CG study plan

Draft a narrowly scoped, answerable research question for three unrelated ancestral problems, stating person, place, record type, and time frame for each.

Convert one research question into a written research plan that separates known facts, stated assumptions, and working hypotheses.

Rank at least eight record types by expected information value for that question and justify each ranking in one sentence.

Write a numbered search to-do list that names specific repositories, collections, and access routes for the top four record types.

Classify fifteen sample records as original, derivative, or authored, and label the information in each as primary, secondary, or undetermined.

Compose complete citations for six record types (census, vital, probate, land, military, newspaper) that identify the creator, the item, the event date, the repository, and the access path.

Compare two versions of the same record, such as an index entry and the underlying image, and document every substantive difference between them.

Rewrite three incomplete citations you have personally used so that each one could be relocated by a stranger without assistance.

Label ten pieces of evidence as direct, indirect, or negative, and explain in one sentence why each label applies.

Write a proof statement that resolves a date or identity conflict by weighing two or more conflicting sources against each other.

Test three working hypotheses against the assembled evidence and record each as supported, contradicted, or still open.

Draft a short correlation analysis that links at least four records to a single individual through shared associates, naming patterns, and locations.

Execute the week 1 research plan end to end, logging every search performed, including the ones that produced nothing.

Record at least twenty-five individual searches in a research log with date, repository, collection, search terms, and result.

Revise the original research plan at least twice in response to what the evidence actually showed, and annotate why each revision was made.

Write a closing summary that evaluates whether the original question was answered, partly answered, or needs redefining.

Define and correctly apply relationship terms including consanguinity, affinity, cousin removal, half-siblings, and step-relations in written exercises.

Construct a kinship diagram covering at least four generations from a document set, distinguishing documented links from inferred ones.

Separate two same-name individuals of similar age in the same locality by comparing associates, land descriptions, and given-name patterns.

Document each identity conclusion with the specific record and reasoning that rules the alternative individual out.

Draft a genealogical proof argument that states the question, presents evidence in logical order, addresses conflicting evidence, and reaches a stated conclusion.

Integrate footnotes at the point of each factual claim rather than collecting them at the end.

Revise the draft for active voice, plain wording, and removal of unsupported adjectives and hedging.

Restructure one section so a reader who disagrees with the conclusion can still follow and audit every step.

Analyze five ethics scenarios covering living-person privacy, client confidentiality, DNA test-taker consent, image use permissions, and plagiarism, and write a defensible response to each.

Audit your own prior work for citation gaps, unsupported claims, and any use of another researcher's conclusions without attribution, then correct what you find.

Re-cite five sources that you handled weakest in week 2 and compare the revised citations against the originals.

Build a ranked list of your remaining weak subtopics across all six domains to drive the final week.

Complete a timed full-length practice exam under exam conditions without notes or lookups, then score it by domain.

Categorize every missed item by root cause: missing knowledge, misread question, weak reasoning, or citation mechanics.

Re-study the two lowest-scoring subtopics and write a corrected explanation for each missed item you can now answer.

Rehearse a 60-second spoken summary of one proof argument to test whether your conclusions hold up when articulated aloud.