2025 Spring In Person Putting Skills to Work

The BCG Education Fund is pleased to announce our Spring 2025 Putting Skills to Work event which will be held in person at the Galt House, Louisville, Kentucky as part of the National Genealogical Society 2025 Family History Conference.

The event will be held in-person at the National Genealogical Society 2025 Family History Conference. The event will not be recorded or available for remote viewing. Attendees will attend both workshops, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Lunch will be generously provided by the National Genealogical Society.

Registration opens at 12 PM (ET) on 9 December 2024.  Attendance is capped at 60 attendees. The fee is $150. The event will not be recorded or live-streamed.

BCGEdFundRegister2

Applying Standards to Writing for Publication

Instructors: Margaret Rose Fortier, CG, and Mary Kircher Roddy, CG

Detailed Workshop Description:

Chapter 4 of Genealogy Standards covers the standards for writing genealogical proofs and assembling research results into a variety of written products. This hands-on workshop is geared toward writing for publication, including peer-reviewed journals.

We will examine organization and flow of the material, and how to avoid repetition and dead-end arguments. Effective use of headings helps the author organize the material and provides an outline for the reader to understand the evidence and a map to find detailed information.

The class will discuss when to use running text for presentation of evidence and when and how to use other formats including charts, diagrams, lists, tables, maps, and other illustrations.

We will review working with an editor and avoiding common errors in writing for and submitting to journals.

Attendee Prerequisite Knowledge:

Understanding of Genealogy Standards, especially those related to reasoning from evidence (Stds 35–50) and writing (Stds 58–61, 64–71).

Pre-Workshop assignment:

Write a biographical sketch of an ancestor. It should be 350 to 500 words. Due to instructors by 1 May 2025. Additional information will be sent to registrants.

Mastering Reasonably Exhaustive Research: Identifying, Analyzing, and Prioritizing

Instructor: Patti Hobbs, CG®, CGGSM

Detailed Workshop Description:

In today’s digital age, the abundance of online genealogical resources can create the illusion of thorough research. However, the first tenet of the Genealogical Proof Standard—reasonably exhaustive research—requires much more than database searches. This workshop will guide participants in identifying, analyzing, and prioritizing all “potentially relevant” information, with a focus on navigating both traditional and digital sources. Through lectures and hands-on exercises, you’ll learn to identify source locations, evaluate their comprehensiveness, and assess their limitations.

 


Instructor Bios

 KarenStanbary

Margaret Rose Fortier, is a Board-certified genealogical researcher, writer, editor, and lecturer. Named after her grandmothers and inspired by her mother’s phenomenal memory, she specializes in immigrant ancestors to New England. A graduate of Boston College (BS) and Bentley University (MS), she holds a Certificate in Genealogical Research from Boston University. She is a lecturer for Tracing French-Canadian Ancestors and Telling Their Stories scheduled at SLIG [Spring 2025]. She serves on the board of the Association of Professional Genealogists, where she chairs the Professional Development Committee

 

 

KarenStanbary

Patti Lee Hobbs, Certified Genealogist®, Certified Genetic GenealogistSM, resides in Clever, Missouri. She considers herself blessed to have ancestors from many geographical locations leading to research in varied repositories. She serves on the editorial board for the National Genealogical Society Quarterly and is former trustee for both the Board for Certification of Genealogists and the BCG Education Fund. Patti is the coordinator for the week-long course “Genetics for Genealogists: Fundamentals of DNA” at the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research (IGHR). Her two articles “DNA Identifies a Father for Rachel Lee of Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania," in March 2017 and "DNA Merges the Families of Stephen Stilwell of Dutchess County, New York; Cornwall, Upper Canada; and Coshocton County, Ohio," in March 2024 were published in the National Genealogical Society Quarterly. She is a contributing author of Advanced Genetic Genealogy: Techniques and Case Studies.

 

 

 

KarenStanbary

Mary Kircher Roddy, CG®, is also a Certified Public Accountant. She lectures in Washington State and across the US, and is a regular presenter for LegacyFamilyTree Webinars.  She has written for The National Genealogical Society Quarterly, Internet Genealogy, NGS Magazine, FGS Forum, and Family Chronicle Magazine, and numerous society publications.  Mary served as Treasurer for the Association of Professional Genealogists.  She is currently a trustee of the Board for Certification of Genealogists. She is co-editor of the National Genealogical Society Quarterly. She is one of the founders of the Applied Genealogy Institute. You can read more about her at MKR Genealogy – www.mkrgenealogy.com

 

 

2024 Fall Putting Skills to Work with Karen Stanbary

The BCG Education Fund is pleased to announce our fall Putting Skills to Work event:

Writing About Genetic Evidence: Practice the Principles to Meet Genealogy Standards presented by Karen Stanbary, MA, LCSW, CG®, CGG SM, BCG Trustee

Students engage in hands-on activities designed to teach the principles applicable to written work discussing genetic evidence. Genealogy Standards provides the organizing framework. The workshop focuses on crafting paragraphs that tie together the documentary and genetic evidence with reasoning. Students practice writing about a wide variety of genealogical questions that are answered with the integration of documentary and genetic evidence. Activities provide guidance about the selection of evidence to include and exclude. Documentation principles help the student create citations that communicate analysis to the reader. Students design reader-friendly tables and figures and write paragraphs to explain the data presented. Topics include writing about pedigree evaluation and mitigation, pedigree collapse, and conflict resolution.

This 3.5 hour workshop will be presented virtually on two different days. Attendees can choose their preferred day.

  • Tuesday, 12 November 2024, beginning at 11 AM (ET): BCGEdFundRegister2
  • Saturday, 16 November 2024, beginning at 10 AM (ET): BCGEdFundRegister2

Registration opens at 11 AM (ET) on 1 July 2024.  Attendance is capped at 30 attendees for each session. The fee is $60. The event will not be recorded.

KarenStanbary

Karen Stanbary, MA, LCSW, CG®, CGG SM, BCG Trustee, is an author and national lecturer focusing on topics related to using genetic evidence correlated with documentary evidence to solve genealogical brick walls. A Chicago local, she holds a Master’s Degree in Clinical Social Work from the University of Chicago and has completed advanced graduate study in Social Anthropology at the Colegio de Michoacán, Mexico. Her genealogical practice specializes in Midwestern U.S., Chicago, and Mexican research as well as complex problem-solving, unknown parentage, and DNA analysis. She is a coordinator and faculty member at IGHR, and SLIG. She received the NGSQ Award for Excellence for two  complex evidence case studies incorporating traditional documentary research and autosomal DNA analysis in the June 2016 and June 2023 issues of the National Genealogical Society Quarterly. She published “Drowning in DNA? The Genealogical Proof Standard Tosses a Lifeline” in Debbie Parker Wayne’s book Advanced Genetic Genealogy: Techniques and Case Studies.  She holds the credentials Certified Genealogist and Certified Genetic Genealogist from the Board for Certification of Genealogists where she serves as a Trustee and is chair of the DNA Committee.

 

Attendee Prerequisite Knowledge:

Students should be able to apply the Genealogical Proof Standard to assess biological relationship conclusions. They should be familiar with Genealogy Standards.  This workshop is designed for those who are skilled in using DNA evidence to answer genealogical research questions and now seek additional training on creating the written conclusion.

 

Past Putting Skills to Work

Past workshops and instructors

Mary McCampbell Bell, CG. “Abstracting Records: Land Records,” 2003, 2004. “Abstracting Documents,” 2007.
Jeanne Larzalere Bloom, CG. “Spreadsheets 201: Manipulating Data to Dismantle Brick Walls,” 2016.
Melinde Lutz Byrne, CG, FASG, FNGS. “Editor’s Ink: Writing for Genealogical Journals,” 2012.
Victor S. Dunn, CG. “I Rest My Case: Constructing a Convincing Proof Argument,” 2014.
Stefani Evans, CG. "Understanding the Records," 2021.

Ann Carter Fleming, CG, CGL, FNGS. “Writing Family History: Style, Index, and More,” 2009.
Kay Haviland Freilich, CG, CGL, FNGS. “Planning Research,” 2006. “Writing the Ancestral Story,” 2009.
Harold Henderson, CG. "Making Genealogical Conclusions Readable, Understandable, and Credible," 2021

Marty Hiatt, CG. “Writing Reports,” 2006. “Arguing: Writing Proof Summaries,” 2007.
Sharon Hoyt, CG. "Organizing and Analyzing Evidence for Genealogical Success," 2024 Melissa Johnson, CG. "Meeting Standards with Twenty-First Century Research Reports," 2019.
Robbie Johnson, CG. "Research Insider: The Whole Story," 2023.
Jan Joyce, DBA, CG, CGL, AG. "Deconstruct to Reconstruct: Writing Proof Arguments for Maximum Impact," 2024.
Rebecca Whitman Koford, CG, CGL. "Walk a Mile in Their Shoes: Writing the Ancestors' Stories with Social History and Historical Context," 2022.
Karen Mauer Jones, CG, FGBS, FUGA. "Tackling the Family Narrative," 2022. 
Thomas W. Jones, Ph.D., CG, CGL, FASG, FNGS, FUGA. “Genealogical Documentation: What, Why, and How,” 2008. “Editing Your Own and Others’ Genealogical Writing,” 2012. "Citing All Kinds of Online Sources," 2018. "Detecting, Assessing, Assembling, and Reasoning from Genealogical Evidence," 2021.
Connie Lenzen, CG. “Historical Context: More Than A Timeline,” 2013. "Planning and Executing Reasonably Exhaustive Research; or, How to Ensure a Successful Hunt," 2018.
Barbara Vines Little, CG, FNGS, FVGS. “Working with Documents: From Discovery to What Comes Next,” 2011.
David McDonald, D.Min., CG. “Reach for the Power Tools: Transcriptions & Abstractions,” 2016.
Teresa Steinkamp McMillin, CG. "Research Insider: Putting the Puzzle Together," 2023.
Nancy A. Peters, CG. “Make Your Case: Correlating Evidence to Solve Genealogical Problems,” 2017. "Evidence Analysis: Theory, Practice, and the Real World," 2019. "Reporting on Research: Applying Standards Improves Written Communications," 2023.
Beverly Rice, CG. “The Path To Change And A Better Life—Migration,” 2013.
Judy Russell, JD, CG, CGL. "Understanding the Law," 2021.
Sara A. Scribner, CG. “Make Your Case: Constructing and Writing Proof Discussions,” 2017.


Roster of Special Workshop Instructors

Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, CGL. “Genetic Genealogy: Effective Analysis and Correlation of DNA Test Results.” 2015.

The words Certified Genealogist and the designation CG are registered certification marks, and the designations CGL and Certified Genealogical Lecturer are service marks of the Board for Certification of Genealogists®.

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