Category: Geneabloggers

Citation Check!

On By thegenealogysearchIn citations, Geneabloggers, Source listLeave a comment

I thought it would be prudent to print out my source list.  I must be a very good girl because my report was over 300 pages!  My idea was to look at the sources to locate spelling errors or citations that needed a little tweaking.  It seems that things look perfect on RootsMagic (I call that entry blindness) but I have found some errors on my reports.  My top mistakes are spelling and number flipping.

It appears that the majority of my mistakes show up in the detail section.  I think the best way to review is to review a few pages everyday.  So wish me luck,!

Genealogy, Plagiarism, Ethics, and Belonging…….

On By thegenealogysearchIn #genealogy, belonging, Boston University, ethics, Geneabloggers, National Institute for Genealogical Studies, plagiarism, ProGen, Rootstech, We Are Genealogy Bloggers5 Comments
A long time ago, when I was much younger, my mother gave me some sage advice.  She said keep company with the people you admire and want to be like.  It makes sense and perhaps that same advice should be used in our genealogy.
I wanted to become a better genealogist.  I enrolled in Boston University, NGS courses, ProGen and the National Institute for Genealogical Studies.  I go to seminars, jamborees, conferences, SLIG and attend webinars.  I am picky about how, what, and with whom I study.  I pay for many of these opportunities and I want my dollars’ worth.  I talk to others about the events to find out if they are a worthwhile purchase.  I ran Boston University and National Institute through the BBB and read about them on the BCG Educational Preparation page http://www.bcgcertification.org/certification/educ.html.    I check out who is speaking and what subjects were being offered.  I strike up conversations with conference attendees at events to find out who they liked and disliked.  I check out speakers prior to attending seminars.  You might be thinking sure you’re a private detective you do that for a living.  Hello, anyone can run a Google search, no excuses!
I always thought that RootsTech, NGS, SCGS Jamboree, and FGS vetted their speakers.  I was making assumptions, I was wrong.  RootsTech allowed Barry Ewell to lecture this past February.  I am so disappointed and so glad I did not attend.  A simple Google search on Barry brings numerous entries about plagiarism.  I think RootsTech needs to apologize and let all of us know they are rethinking their speaker selection.  My trust has been lost.
RootsTech brought innocent newbie genealogists to Barry.  Barry sold books with plagiarized content to his attendees who in turn told others about his book.  By not vetting there speakers they are allowing unethical behavior to continue.  What are we saying to new genealogists?  What are we teaching them?  We are teaching that stealing and unethical behavior is ok.  Is that what we want? 
Now we can’t all agree and we are all entitled to our opinions.  As genealogists we need to share opinions and thoughts, both negative and positive.  I recently removed myself from a genealogy blogging group that had an administrator that deleted comments of people that belonged to the group.  They were deleted because they spoke the truth.  I did however find a delightful replacement for the group called “We Are Genealogy Bloggers” https://www.facebook.com/groups/WeAreGenealogyBloggers/?ref=br_tf.  Now folks you need to vet your Facebook groups.  Do not join just to join.  Make sure that the people in the group share your ethics and ideals.  Like mom said “be friends with the people you admire and want to be like”.  I encourage all of you to think about your decisions to belong to groups.  Belonging to a group that is unethical is not something I want to be a part of. 

What else can we do?  Lean forward during a lecture and let the person in front of you photographing slides know they are stealing from the speaker.  Educate fellow attendees, most do not know that what they are doing is wrong.  Be your own detective and make educated decisions regarding your education, money, and the people you hang out with.  

Very Funny my Friends – I am a Tombstone Toucher, a Headstone Fondler, etc.

On By thegenealogysearchIn cemetery, GeneabloggersLeave a comment

OK, so I have been getting teased for the last few weeks about a video that the local newspaper did.  It all started innocently enough, a reporter calls me and wanted to ask questions about FindAGrave – that lead to a discussion on tombstone symbolism.  The reporter asked if I could meet her at one of the cemeteries and show her some of the symbols I was talking about.   Of course, really, what genealogist would turn down any trip to a cemetery.  Anyway, she asked if she could video me talking about symbolism. Not a problem,  but she caught me a few times “fondling”  a few headstones and video taped me at times I did not know she was shooting (she was using her phone to record).  I did not think it was so apparent, you can judge for yourselves…..the video can be viewed at:   https://youtu.be/N5xGO97ytNU

So yes my dear friends, I confess.  I do fondle tombstones, pet headstones, and touch markers.  I can’t seem to help myself.    

Preparing for Certification………….Suggestions for advancement

On By thegenealogysearchIn #genealogy, APG, BCG, Boston University, CAFG, Council for the Advancement of Forensic Genealogy, education, FGS, Geneabloggers, geneabloggers.com, GRIP, IGHR, ISBGFH, NIGR, ProGen, SecondLife, SLIG3 Comments

The Boston University certificate of Genealogical Research program has been completed.  At the end of our course the instructors made some suggestions for furthering our education.  Friends and other genealogy acquaintances have also made suggestions.  I decided to put all the suggestions together to form one master lists.  Please let me know if you have any suggestions.  Here is what I came up with: 

SUGGESTED FOR ADVANCEMENT
WEBSITE/ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
NGS Home Study Course
http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/homestudy_course_cd
Boston University Certificate Genealogical Research
http://professional.bu.edu/programs/genealogy/
University of Toronto, National Institute Gen. Studies
http://www.genealogicalstudies.com/eng/uoft.asp
ProGen Study Group
http://progenstudy.org/
Review BCG Application/Begin research prior to application
http://bcgcertification.org/catalog/appguide.html
CAFG
http://www.forensicgenealogists.org/institute/
10-12 March 2016 San Antonio Texas
GRIP Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh
http://www.gripitt.org/
June 26-July 1 2016 and/or July 17-22
Pittsburgh, PA Info in November 2015
IGHR
http://samford.libguides.com/ighr
Registration opens 19 January 2016
ISBGFH
International Society for British Genealogy and Family History
http://isbgfh.org/
NIGR National Institute on Genealogical Research
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~natgenin/
July 2016
Registration and announcements December 2015
SLIG Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy
http://ugagenealogy.org/aem.php?eid=16
Join APG
https://www.apgen.org/
Subscribe to BCG OnBoard
http://www.bcgcertification.org/catalog/obsub.html
Read Blogs such as Genealogy Education by Angela McGhie
http://genealogyeducation.blogspot.com/
http://legalgenealogist.com/blog/
https://www.evidenceexplained.com/
APG Conferences
2016 22-24 Sept 2016 Fort Wayne, Indiana
https://www.apgen.org/conferences/index.html
FGS  Conferences
http://www.fgs.org/
NGS Conferences
http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/
Get involved in your local genealogy society
Research, Writing, Compiling
Log at least 250 hours of research, writing, and compiling yearly – publish some writings and solicit feedback from peers.
Read and join discussion groups for major journals
  NGS,The American Genealogist, New York Genealogical and Biographical Society Record, New England Historical and Genealogical Register
http://americangenealogist.com/subscriptions/
http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/ngsq
http://newyorkfamilyhistory.org/global/about-us/record
http://www.americanancestors.org/browse/publications/the-register
NGSQ Study Group
http://progenstudy.org/other-study-groups/
NGSQ Article Discussion Group
https://plus.google.com/communities/116247001733623842243
Second Life Genealogy Events – NGSQ Study Group
http://slgenealogygroup.com/