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BCG Learning Center

Serious genealogists never stop learning. There are many options for genealogical education; the opportunities listed below are not exhaustive, nor are they compulsory. Each of us starts from a different place. Each of us has to choose what will work best given our different interests, aptitudes, friends, colleagues, budgets, and learning styles. That said, serious genealogists do not confine themselves to the local, the familiar, or the easy. Those who succeed in becoming certified—and growing beyond that point—typically combine a variety of learning opportunities. BCG’s internal statistics show that applicants who engage in ambitious learning opportunities have a higher success rate than those who have not.

The purpose of the BCG Learning Center is to provide serious genealogists with resources for genealogical education. It is up to you to determine which options are appropriate and of value.

BCG Resources - Key Skills

  

OnBoard Articles

  BCG’s newsletter OnBoard is published three times a year. It is distributed free to preliminary applicants, associates, and retired associates, and is available by subscription to others. Articles include news, skillbuilding, and access to unique source types.

The following select and non-inclusive columns are protected by copyright. Individuals may download and print copies for their personal study, and educators may provide copies to their students as long as BCG, OnBoard, and the appropriate author are credited as the source of the material. Republication elsewhere is not permitted.

Subscribe ($15 per year) or order back-issues here: subscribe, back issues (volumes), back issues (single issue)

Karen Stanbary and the BCG DNA Committee, "The Truth About Pedigree Evaluation," OnBoard 28 (September 2022): 17–18.

Scott Wilds, "Portfolios in a Time of Limited Access," OnBoard 26 (May 2020): 2, 9–11.

Laurel T. Baty, "Avoiding Common Portfolio Pitfalls," OnBoard 24 (May 2018): 9–10, 15.

Gail Jackson Miller, "Finding the Truth in the Undocumented Story," OnBoard  23 (September 2017): 21–22.

Darcie Hind Posz, "Genealogy Standards Prevent Bias and Presentism," OnBoard 23 (May 2017): 13–15.

Alison Hare, "A Look at BCG's Evaluation System," OnBoard 23 (May 2017): 9–10, 15.

LaBrenda Garrett-Nelson, "Genealogy Ethics and the Call for Diversity," OnBoard 23 (January 2017): 5–7.

Melinda Daffin Henningfield, "The Role of Background Context in Document Analysis," OnBoard 23 (January 2017): 1–2.

Michael S. Ramage, "Standards and Forensic Genealogy," OnBoard 22 (September 2016): 17–18, 23.

Michael Grant Hait Jr., "Reporting Research in Progress," OnBoard 22 (May 2016): 13–14.

Laura Murphy DeGrazia, "Planning Effective Research," OnBoard 21 (September 2015): 17–18, 23.

Harold Henderson, "Anatomy of a Failure: What I Learned from My First Portfolio," OnBoard 21 (May 2015): 13.

Judy G. Russell, "The Ethics of DNA Testing," OnBoard 21 (January 2015): 1–2, 7.

Judy G. Russell, "DNA and the Reasonably Exhaustive Search," OnBoard 20 (January 2014): 1–2.

Stefani Evans, "Evidence Correlation," OnBoard 18 (September 2012): 21–23.

Stefani Evans, "Data Analysis," OnBoard 18 (May 2012): 13–14.

Thomas W. Jones, "Perils of Source Snobbery," OnBoard 18 (May 2012): 9–10, 15.

Michael S. Ramage, "A Primer on the Use of BCG Trademarks," OnBoard (May 2011): 9–10.

Thomas W. Jones, "Focused Versus Diffuse Research," OnBoard 17  (September 2011): 17–18.

Pamela Boyer Sayre, "Effective Writing and Editing," OnBoard 16 (September 2010): 21–22.

Thomas W. Jones, "The Genealogical Proof Standard: How Simple Can it Be?" OnBoard 16 (September 2010): 17–18, 20.

Barbara Vines Little, "It's Not That Hard to Write Proof Arguments," OnBoard 15 (September 2009): 20–23.

Laura Murphy DeGrazia, "Proof Arguments," OnBoard 15 (January 2009): 1–3.

Ann Carter Fleming, "Overlooked Resources: Business, Organizational, and Institutional Records," OnBoard 13 (September 2007): 22–23.

Patricia O'Brien Shawker, "Passport Applications: A Rich Genealogical Resource," OnBoard 13 (May 2007): 13, 15.

Barbara Vines Little, "Tax Lists: A Goldmine of Information," OnBoard 12 (September 2006): 17–18.

Charles S. Mason, Jr. "Before Death Certificates: Furniture Dealers and Cabinetmakers as Death Sources," OnBoard 12 (May 2006): 14–15.

Barbara J. Mathews, "Structural Elements of a Good Genealogy," OnBoard 12 (January 2006): 1–2.

Kay Haviland Freilich, "Background Information: An Overlooked Research Tool," OnBoard 11 (September 2005): 17–18.

Sandra MacLean Clunies, "Evaluating Web Resources," OnBoard 10 (May 2004): 12–13.

Amy Larner Giroux, "Date Calculations," OnBoard 9 (May 2003): 12–13.
                       Note: for a more technical treatment, see Barbara Levergood, “Calculating and Using Dates and Date Ranges,” NGSQ 102 (March 2014): 51–75.

Linda Woodward Geiger, "Using the Compilations of Others," OnBoard  7 (September 2001): 20–21.

Helen F. M. Leary, "Converting Records into Reliable Copies," OnBoard  5 (May 1999): 20.

Kay Haviland Freilich, "Polishing Our Everyday Writing," OnBoard  4 (September 1998): 24.

Elizabeth Shown Mills, "Good Genealogical Writing," OnBoard  4 (May 1998): 16.

Elizabeth Shown Mills, "Censuses—Often-Overlooked Basics," OnBoard  4 (January 1998): 8.

Helen F. M. Leary, "Evidence Revisited—DNA, POE, and GPS," OnBoard  4 (January 1998): 1–2, 5.

Elizabeth Shown Mills, "Analyzing and Reviewing Published Sources," OnBoard  3 (May 1997): 16.

Elizabeth Shown Mills, "Producing Quality Research Notes," OnBoard  3 (January 1997): 8.

Elizabeth Shown Mills, "Transcribing Source Materials," OnBoard  2 (January 1996): 8.

Elizabeth Shown Mills, "Citing Your Sources," OnBoard  1 (September 1995): 24.

Elizabeth Shown Mills, "Analyzing Wills for Useful Clues," OnBoard  1 (May 1995): 16.

Elizabeth Shown Mills, "Analyzing Deeds for Useful Clues," OnBoard  1 (January 1995): 8.