Congratulations and welcome to the end of Lesson Four! In this lesson you have learned:

• an overview of civil vital records 
• why vital records are such a rich source of genealogical information
• information which can usually be found in birth, marriage, death & divorce records
• how to obtain a vital record, including tips for success
• to identify the availability and locations of civil vital records
• how to write source citations for vital records from a variety of sources

If you have any questions about this material, please post in the Let's Learn Genealogy Forum: Get Help with Lesson Four

Homework Assignment:

You have two assignments for this week:

1. Complete the Lesson 4 Quiz (to be posted shortly - watch the forum for announcement!)
   
   
2. Select one ancestor for whom you need a vital record, identify the best source for acquiring that vital record, and either visit the vital record office or mail in your request for a vital record. Please post a brief log of what you have sent for under the Homework Assignment - Lesson Four topic. I realize it may be several weeks before you get any results, but if you do have some success, please come back and share it with us!
   
   

For more information on the topics covered in this lesson, please explore the Lesson Four Resources list: 

Lesson Four Resources 

Resources for Vital Records
Guide to locating vital records around the world including availability of records, contact information for vital records offices, online databases, fee schedules and more.

The World's Largest Collection of Vital Records
The Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, contains millions of vital records in books and on microfilm.  Learn how to use this invaluable resource from your own home town.

Online Research & Correspondence
Learn how to write a successful query, ask questions, find answers, and how to keep track and control of your genealogy correspondence.

Free Genealogy Charts & Forms
A variety of free, downloadable family tree and pedigree charts, including correspondence logs to help you keep track of your vital records requests.

 

After completing the Lesson Four Quiz and Homework Assignment, be sure to head back to the Course Outline for Lesson Five of this course. In the meantime, please have fun interacting with your fellow classmates in the Let's Learn Genealogy forum. Remember, if you have any questions, I will be checking in weekly!