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Please click on a topic to see the responses to frequently asked questions.
Every location has unique, yet obscure, records that might not be used until decades of research. How can you test for everything that might be known about a particular region? Please keep in mind that the goal of ICAPGen testing is to assess whether the applicant has the "basic essential skills" to successfully conduct research in the region being tested. It is not the intent to expect knowledge of obscure records, but to expect candidates to be proficient in the use of the basic, essential records commonly used by researchers doing genealogy research in that area. These records are the ones cited in numerous genealogical how-to texts. These tests are timed to ensure that candidates have had sufficient experience in these basic records to do research for clients in a reasonable amount of time. Return to Top Are there classes taught that will help me prepare for the examination? ICAPGenSM offers classes at its annual conference to not only help those preparing for the professional credential, but to help existing genealogists stay current in their profession. Preparation may also be accomplished by doing extensive research, reading, and attending research methodology classes wherever they are offered. Fortunately, genealogy classes are offered through home-study, adult-education, on-campus college courses, college courses through distance education on the Internet, national genealogy conferences (such as the NGS and FGS conferences), seminars, libraries and archives, and at Family History Centers. Networking with other genealogists is also another to way to learn. As learning opportunities become available, ICAPGen will post the information at the Hints area of this site. Can I take the test in my native language? Right now the tests are only written in English. In the future, we plan to offer the tests in other languages. At the present, some test proctors are bi-lingual, especially those administering the foreign research tests. If you are taking an examination, and do not understand the questions, the proctors might have the language skills to explain the test to you in that language. At this time you should have good English-language skills to do well on the exam. I cannot travel to Salt Lake City to take the test. May I take it in my home area with a reliable person? The AG examination is a competency-based test requiring sample research problems. The person taking the test is given a genealogical project that is similar to what a client might ask. The person is allowed two to four hours to research the problem in actual on-site records at a major archive or library and to write a client report. Because different repositories have different available sources, the test would have to be written differently for each facility in which the test was given. Right now the tests are designed to be taken at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. In the near future, we plan to offer testing at other major research facilities. Return to Top What can I count as research time for the 1,000 hours? You may count the time researching in your selected geographic area, attending genealogy classes, and anything else that increases your competency as a researcher. The time devoted to analyzing and report writing should also be included. Do not count the time traveling to and from research repositories, but do record the names and locations of the repositories or sites that you visited, e.g., cemeteries, libraries, archives, oral interviews, and courthouses. How do I document my research time? Make a list, or keep track, of the time spent in various repositories pertaining to the area of specialization that you have personally used (online or on-site). An average of 1,000 hours of research experience in the selected area is required. Examples for the Midwestern States region might include a list something like this below:
For research completed in the past, it is acceptable to estimate the time; however, from now on, record the time involved in genealogical research activities and include the specific record groups you search. This will help you to see if you are missing a specific record group. Supporting documentation will not be required. Return to Top Four-Generation Project Questions and Answers What do you mean by turning in a "four-generation project?" The research project requires a minimum of four individuals in a direct lineal ancestry, e.g., child, parent, grandparent, and great-grandparent. They may be men, women, or any combination. In addition, you must include well-researched, documented family group sheets for each spouse and all children of these four individuals. You may submit additional families, but it would not increase your chances for acceptance. One of the children of the first generation must have been born before 1900. Since you are applying for your credential in a specific geographic area, the families you are submitting must have lived a substantial time in that area. The family group sheets for the families selected for research must reflect your research competence. Proper notes and source citations, in a standard format of your choice, must be included for each individual family member, e.g., censuses, Bible, vital records, and oral interviews. All sources researched must be entered on a research log, calendar, or planner. Photocopies of the supporting documents that prove the link between each generation must be included with the submission. Include a pedigree chart showing the relationship to the families selected for the submission, and prepare a report of your research on these families. What does prior to 1900 mean? Person #1 on the pedigree must have a birth date of 1900 or earlier. Other children in the family may have later birth dates. If you have any questions about dates in your chosen geographic region, please contact the testing chairman. Do the people I submit have to be my relatives? You may choose any family that you have personally researched and documented. As this is primarily a test for professional researchers, using a non-family research project is quite acceptable, and wise. Others are encouraged, and invited, to take the test, but should be aware that it is a rigorous exam that includes research questions covering the entire testing area and not just the states in which their ancestors may have lived. Do they all have to live in the same geographic area? The four individuals linked through the four generations must have spent the majority of their lives living in the geographical region in which you are applying for accreditation. Some people lived most of their lives in one place, but moved for a short time to another region. That would be acceptable. You may submit more than one pedigree and a judgment could be made ahead of time or see the answers to similar questions below. I don’t understand the four-generation project. Do you want all of the ancestors of a person for four generations? Do you want all the descendants of a couple? The four-generation project only involves four families. These four families must have lived a significant portion of their lives in the geographical area of choice. The person in the first generation must have been born before 1900. The four families must be related to each other by lineal or collateral descent. COMING SOON - SAMPLE CHARTS Perhaps looking at this four-generation pedigree from its end point, if you take the couple in the last of the four-generations shown, you can choose any of their children to be the next generation. It could be any son or daughter and that person’s spouse. The son or daughter’s family would be the next generation coming forward in time. Then you could choose any child of that couple. That child and his or her spouse would be the third generation. Any child of theirs would be the fourth generation. You need to research these four families thoroughly, but you do not need to follow any other children down an additional generation. My ancestors moved a lot. How can I find a family that had four generations in the same geographical area? The four-generation study involves four families, related in lineal or collateral descent who lived in the geographical testing area. Some people find it difficult to locate direct ancestors who qualify. The study is not limited to your direct ancestors. You may choose any family you want, whether or not they are related to you. Here are some suggestions for finding a family:
The most recent person in my lineage project must have been born in or before 1900. I’m having problems finding a family that qualifies. You may find that your direct ancestors lived in your chosen geographical area, but did not have four generations before 1900. Here are some ideas to help find qualifying people:
How do I choose an area for Accreditation? First, you need to think of an area in which you enjoy doing research. It must be a place in which you have had extensive research experience. Consider a place where records are available to you. If you have 1,000 hours but it is not all in one geographical area, you are not ready to take the test. After you become an AG® professional, you will be doing research for others whose ancestors lived in a specific geographic area; therefore, if you do not have any direct ancestors who lived very long in your chosen geographic area, you may gain experience by researching descendants of a family who did stay in one place. Researching individuals who are not related to you, but lived in your chosen area, could also give you experience that would be valuable on the examination. What about adoptions? If you choose to trace the court-appointed parents of an adopted child, it is the same as if the child was a blood descendant. Be sure to include information in your research report to show the child was adopted or lived in a guardianship relationship. Return to Top Answers on Evidence/Documentation May I use the published research of other people? Beginning with secondary materials like the Ancestral File, the Pedigree Resource File, compiled family histories in The Library of Congress, or compiled pedigrees found in any major library is an important first step in research. However, the pedigree you submit should have documented primary sources. These must be sources you used. Do not quote documentation done by others without checking for accuracy. Since documentation in submissions to the Pedigree Resource File can be viewed and evaluated (as well as some Ancestral File submissions), be sure those sources are mentioned and evaluated. Many secondary lineages contain errors, and a good researcher uses these lineages only as guides to begin the project. If you find that the secondary source is correct, you must cite the documents used to prove its accuracy. What if I have conflicting information about a significant event, such as a birth, marriage, or death? Genealogists know that there are times when two or more sources give conflicting information. Be sure you have thoroughly researched as many sources as possible to resolve this conflict. In your report, provide all the information you have and where the information was found. If you believe one source is more reliable than another, give your reasons. How do you evaluate a candidate's understanding of the Genealogical Proof Standard and her/his ability to use it in solving difficult research problems? Professionalism, knowledge of sources and research techniques for a specific area, as well as proven skill at research and client report writing when given set time limits, is the standard by which ICAPGen measures its candidates. The Genealogical Proof Standard is worthy of study and contemplation by any serious genealogist. However, it is not necessarily the best measuring stick for ICAPGen tests or applications. The Genealogical Proof Standard’s “reasonably exhaustive search” criterion is most useful when a considerable amount of time can be devoted to a genealogical problem. In cases limited to a few hours such as you would face on an Accredited Genealogist test, it is not always practical to fully implement an exhaustive search. But the citation and skillful analysis criteria of the Genealogical Proof Standard play an important role at ICAPGen. At the same time, these higher order skills cannot be tested using multiple-choice tests. Therefore, ICAPGen uses real research case study questions. Not only must the answers be correct, the answers must be supported by proper sources and interpretation of those sources in light of the location, customs, and time period of the research problem. On your application’s four-generation project, however, you will have more time for a “reasonably exhaustive search.” But even on your application, we are looking more for evidence that you have the skills and knowledge to pass the test. This does not necessarily include the Genealogical Proof Standard. Competency based examinations test the “real-life” working situations of a professional genealogist who must work on a time-schedule to accomplish specific goals. Yet, in most situations using the Genealogical Proof Standard on your application project would be more than adequate at showing off your knowledge, your research and correlation skills, and your analytical and reasoning ability. Helping to educate your clients and associates about the value of the Genealogical Proof Standard and encouraging its use would be a significant way to demonstrate professionalism. Return to Top Document Recognition and Transcriptions How does your examination process determine how well a candidate transcribes and abstracts a sample document? Are there standard ways this is done? A distinction is made between a transcription and an abstraction. When the candidate is asked to "transcribe" a document, every letter is expected to be written as it appears in the original document. To be true to the original document, no updates such as spelling or grammatical changes are made. When "abstracting" a document, it is important that a test candidate captures the information that would be useful to a genealogical researcher including names, dates, relationships, or items that could prove a name, date, or relationship. What documents should I be able to recognize? It is expected that the candidate has had sufficient experience in the key documents of each state/or region represented in their selected geographic area. In addition, they should be familiar with the key general United States (or foreign federal government if their area is not in the U.S.) documents to recognize the document on sight, and to know the value of those documents in genealogy. Will I be required to translate documents? If your area of accreditation is a country that uses another language besides English, you should be able to translate a document from that language into English. You should also be able to request a record from that country in their language. In some cases you will need to translate a few lines in Latin if your area of accreditation uses Latin consistently in its work. Remember the tests are open-book tests so you can bring with you any printed aids with which you feel comfortable. Return to Top As standards evolve, how does ICapGen test to see if those AG Professionals renewing their accreditation meet the new standard? New or evolving "standards," as such, are not a focus of Accredited Genealogist renewals. Nor do we "test" renewal applicants. ICAPGen wants to know three things about renewal applicants:
Keeping current in research techniques might include an aspect of meeting "evolving standards" but this is not really a main focus of what is being judged. Likewise, certain aspects of professional conduct involve standards (which theoretically could be evolving). But again, this is hardly the purpose of an Accredited Genealogist renewal to focus on this alone. Among other things, the "Agreement" that Accredited Genealogist renewal applicants are asked to sign binds them to adhere at all times to all of the provisions of the "Code of Ethics" as set forth in Appendix B on pages 608 and 609 of Professional Genealogy edited by Elizabeth Shown Mills (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 2001). This edition of the code was specifically chosen and cited by the ICAPGen Commission as our standard for the explicit purpose of avoiding confusion that might arise from wording changes over time. ICAPGen looks into the professionalism of renewal applicants in two ways. First, we ask them to supply a copy of a client report written within the last five years. ICAPGen considers written client reports the best evidence of a researcher’s professionalism. In case an Accredited Genealogist has not had a client because their professional work lies in another area of genealogical professionalism, some other example of their professional work could be substituted. Second, ICAPGen reviews its own files looking for evidence of unprofessional conduct such as unresolved complaints from clients. Most Accredited Genealogist renewal applicants also chose to write a brief letter describing the activities such as courses taught, magazine articles written, or other activities they have done to keep current in their area, often listing significant new sources that have appeared in the last five years. Return to Top
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Last modified January 2007