Your Ancestor’s Locations 

It is extremely important to learn about the location(s) our ancestors lived. We need to be aware of when certain jurisdictions were formed, what records were kept and when, which jurisdictions were responsible for keeping specific records, and what records are currently accessible.

Keep in…

So you want a Certificate in Genealogical Studies

Upon successful completion of  40 courses in your Certificate Program and achieving a minimum grade of D, you will receive a Certificate in Genealogical Studies. …

By Shannon Bennett, Student

Do you ever read something and feel your head getting full? That feeling of “oh no, this is a lot of stuff, how am I ever going to remember it all?” Well, that’s the feeling I have right now after finishing the next section of the English: Occupation-Professions and Trades course.…

Why would you want to trace your ancestors?

Well, there are a number of good reasons, but let’s face it, most people trace their ancestors for curiosity’s sake. Others trace their ancestors because they want to know about their different ethnic backgrounds. Others want to trace their roots simply for an increased understanding of just who they are and where they came from. Someone else may need proof of their heritage to gain special benefits from…

Building a Basic Timeline 

More often than not, you will want to create a basic timeline for your problem ancestor. Start with information about all of the events in their life, including their birth and death dates, any marriages, birth and death of any children, the death of a spouse, and death of parents. You might also want to incorporate relevant information about the locations you are working with, for example, boundary changes.…

A surprise gift just for you! For one day only (24 hours) you can save:

25% off 1 course package (maximum savings $862.50) with code: pk2019ss at checkout.

or

50% off 1 course (maximum savings $80.00) with code: sc2019ss at…

Recording your information

The Pedigree Chart (or Ancestral Chart) will record your direct line ancestors’ information. In other words, you will record the dates and locations of births, marriages, deaths and burials from one father and mother to the next father and mother. While the potential is there for an endless number of ancestors, most of us in the beginning only have knowledge of two or three generations.…

OGS Conference

Canada’s largest annual gathering of family historians, the Ontario Genealogical Society’s Annual Conference, will be in London, Ontario from June 21^st to the 23^rd at the London Convention Center.

So many activities are planned… Opening Ceremonies begin Friday evening, followed by a jam-packed program with lecture streams for Saturday and Sunday. Don’t forget about…

Have questions about your courses or your research? Virtual Meetings are a way for you to communicate with an instructor. These meetings are NOT mandatory, but a fun & interactive way to ask questions about courses/research. Below are the June scheduled sessions. Join us!

Wednesday, June 12th at 8:00 PM EDT – Canadian courses with Kathryn Lake Hogan                                            Time zones:

Wednesday, June 12th –…

The Southern California Genealogical Society – Jamboree 2019, “50th Birthday Bash”, will be taking place May 30th - June 2nd and we here at The National Institute for Genealogical Studies are excited. Why are we excited? Because we will be attending! …

CONGRATULATIONS GRADUATES!!!

The National Institute for Genealogical Studies invites you to come celebrate with us, with our students, our graduates and our instructors. Anyone can attend. Graduates: invite your family – everyone is welcome! 

Join us for our 2019 graduation ceremony…

Collaboration and Brick Walls

Many of us tend to work on our genealogy research alone. It is an independent activity where we can lose ourselves for hours on end. In some cases, family members actually work together to solve a common research problem. It is these situations that can benefit us the most.…

The Ohio Genealogical Society Conference, “Building A Heritage”, will be taking place May 1st - 4th and we here at The National Institute for Genealogical Studies are excited. Why are we excited? Because we will be attending! …

Join us in a round of applause congratulating, Craig Newton.

Craig was the winner of our drawing for $1,000 worth of courses during the 2019 Alberta Genealogical Society Conference. Louise had a wonderful time speaking with all of you during the conference. Thank you for stopping by…

April is almost over and we at The National Institute for Genealogical Studies are looking forward to May. Will we see you at one of the following conferences? Make sure to check out the exhibit hall, stop by our booth, and visit with us. We look forward to seeing you!

1. May 1st -…

The Alberta Genealogical Society Conference, “Images Through Time”, will be taking place April 26th – 28th and we here at The National Institute for Genealogical Studies are excited. Why are we excited? Because we will be…

By Shannon Bennett, Student

Well, this course didn't dally around; it jumped straight into the nuts and bolts of creating a good transcription. While several of the courses I previously wrote about did touch on the basics of transcription, Modules 1 and 2 of Skills: Transcribing, Abstracting & Extracting  provides an intense introduction to the process.…

By Shannon Bennett, Student

Whoa, what a course. It made me think. It made me analyze my family connections. Most of all it showed me how great of a story my family narrative is! Amazing stuff, and I am so happy that I registered for it.

For those of you who are still not convinced, I am not sure there is much else I could say to sway you.  However, I will do my best.…

Your Data  

Based on your research log and evaluation log, you will want to take some time to analyze your findings.  Some of the important things to keep in mind while analyzing your data are: 

• Is the record for the right person/family? 
• Is the record original or derivative? 
• Are there other records that need to be checked? 

By Shannon Bennett, Student

Well I am almost done. Really digging into the meat and potatoes of the Demystifying Culture and Folklore course now. Plus, we discuss one of my favorite mythologists, Joseph Campbell. Ah, hero myths, we should all be familiar with that concept thanks to Star Wars and Harry Potter.…