Have you wondered how The Complete Beginner's Guide to Genealogy, the Internet and Your Genealogy Computer Program could contain all the information its title implies? It was written in a manner that could be updated by instructors who used the book. Internet sites and genealogy computer programs are constantly changing, going out of existence, or being developed. Yet learners needed a printed text to ease their way through research principles and methods that do not change that much. They need to learn in advance the value of keeping materials orderly, and to maintain continuity throughout the learning process.

Students keep their own text book updated. They are encouraged to build their own research portfolio. A research portfolio may start out as a section in the same three-ring notebook where they will practice the art of setting up a research filing and retrieval system. However the portfolio will eventually grow and will need its own binder as it is divided into the states or regions in which the student will focus personal research.

It is important to start a portfolio at the beginning of your genealogy interests because these pages can help you throughout your life and are tangible evidence of the experiences you have had as you apply for work in the future. They also help to keep the information in The Complete Beginner's Guide. . . updated. I have seen students scurry about at local genealogy society meetings watching for research guides for any repositories in their designated states, jotting down Internet addresses to view lectures they might want to watch online, making lists of Web sites that contain sources in their states and sample copies of numerous research publications they could include in their portfolio and add to their textbook.

I would also suggest students watch for articles on research methodologies that would benefit their personal experiences in those particular states. You might not know it now but SOMEDAY, you might want to apply for a genealogy credential through www.ICAPGen.org and you are allowed to take your research portfolios into the written examinations and use them when you find a "brain freeze" occurring.

To view and print any updated information regarding new Internet addresses, vendor pages for products, new resources online or at the Family History Library, as well as other information requested by beginning students, a Website has been developed at www.genealogylessons.com which will take you to my textbook homepage. Scroll past the first paragraph which covers an overview of the book. Click on the link in the second paragraph starting with the words: "For updates to The Complete Beginner's Guide...." The numbers at the top of the first page after clicking on the link refer to the chapter numbers in the book where additions have been made. However, since you are using the latest edition printed in January 2011, not many updates are currently needed.

Another example of how this course might direct you to new material is shown below. Clicking an icon that looks like this, will introduce you to other research training materials postings at various genealogy resource sites. These web links will take you to professional genealogy company web sites as you prepare for your own professions in this industry. A few years ago, image downloading, connection speeds, and dial-up Internet connections made this brand new way to train people difficult online. As instructors, we made the information available on CD-Rom for students.

However, if the student had a MAC computer, the student would not be able to read the CD which accompanied the Web lessons. Today, this additional training online is easy to read because connection speeds are much higher and students using any type of computer can access the information. However, reading lessons online is still not as effective as on a CD if as instructors we want to share many images, photos, or multi-media with students. However, we are pleased to say that even this area of technology is improving.

The ability to access information in various formats is a good lesson to learn in today's technological world. Since technology is constantly changing, the way professional genealogist must work with, and store, data must constantly be updated as well. Today's professional genealogists must be able to work with a variety of genealogy computer programs in order to read files sent to them by their clients. What you enter today into your genealogy computer program, will need to migrate upward to new technology within two or three years. It is just a fact of life.

There are several "little things" (like spelling the word genealogy) that make genealogy seem difficult, but soon you will be very proficient in your abilities to not only spell this word, but to find information, work with electronic data, and most importantly, find those elusive ancestors. In the meantime let's address another little stumbling block.

According to the first two pages of Chapter One in The Complete Beginner's Guide, there appears to be a difference between the terms "genealogy" and "family history." This brings up another point that is critical to researchers: Words change their meaning over time, and word meanings may have a regional definition.

If you try to trace your family by only looking for those people who appear on your pedigree chart (your parents, grandparents, and great grandparents), you will surely fail to find all of them as you go back in time. This type of pedigree research was what most genealogists wanted to do in the past, and several untrained researchers want to do it today.

The reason for failure in using this interpretation of the word "genealogy," and strictly applying it to your research, is that one of the greatest identifiers for a person is the relationships he has with other people. This includes links to his brothers and sisters, his cousins, aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces, and business associates who might have become inlaws. Therefore, the identification of a person is weak when it is based solely on the elements of his or her name, birth date or place, or other vital dates. The ties that bind a family together are those of kinship. Even when records have been destroyed in one place, at least one relationship in another area usually provides evidence when it is sought after.

When researchers are not aware of the possibilities of finding evidence through relationships, they miss the opportunity to extend their family lines. Therefore, even if your 4th great grandfather was John Doe, he could be identified, if you knew his relationships to others. The more relationships he has, the more likely you are to find him. This can only happen when the researcher applies the principles of family history instead of pedigree genealogy.

Students are sometimes aware of the above theory but they forget to put it into practice. For example, if as a genealogist, you only enter in your computer program the people you have proven to be your ancestor already, you are a pedigree genealogist. You will not be using your computer program effectively. It is much better to the computer organize and keep track of all the people in a locality of the same surname as the one you are studying. Keep track of all the relationships and potential relationships in your genealogy program so your mind is free to study the evidence. The program is not set up to automatically link the people together in your pedigree. That will be your job, and you will be taught how to do it. But won't it be wonderful to have a collection of "possibilities" already in your files to start the research process rolling.

Today, most researchers use the terms "genealogy" and "family history" interchangeably because the terms are evolving just like all words do. For this course, when we refer to either word, we are referring to the broader vision of performing research and historical studies in order to learn as much as possible about our ancestors. We are not focused on a pedigree alone.