Articles by Angela Breidenbach

Angela Breidenbach, PLCGS, is the Executive Director at the International Institute of Genealogical Studies. She's a multi-published author, speaker, and presenter. Find out more about her books at https://AngelaBreidenbach.com

New Course: Eastern European Introduction

The National Institute for Genealogical Studies is proud to announce a new course written by author and professional genealogist Lisa Alzo, Eastern European: Introduction to Research for North Americans. A vast number of immigrants came to North America from various areas in Central and Eastern Europe in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Unfortunately, in the past, those with Eastern European roots have been reticent to begin research on their immigrant ancestors due to perceived barriers of language, geography, and difficulty with accessing and understanding the records. The purpose of this course is to begin the teaching of genealogical concepts pertinent to Eastern European research. It introduces the basic concepts needed to succeed in Eastern European research, and begins to dispel the notion that Eastern European research is difficult. Actually, from a research perspective, it is much easier than it used to be thanks to a surge in interest, the Internet, and greater accessibility to archival records and other resources. To learn more about this course and to register see our website.

Happy Holidays To You!

  How about taking a moment to treat yourself to a gift? Now’s the time to get a deal on that course you have been wanting to take or that course package you need for your certificate.   Our gift to you, from now until the end of December, choose one of the following: 20% off one single package of your choice (Savings of up to $650) 50% off one single course of your choice (Savings of up to $80) To claim your discount use the following codes at checkout: Holiday20 for one single package of your choice Holiday50 for one single course of your choice   Hurry! Like 2015, this offer ends at midnight on December 31st.

Did You Know??

In the genealogy world we need to communicate with each other to keep abreast of the constantly evolving research methods and resources. The same is true within the National Institute for Genealogical Studies. As a student of the National Institute, there are various ways you can communicate with us and your fellow students. Here are just a few: #1. By email to the National Institute When contacting us please provide your first and last name and the course title, including the country the course applies to. i) admin@genealogicalstudies.com – for general questions; ii) alert@genealogicalstudies.com – to advise us of broken links in your course materials and assignments–please be specific as to where problem is; iii) exam@genealogicalstudies.com – questions pertaining to your course exam. #2. Attend a Virtual Meeting VIRTUAL MEETINGS ARE THE BEST PLACE TO COMMUNICATE with an instructor and fellow students. Anyone can participate! You do not have to be registered in the course to attend. Watch for our emails outlining upcoming virtual meetings dates and times. Or visit our website at www.genealogicalstudies.com, click on Information in the top menu bar, and then Virtual Learning Room for the full schedule. #3. Follow this  Blog On the right hand side of the blog  you will see Subscribe to Blog via Email. In the text box, enter your email address and click on the Subscribe button. Once subscribed, you will receive an email each time we post an article. Each blog article includes a link to write a comment or share via social media. Look for these options at the end of each blog post. #4. Follow us on Twitter Once signed into your Twitter account, search for us on Twitter by our Twitter name @GeneaStudies. On our Twitter page, click on the Follow button to subscribe to our tweets. Not a member of Twitter? No problem, just go to Twitter and join. Membership is free. #5. Follow the National Institute on Facebook Find us on Facebook at and click on the Like button on the top right of our page. #6. Join a GenealogyWise Group  Not a member of GenealogyWise, the social network of The National Institute?  Just go to www.genealogywise.com and sign up. Here you will find  groups  for each of the National Institute’s country streams; i.e. American, Australian, Canadian, English, German, Irish, and Scottish, as well as Methodology, Librarianship, Alumni, and First Timer FAQs. #7. Consultation with an instructor…

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New Course: Organizing a One-Place Study

The newest addition to our Professional Development Certificate is here! Organizing a One-Place Study begins December 7th. One-place studies are the study of the people in a community within the context of the place they live. Unlike a local history, which focuses on the past as described by residents, a one-place (or community) study uses a statistical approach and resources often used by family historians. Because a one-place study brings family and local history together, various analysis methods can be used to reconstruct the community and gain an insight into the lives of the people who have walked the streets, ploughed the fields, worked and worshipped in a place. This course will suggest ways in which this could be done. This course will examine the sources of information available to researchers, how to access them (on- and off-line) and the fascinating details which can be uncovered. Read more about Organizing a One-Place Study on our website.

New Course- Photography: Clues Pictures Hold, Editing, Digitizing & Various Projects

Photography: Clues Pictures Hold, Editing, Digitizing and Various Projects is the newest course offered by The National Institute. A picture is worth a thousand words, so photographs are an integral part of telling a story. This course is designed to help students use and identify photographs to document their family history. Students are encouraged to apply the methods in this course to make the best use of their own family photos and/or those of their genealogy clients. Assignments  focus on practical applications. Students learn ways to obtain family photographs, archive them physically and digitally, determine the photographic processes used, date the photographs, and identify people and other details in the images. Although this course is part of the Professional Development Certificate program, it is suitable for students participating in the Personal Historian program or those with a general interest in family photographs. This 10 week course begins December 7th. To learn more and to register, see our website.