Problem Solving
 
Coordinator: Judith Hansen, AG
 
**Because of the advanced work necessary, please email Judi Hansen at jwhsearch@aol.com for special permission to enroll late.**
 
Have a brick wall in your research? This unique course is tailored to your individual research needs! Enhance your problem solving skills while working with your personal research project for a particular ancestor or ancestral couple. Develop methodology, analysis, and research skills while focusing on your own needs and using the resources at the Family History Library. Students will be divided into small groups depending on the project submitted and will meet for two hours each day to review research progress (with two consultants and about five other students). Expert consultants are available for many geographical areas and are not limited to US Research. Students pay regular tuition plus a consultant fee.
 
Student involvement in problem solving requires a major commitment and advance preparation. It is divided into three parts:
  1. Pre-Institute: choose project focus goal: ancestor, time period, geographical area, and research questions and put together in a short summary. Then put together a project submission, including summary, time line, pertinent pedigree and family group sheets, research logs, maps, and short research paper detailing what is known about the ancestor including discussion of sources already utilized and what want to accomplish. THIS is DUE BY OCTOBER 31, 2012. Assigned consultants will return an initial analysis of the proposed research before Institute begins.
  2. Institute: Under guidance from assigned mentor consultants, conduct research and discuss research progress each day in assigned group. Learn from your peers in your group as they share  problems, progress and insights.
  3. Post-Institute: Update your records and research paper including what was learned during the week. Share findings with others including your PS group. 
Contact the coordinator, for questions concerning feasibility of possible research focus, request for detailed information for the required project information or other course information.