Syllabus

FHGEN 251C Geographic Specialization-Germany

Course Description

This is the first course in German genealogical research. The purpose of this course is to introduce you to records and methodologies used for genealogical research in Germany.

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.

Course Outcomes

During this course, you will do the following:

Learning Model Architecture

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

Prepare

You will prepare by setting goals and scheduling your time wisely. These will help you to complete assignments, stay on task, and perform valuable work in the future. You will have little predefined structure and will be responsible for thinking ahead and establishing your own productive schedule.

Teach One Another

You will teach one another as you research specific individuals and their families. Many others in your class will be able to provide you with tips and assistance that can help you reach your goals. You, likewise, will have much to offer them and will have many opportunities to do so throughout the semester.

Ponder & Prove

You will demonstrate your work each week by completing activities and quizzes.

Required Text

German English Genealogical Dictionary by Ernest Thode. This will link you to the free online version of the book.

Weekly reading assignments are provided from a variety of resources.

Prerequisite Courses

Previous or concurrent enrollment in FHGEN 211.

Course Projects

These include:

  1. Group Historical Presentation
  2. Research Problem

Group Historical Presentation

For the Group Historical Presentation you will be organized into groups by your instructor. Your group will identify a major historical event (assigned by instructor) and its impact on the lives of the German people, their government, their records and their religious beliefs. To facilitate your collaboration, use the discussion board, or any other tool of your choosing, such as Google Docs, or OneDrive.

Research Problem

In Week 12, you will be given a research problem that will utilize all the skills and knowledge you learn in the preceding weeks. You will research a real family and use the prompt to discover when they immigrated and as many of the members of the family as possible. You will be required to submit a Research report, Research log, Family group sheets (one for each family in your research), and a Pedigree chart.

Schedule

Lesson 01 Fundamentals of German Research
Lesson 02 Handwriting and Genealogical Terms
Lesson 03 Emigration and Immigration
Lesson 04 Historical Events
Lesson 05 Gazetteers, Record Jurisdictions, and Maps
Lesson 06 Calendars and Dates
Midterm Exam
Lesson 07 Religious Records
Lesson 08 Civil Registration Records
Lesson 09 Internet Sites and Databases
Lesson 10 Beginning Research Methodology
Lesson 11 Naming Practices
Lesson 12 Directed Research
Final Exam

Grading

Grade Distribution for this course follows a standard BYU-I model

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-: 60 - 62%

 F: 0 - 59%

Activities are worth 25%

Assessments are worth 25%

Assignments are worth 40%

Reflections are worth 10%

Writing Requirements

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

To learn more about writing standards visit BYU-Idaho Writing Center website for tutorials and handouts. Tutoring sessions are also available to students in the Writing Center on-campus or online via Skype. If your schedule does not coincide with the Writing Center hours (9:00AM - 5:30PM Monday - Friday) you may email your paper to writingcenter@byui.edu and receive written feedback for your paper within 48 hours. 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.

Resources

If any technical difficulties arise throughout the course contact the Online Support Center or the Help Desk before contacting the instructor.

It is strongly recommended that you use the Firefox browser for this course. Some images may not appear if you use Chrome.

Missing Content

Most modern browsers block content that is not secure or does not meet certain security specifications. There may be times when content in this course does not display properly. If you experience this, you may download this document for help.

Online Support Center

Phone: (208) 496-1411

Email: onlinelearning@byui.edu

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

Text Messaging: (855) 808-7102

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

Skype: onlinesupportcenterbyui

Live Chat: Available on the Online Support Center Website.

Help Desk

Phone: (208) 496-1411

Email: helpdesk@byui.edu

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

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

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.

University Policies

Academic honesty is required and any violation with 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." http://www.byui.edu/student-honor-office/ces-honor-code