the Principles of Personal Honor.