Have you been following my journey of accreditation for the past two years? If so, I'm pleased to announce that as of July 15th 2017, I am now an Accredited Genealogy Professional. Today I'll fill you in on my path to accreditation including the bumps and pitfalls along the way. July 2015 I attended the BYU Conference on Family History and Genealogy. Included in the conference was a track of classes by The International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists, shortened to ICAPGen. The presenters clearly outlined the process to earning a credential and an idea began to form...
One year ago I posted my goal for 2016: to become an Accredited Genealogist. Luckily I gave myself a caveat that if I didn't get it done in 2016, there was always 2017. Well, it's officially 2017, and I do need the extra time to meet this goal. What did I learn last year? Where am I in the process? Why would you want to explore accreditation? Good questions that I'll try to answer. January of 2016 I had been waffling about whether to really go for accreditation or not. When I took the plunge and wrote a blog post...
How would you like to produce a research project in three hours complete with a research log, report, documents, family group sheet, and pedigree chart? That is exactly what each Accreditation candidate is asked to do for the final stage of testing. To be honest, this part of the process scared me the most so I was very glad to cover it in depth in my study group. I've now completed two practice projects and I'm gaining confidence in my ability to do this. Why a three-hour research project? A genealogy professional needs to produce high quality research in a...
Are you curious about the process to become an Accredited Genealogist (AG)? Maybe you'd like to get started but aren't sure what to do next. Follow my journey and see if Accreditation is for you! In the six months since I set a goal to become an AG, I've been working consistently towards that goal. I shared my experience from the Level I Study Group several weeks ago. Level 1 focused on the application for Accreditation and the Four-generation research project. I learned so much from that initial study group, that I happily continued on to the Level 2 &...
Have you considered becoming an Accredited Genealogist (AG)? Ever wondered about the process or what you can do to start preparing? In January 2016 I wrote about setting a goal to become an AG and it's time for an update on my progress. Accreditation is through The International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists (ICAPGen). Their website details information about the accreditation process. Here are some highlights: -Credentials are awarded on a regional basis which allows the applicant to demonstrate their depth of knowledge of the key records, history, geography, and language of the region of interest in measurable ways. -Each applicant is required to...
I'm excited to announce that Nicole and I have been invited as official bloggers to Brigham Young University's Conference on Family History & Genealogy held July 26th -29th. Whether you're looking for a way to boost your family history knowledge, get inspired to tackle your next project, or just need to kick start your efforts, you'll find what you need at this conference. Held on the beautiful BYU campus in Provo, Utah, this conference combines fabulous classes with access to the BYU Family History Library. Plan to come a day early or stay a day extra to take advantage of...
Did you know that the individual giving the family's information in the 1940 census is marked with an X? Or how about the estimated 1.2 million Southerners missing in the 1870 census? These are just two of the fascinating and helpful discoveries I made last week as I studied more about the history and details found in U.S. Federal Census records. In working toward my Accreditation goal, I am studying each major record group suggested by the ICAPGen website. For the Gulf South region, I need to know census records very well. I have used census records for years and...
This year I'm starting the journey that I hope will end with my becoming an Accredited Genealogist. What exactly does that mean? What steps do I need to take? Keep reading and I'll fill you in! I had never considered becoming a professional genealogist until Nicole broached the subject several months ago. She had looked into the certification process and decided to start working slowly toward that long term goal. About the same time, a neighbor approached me with an offer to pay me for helping him straighten out his family lines. I had my first client! I discovered that...
