Using Genealogy Standards and Applying for a Certified Genealogist Credential

My goal is to receive my Certified Genealogist credentials and a specialization in Ukrainian Canadian or East European, one day. I have purchased a couple of books and have started to check out the following organizations and resources. If you do not want to purchase books and materials, then consider looking for this information online or at your local library or through your local genealogy society.

Suggestions are to attend genealogy conferences, e.g., Roots Tech, webinars and courses, educational seminars and workshops, join genealogy organizations, subscribe to genealogy journals and magazines, check out your local archives, libraries, research centers, etc., network with fellow family historians, genealogists, librarians and archivists, volunteer, work on your own family research and genealogy, write a family history research article (case study) and submit it to a journal for peer review, join a study group, do pro-bono work to gain experience, interact on genealogy Facebook pages and discussion forums, join an association of professional genealogists then prepare and apply for Certification and/or Accreditation.

Unknown source

Five essential steps for accurate research:

1. Reasonably exhaustive research has been completed.

2. Each statement of fact has a complete and accurate source citation.

3. The evidence is reliable and has been skillfully correlated and interpreted.

4. Any contradictory evidence has been resolved.

5. The conclusion has been soundly reasoned and coherently written.

6. “The Genealogical Proof Standard isn’t a device per se,” says Ison, “but it’s a process that will help us to determine what we know, helps us decide what we want to learn, helps us explain our work to others, gives us confidence about the direction we’re going, is the basis for approaching difficult research problems using indirect evidence, and lastly, it helps us to feel secure and safe in our conclusions.”

The above is based off a book written by Christine Rose, entitled Genealogical Proof Standard: Building a Solid Case. https://www.familysearch.org/en/blog/understanding-the-genealogical-proof-standard

The following organizations promote professional standards in genealogical research. They provide information about becoming a professional genealogist.

Board for Certification of Genealogists
https://www.bcgcertification.org/

International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists (ICAPGen)
https://www.icapgen.org/

Association of Professional Genealogists (APG)
https://www.apgen.org/cpages/home

National Genealogical Society (NGS)
https://www.ngsgenealogy.org/

The following website has an excellent summary of the standards and guidelines from the National Genealogical Society and the International Institute of Genealogical Studies.

Genealogical Standards and Guidelines - International Institute
https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Genealogical_Standards_and_Guidelines_-_International_Institute

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Genealogy Standards Books:

Genealogy Standards, second edition revised, 2021
Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG)
https://bcgcertification.org/product/genealogy-standards-2d-edition/

Mastering Genealogical Proof by Thomas W. Jones
https://www.ngsgenealogy.org/mastering-genealogical-proof/

Genealogical Standards of Evidence: A Guide for Family Historians by Brenda Dougall Merriman
https://archive.org/details/genealogicalstan0000merr

Evidence Explained: Citing History Sources from Artifacts to Cyberspace by Elizabeth Shown Mills, Second Edition 2009, and Third Edition 2015, https://www.evidenceexplained.com/

Evidence! Citation & Analysis for the Family Historian by Elizabeth Shown Mills, 1997
https://www.amazon.ca/Evidence-Citation-Analysis-Family-Historian/dp/0806315431/ref=sr_1_1


Articles and Videos:

Are You Ready to Become a Professional Genealogist?
Association of Professional Genealogists (APG)
https://www.apgen.org/cpages/are-you-ready

Becoming a Professional Genealogist
National Genealogical Society (NGS)
https://www.ngsgenealogy.org/free-resources/becoming-a-professional-genealogist/

Thinking About Becoming a Professional Genealogist? by Crista Cowan, Ancestry – YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwMIVt4e1qQ

Becoming a Professional Playlist – Just Genealogy by Craig R. Scott, CG, FUGA
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlUfNNfhGu_Yc5autzobj8xu9eTafo96f

Code of Ethics and Professional Practices - Association of Professional Genealogists (APG)
https://www.apgen.org/cpages/code-of-ethics


Peer-Guided Study Groups:

ProGen Study Groups, Inc., Virtual course
https://progenstudygroups.com/

GenProof Study Groups, Inc., Virtual course
https://genproofstudygroups.com/

Photo by Debby Hudson on Unsplash

Genealogical Studies Courses:

Boston University Certificate in Genealogical Research
15-week online, non-credit course
https://genealogyonline.bu.edu/certificate

Review of the above BU course:
https://genesandroots.com/2019/01/04/my-review-of-the-b-u-certificate-in-genealogical-education-course/

NGS American Genealogical Studies Course
https://www.ngsgenealogy.org/genealogy-courses/
https://www.ngsgenealogy.org/advskills/

International Institute of Genealogical Studies
https://genealogicalstudies.com/

You can also take some intermediate-level courses at the following institutes.

Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP)
https://grip.ngsgenealogy.org/

Institute on Genealogical and Historical Research (IGHR)
https://ighr.gagensociety.org/

Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG)
https://slig.ugagenealogy.org/index.php


Genealogy Beginner Courses:

Introduction to Family History Research by Udemy
https://www.udemy.com/course/introduction-to-family-history-research/

Tracing Your Family Tree courses
Alberta Genealogical Society (AGS) and Edmonton Branch
Saturday, May 11, In the Beginning, Organizing Your Family History
Saturday, June 8, Finding Metis and Indian Ancestors, French Ancestors in Canada and Beyond
Saturday, June 22, DNA Detective - DNA
https://www.edmontongenealogy.ca/events

Obstacles in Genealogy Research

On February 6, 2024, I took in a “Make Your Story Matter” free, live, online class with Leslie Leyland Fields who is from Kodiak Island, Alaska. Leslie shared with us the writing process which she has developed and perfected over 30 years. The focus of this zoom session was to encourage the participants to start writing their own stories. In the agenda, she told us that “we’ll discover how to free our memories, our creativity and our wisdom.”

Leslie is an international speaker, teacher, and award-winning author of 14 books. Her books have been translated into at least ten languages including Ukrainian, Polish, Slovak, German, French, Chinese, and Korean.

Leslie Leyland Fields
https://www.leslieleylandfields.com/

During her session I realized that a lot of what was being covered including the reasons listed in the zoom chat by participants, are obstacles which relate to genealogy research too. Obstacles listed in the chat include fear, lack of time, how to begin, perfection, lack of discipline, so much material, pressuring myself, interruptions, etc.

I have met many people interested in Ukrainian Canadian genealogy through the Ukraine SIG at the Alberta Genealogical Society and at the display tables which I had at 3 events this last summer. From my own obstacles and what I have heard from others on theirs, I find common themes.

https://storables.com, Computer Data Storage

 After this session I did a google search and found 3 excellent articles on obstacles in writing and reviewed them for cross overs to genealogy research and especially how they relate to my own life. I found some good tips and leads to some new apps.

Leslie mentioned the question, “who will care? and told us that “we store in our minds the stories that matter to us.” What are the stories that you remember of your own lives and what are the stories that you remember of your ancestors, cousins, neighbours etc.?

I realize that writing is a different skill set than researching but there are overlaps with the obstacles. Let’s start first with a couple of real good articles on obstacles involving writing.

Top 11 Toughest Writing Challenges and How To Overcome Them
https://becomeawritertoday.com/writing-challenges/

10 Obstacles to Writing a Book and How to Conquer Them
https://thewritepractice.com/writing-a-book-obstacles/

21 of the Biggest Challenges Writers Face and Their Solutions
https://writingtipsoasis.com/biggest-challenges-writers-face/

I printed off these articles and circled, underlined, and highlighted some of the material. Some of the articles don’t print off nicely so I had to copy and paste the information into Word in order to print it off in an easy format to read. I am old school on this!

I find that it is a good idea to reflect on what is holding me back, what is interfering and how I can do things better, to be more effective, and efficient. This is called, “reframing” which can be a powerful tool when we feel stuck or held back.

1. Identify the obstacles.
2. Question your assumptions.
3. Shift perspective.
4. Set clear goals.
5. Break it down.
6. Seek support.
7. Celebrate progress.

When I did the 1993 Kalynchuk Family History book, I initially reviewed family history books done by others. I created a table of contents (an outline) from this exercise and also photocopied some examples to refer to. This is what got me started.

There are numerous resources available to assist one with writing your family history.

9 Tips for Getting Started on Writing Your Family History
Editors of Family Tree Magazine
https://familytreemagazine.com/storytelling/tips-getting-started-writing-family-history/

The Non-Writers Writing Guide to Write Your Family History
https://www.creativefamilyhistorian.com/writing/family-history-non-writers-writing-guide/

How to Write Your Family History
https://www.thoughtco.com/steps-to-writing-your-family-history-1422877

Write Your Family History with Devon Noel Lee
https://www.youtube.com/@WriteYourFamilyHistory

Photo by Yura Fresh on Unsplash

One tip that I got from one of the above articles (Top 11...) is if I write in Calibri and edit in a different font, the change tricks my brain into thinking that I am reading a different piece of writing. I also know that I have trouble with grammar and am always writing on sticky notes and small pieces of paper. One thing that excites me is to discover new apps that can make my life easier.

18 Best Grammar Checker Tools: Ranked and Rated
https://becomeawritertoday.com/best-grammar-checker/

Scrivener – a book writing software
Scrivener is a word-processing program and outliner designed for writers. The free trial runs for 30 days of use.
https://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener/overview

ColorNote – a notepad app.
This is available on the Google Play for my android mobile device.
https://www.colornote.com/

And to finish this article, I google searched on “obstacles in genealogy” and found the following. Lately it is the indirect evidence which is giving me some new leads on my family research. And I find that using timelines, really helps when I am checking out dates. I am also expanding which relatives I am researching on as I find that siblings, cousins, and extended family members have treasures of information and pictures!

Common Obstacles Found in Genealogy Records and How to Overcome Them
Legacy Tree Genealogists
https://www.legacytree.com/blog/overcoming-obstacles-genealogy-records

4 Ways to Solve Genealogy Problems
By the Family Tree Editors
https://familytreemagazine.com/research/4-tips-for-solving-genealogy-problems/

5 Common Genealogy Errors (and How to Avoid Them)
By Andrew Koch, at the Family Tree Magazine
https://familytreemagazine.com/research/5-common-genealogy-errors/

13 tips to try when your family tree leaves you stumped

Find My Past UK Blog
https://www.findmypast.co.uk/blog/help/family-history-brick-walls

Ten Common Genealogical Problems – and How to Solve Them

Tracing Ancestors in the UK  
https://tracingancestors-uk.com/resources/ten-common-genealogical-problems-and-how-to-solve-them

Day of Knowledge and Lifelong Learning

Learn Ukrainian, LinkedIn, Public Domain

On September 01, 2023, was the “Day of Knowledge” and the first day of school in Ukraine. I was lucky enough to experience this in 2002, in my Baba’s family village on former Bukovina lands. Everyone from the village went to the village school and each student gave a speech on what kind of student they would be for the upcoming year. There were special interactions between the oldest students and the first graders. The school bell was officially rung, and community leaders spoke. I really like how much positive energy the Ukrainians place on education.

They say that “knowledge is power” (in Latin: “scientia potentia est”) = Знання - це сила

The beginning of September, my calendar starts to really fill up with Zoom sessions, workshops, conferences etc. so this article is perfect timing. I have always believed in lifelong learning.

50th Anniversary Annual Conference - Alberta Genealogical Society
Saturday, September 23, 2023, the Edmonton Inn Conference Centre
An excellent slate of guest speakers including Dave Obee, Liannne Kruger, Jars Balan, along with many others. I will have a display table there, in the Courtyard.
https://www.abgenealogy.ca/ags-celebrates-it-s-50th-anniversary

East European Genealogical Society (EEGS) - Winnipeg

The next meeting of EEGS will take place on Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023 at 7 pm CDT for a virtual meeting using Zoom on "Beginning Genealogy - It Starts with You!' by Marni Domolewski. https://www.eegsociety.org/MonthlyEvents.aspx

Ukrainian Genealogical Group (UGG) – National Capital Region (NCR) - Ottawa
The next meeting of the UGG – NCR will take place on: Tuesday, September 26th, 2023 - 1930h (7:30pm) Eastern. The topic of their presentation: Ukrainian Iconography in Canada by Sterling (Slavco) Demchinsky. http://ukrainiangenealogygroup-ncr.org/

Nashi Predky/Our Ancestors - Ukrainian genealogy outreach program
The Ukrainian History and Education Center, New Jersey, USA
In the past they have had some online Ukrainian genealogy workshops with Michelle Chubenko as the guest speaker. I have a membership and they are a great team of experts.
https://ukrhec.org/collections-research/family-history-group
https://ukrhec.org/events and https://www.facebook.com/groups/NashiPredky

Facebook (FB) Events - In-person and online
For me events on “Ukraine, Ukrainian, East European, genealogy, history”, etc. which match to the keywords that the organizers enter. You can also search by the words for which events you want to see. One of the great things about FB Events is that I can join Zoom sessions from the USA like the American Ancestors in MA, The Genealogy Center in IN (at the Allen County Public Library), Mid-Continent Public Library in MO, Family Search in UT, etc. https://www.facebook.com/events

RootsTech Conference and videos online
I watch the live events online during the annual conference and also check out the previous years’ videos on their website. You can subscribe for updates. I have written a list on different topics then binge watched. With the really good speakers, I seek out their website/blog and/or YouTube channel. RootsTech 2024 will be held February 29 - March 2, 2024, virtual and an in-person event. https://www.familysearch.org/rootstech/

Legacy Family Tree Webinars
I also get the yearly membership so that I can download the syllabus. You can check out the Upcoming Live Webinars and their Webinar Library. Again, I have my favorite speakers and also enjoy finding out about new speakers. For example, there are a couple experts on DNA who I watch often lately! https://familytreewebinars.com/

Ancestry Academy
This is a collection of free video tutorials containing research tips, genealogy insights and DNA tools. They also have a YouTube channel and sometimes I like to watch their YouTube videos on my TV!  https://www.ancestryacademy.com/browse

The Family History Guide
They also have a YouTube channel. A free learning, research, and activities center for family history. This blog has been added to the Ukraine section. If you go under the tab at the top: Countries/East Europe/Ukraine or go directly to https://www.thefhguide.com/project-9-ukraine.html and https://www.thefhguide.com

Image by Jagrit Parajuli from Pixabay,
Copyright Free

Ukrainian Day at the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village - Display Table

I had a “Trace Your Roots – Ukrainian Canadian Genealogy” display table at this event on Sunday, August 20, 2023, in rural Alberta.

The Alberta-Ukraine Genealogy Project (AUGP) was launched on August 13, 2006, and ended in 2018. This project operated out of the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village. Some of their work is on the Family History Portal – University of Alberta. And the AUGP documents have been sent to the Basilian Fathers Museum in Mundare, Alberta. I have a binder of the AUGP Family History Index which was a very popular look ups at my display table (it is online at their portal). Many people found the community history books that their ancestors have a family history story.

https://sites.ualberta.ca/~ukrville/Family_History_Portal/fhp.htm

https://basilianmuseum.ca/

Numerous people approached my table from the first wave of Ukrainian settlers (1892-1915) to Ukrainian newcomers. I even had a couple Ukrainian University of Alberta students talk to me about Ukraine’s history in the 1700-1800’s. One lady spoke about how doing genealogy is like detective work as she encouraged her son to get more involved. If you are also organized and have a good memory, this is a bonus. Lots of people also commented about having someone in their family who is or has done their family history. This is good to hear.

Some spoke about how their grandparents did not want to talk about the “old country” nor about the first years in Canada. Our sense was that it was very difficult. We also chatted about how time heals and that some details years ago that were an issue, today are part of life. I remember after publishing my Kalynchuk Family History book in 1993, one of my cousins commented about people only writing what was good and not the full story. And I remember my Aunties telling me to put down my pen and they will tell me some real good stories. When I got home or in my car, I took notes and am very grateful for this.



A couple of people told me that they have Igor Voronchak or Andriy Dorosh doing their genealogy research in Western Ukraine, and this made me very happy as I know the professional level of work that these two gentlemen do.

Igor Voronchak can be reached at voronchak@ukr.net

Andriy Dorosh can be reached at andriy@doroshheritagetours.com or through https://doroshheritagetours.com/

Anthony Hrabok and Henriette Chomiak are the Coordinators of the Folk Arts venue at the Vegreville Pysanka Festival and share the love of doing genealogy and family research with me. They came and assisted at our display table. Also, Anthony knew how to set up and take down the tent. I pulled up Henriette’s grandfather, Wasyl’s profile on Ancestry and she was excited to find out that 15 people have family trees on him, on Ancestry.ca. I really appreciate their assistance and friendship.

Henriette, Anthony, Nathan and Elaine

I also met up with a few people who I had volunteered with in the past on other projects, and one highlight was seeing Nathan Ip. He is the MLA for Edmonton South-West. We volunteered together on Gary Mar and Dave Hancock’s political campaigns. Nathan was born in Taiwan.

I brought all of the same information that I had at the Vegreville Pysanka Festival but adapted to having only one 6-foot table. A lesson learned is to go through my books in advance and pull out the most important ones. I had my car parked behind the table, but it would be easier if I had only one box to carry out instead of looking through four boxes and a few recycle bags!

We were near the Band Shell and it was wonderful to hear the music. As we were packing up the song, Kalyna was playing. This is the root of my surname and the original singer Sofia Rotaru, from the Chernitsi region.

I am grateful to the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, Alberta Provincial Council for organizing and hosting this event. The program that they put together was impressive and the number of volunteers especially Ukrainian newcomers was wonderful to see. The Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village is a worthwhile place to visit anytime during the summer months. On the weekends, they have special events.

They also have an exhibit gallery to provide a closer understanding of early Ukrainian settlement in east central Alberta.  https://ukrainianvillage.ca/

The Ukrainian Canadian Congress - Alberta Provinicial Council also has a link to the "Community Events in Alberta". At the bottom of the event page is "Subscribe to calendar" and I receive their e-newsletter via Outlook. https://www.uccab.ca/

Genealogy Organizations, Books and Resources

Genealogy is a popular hobby in Canada and numerous societies have volunteers and also online genealogists who are sharing their interests and experiences as well as keeping others abreast of new developments. They are offering online Zoom sessions, newsletters, in-house workshops, and member access to libraries. When joining some societies, you will receive a beginner’s kit containing information on how to start your research.

However, note that genealogy societies do not do your research for you, but they might provide a list of paid researchers and professional genealogists for you to contact. Later in this blog, I will be covering more about paid researchers and professional genealogists in Canada and Ukraine.

Also note that some of these resources are outdated but still provide some good advice.

Organizations

East European Genealogical Society (EEGS), Winnipeg, MB 
https://www.eegsociety.org/Home.aspx

Federation of East European Family History Societies (FEEFHS), Salt Lake City, UT
https://feefhs.org/

Ukrainian Genealogy Group: National Capital Region (Ottawa, ON)
http://ukrainiangenealogygroup-ncr.org/

Toronto Ukrainian Genealogy Group
http://torugg.org/index.asp

The Ukrainian History and Education Center, New Jersey
Our Ancestors Family History Group
https://ukrhec.org/collections-research/family-history-group

Alberta Genealogical Society, Edmonton, AB
https://www.abgenealogy.ca/

Books

Ukrainian Genealogy: A Beginner’s Guide, John D. Pihach, 2007
https://www.uap.ualberta.ca/titles/838-9781894865050-ukrainian-genealogy

Finding Your Ukrainian Ancestors…, Muryl Andrejciw Geary, 1998 and Forth Edition 2003
https://familyrootspublishing.net/products/finding-your-ukrainian-ancestors-4th-edition or at
https://www.familyrootspublishing.com/store/product_view.php?id=485&+4th+edition

Sources for Researching Ukrainian Family History, John-Paul Himka and Frances A. Swyripa, 1984
https://diasporiana.org.ua/wp-content/uploads/books/14455/file.pdf

How to Research Your Ukrainian Ancestry in Saskatchewan, Kathlyn Szalasznyj, 1986

Jewish Roots in Ukraine and Moldova: Pages from the Past and Archival Inventories, Miriam Weiner, 1999

In Search of Your European Roots: A Complete Guide to Tracing Your Ancestors in Every Country in Europe, Third Edition, Angus Baxter, 2001

Resources

What are the best resources and organizations to help me find my Ukrainian Roots?
https://www.ualberta.ca/canadian-institute-of-ukrainian-studies/centres-and-programs/ulec/faq/what-are-the-best-resources-and-organizations-to-help-me-find-my-ukrainian-roots.html

Your Complete Guide to Tracing Ukrainian Ancestors, Lisa A. Alzo
https://www.familytreemagazine.com/heritage/ukrainian/tracing-ukrainian-ancestors/

Genealogical Primer, Susanne M. Saether
http://www.infoukes.com/genealogy/primer/

How to Find Old Family Records in Ukraine
https://lvivecotour.com/family-search-ukraine/how-to-find-old-family-records-in-ukraine/

Ukraine – Ancestry.com
https://www.ancestry.com/search/places/europe/ukraine/

Wiki – Ukraine Genealogy
https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Ukraine_Genealogy

Research Resources - UkrHEC
https://www.ukrhec.org/collections-research/family-history-group/research-recources

Genealogy of Halychyna/Eastern Galicia, Matthew Bielawa
http://halgal.com/vitalrecords.html

Recommended researchers, Vera Miller
https://lostrussianfamily.wordpress.com/recommended-researchers/

The Art of Avoiding Scams in Ukrainian and Russian Genealogy, Vera Miller
https://lostrussianfamily.wordpress.com/2021/06/12/the-art-of-avoiding-scams-in-ukrainian-and-russian-genealogy/

Courtesy of University of Alberta Press,
2007, Book Image, Public Domain