Genealogical Essentials – Course Outline

Genealogical Essentials consists of the following four modules:


Laying the Foundation

  • Recognizing clues in current family information
  • Understanding basic best practices
  • Introducing the Genealogical Proof Standard

Tools and Techniques

  • Using certain tools for efficiency and communication
  • Evaluating and documenting our sources
  • Learning search techniques

Immigration and Evidence

  • Identifying clues to origins
  • Assessing information
  • Examining a complete case

Discovering Answers

  • Applying what you’ve learned
  • Correlating information
  • Identifying persons in a photo

Requirements and Materials

You will need access to a computer and the Internet. The following System Requirements are needed to successfully complete the program. Click for system requirements.


Required texts:

  • Greenwood, Val D. The Researcher’s Guide to American Genealogy, 3rd ed.
    Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2000. 662pp. Hardbound. $29.95 ISBN: 978-0806316215
  • Powell, Kimberly. The Everything Guide to Online Genealogy: Trace your roots, share your history, and create your family tree, 3rd ed.
    Avon, MA: Adams Media, 2014. 304pp. Softbound. $16.95. ISBN: 978-1440570681