OhioGenealogyBlog

This is a weblog about genealogy in and about the State of Ohio. It will feature news and views (mostly mine) about developments of interest to genealogists doing research in Ohio, no matter where they reside.--Wally Huskonen

Friday, October 21, 2005

Board Consolidates Certification Categories

The following is a press release issued by the Board for Certification of Genealogists on 18 October 2005

BCG Credentials
For immediate release
For additional information contact:
Connie Lenzen, CG, at clenzen@dialoregon.net

The Board for Certification of Genealogists announced that, effective immediately, it has consolidated three research categories into one category that will be called Certified Genealogist. All those holding a current credential as Certified Genealogical Records Specialist, Certified Lineage Specialist, or Certified Genealogist will hold the designation of Certified Genealogist. The board also established application requirements for the single credential and voted to continue the existing renewal requirements for those already certified.

The Board reached the decisions after extensive talks at the annual meeting of the Board of Trustees in Salt Lake City on October 16.
Incoming board president Connie Lenzen, CG, of Portland, Oregon, explained that the change has been made for two reasons. "First, regardless of the type of work they do, all genealogists have the same skills. Second, having three research categories was confusing to both the genealogical community and the general public. The categories were different, but the differences were not well understood. We expect that the public can now more easily hire a certified person without being concerned about the differences. The one thing that will not change is the Board's commitment to excellence in genealogical work."

In May 2004, the Trustees approved the following motion, Lenzen
continued: "Anyone demonstrating competence in the general skill areas of research, evidence analysis, kinship determination, and reporting should be eligible for certification as a genealogist, without further distinction or limitation. Upon implementation, all certified persons in any research category would hold the designation Certified Genealogist." After more than a year of discussion, soliciting input, planning, and writing, the Board voted on the final draft of the revised application guide.

The new requirements have been designed to test the four skill areas used by all genealogists. The requirements are:
1. Acceptance of the Genealogist's Code.
2. Background resume
3. Document work with a BCG-supplied document: transcribe, abstract, and evaluate the document, prepare a research plan.
4. Document work with an applicant-supplied document: transcribe, abstract, and evaluate the document, prepare a research plan 5. Research report prepared for a client 6. Case study of conflicting or indirect evidence 7. Kinship determination project. The project is to include at least three couples in successive ancestral generations. The project may be in the form of a narrative genealogy, narrative lineage, or narrative pedigree.

Complete details for each requirement will be posted on the BCG website, www.bcgcertification.org, by December 1 of this year.
Beginning January 1, 2006, only applications using the new requirements will be accepted. The new BCG Application Guide will be available at the National Genealogical Society conference in Chicago in June 2006.

The trustees also determined that individuals certified by BCG will still need to renew their certification every five years and that requirements for renewal will remain the same as they are now, regardless of the certification category previously held. Those requirements include an updated resume and the submission of up to four work samples. Current holders of the CGRS and CLS credentials will have until November 1, 2006 to make the transition to the CG credential. BCG's teaching categories, Certified Genealogical Lecturer and Certified Genealogical Instructor, are not affected by the change to a single research credential.

Also unchanged is the two-step application process. Individuals file a preliminary application form and then have up to one year to submit their completed portfolio. Those who have already filed a preliminary application form will have the opportunity to decide whether to continue under the previous requirements or convert to the new requirements. Any preliminary applications filed on or after January 1, 2006 must follow the new requirements.

Since its founding in 1964, The Board for Certification of Genealogists has promulgated, in research, lectures, and publications, attainable, uniform standards of competence and ethics that have become generally accepted throughout the field. Its publication, The BCG Genealogical Standards Manual, sets forth the currently accepted standards for all areas of genealogical research.

Saturday, October 08, 2005

DNA genealogy is featured on Tri-C GO Seminar program

In two one-hour lectures, Dr. James M. Freed will be discussing how DNA may be useful in your genealogical research at the 2005 Tri-C GO Seminar on Oct. 22, 2005 at the Fairview Park Library, Fairview Park, 21255 Lorain Road, Fairview Park, Ohio 44126-2120. Dr. Freed is well qualified to speak on this subject, being a retired professor of biology and the administrator of the McCabe Clan Project, a Clans of Ireland DNA Project. He currently is serving as the president of the Deleware County Genealogical Society, a chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society.

The application of DNA technology to the fields of genealogy and family history is a relatively recent venture, but is gaining increasing support and popularity. The technology is based on the inheritance of the Y-DNA chromosome through the paternal line. A common goals of DNA projects include the verification of common ancestry and the identification of inter-related branches.

Two other speakers are on the Tri-C GO program: Don Kozlowski, who will be discussing the Cuyahoga County Archives from a volunteer perspective; and Lorraine Newsome, will be be presenting "Jammie Genealogy."

Advance registration is suggested as seating is limited. For a mail-in registration form, go to the website of the host, Greater Cleveland Genealogical Society, at http://www.rootsweb.com/~ohgcgg/events.html.