Nicole Elder Dyer

About Nicole Elder Dyer

Nicole Dyer is a professional genealogist specializing in Southern United States research and genetic genealogy. She is the creator of FamilyLocket.com and the Research Like a Pro Genealogy Podcast. She co-authored Research Like a Pro: A Genealogist's Guide and Research Like a Pro with DNA and is an instructor for the study groups of the same name. She lectures at conferences and institutes and previously served as the secretary and publicity chair of the Pima County Genealogy Society. Nicole holds a bachelor's degree from Brigham Young University in History Teaching. At Family Locket Genealogists, Nicole is a project manager, editor, and researcher.

RLP 313: Immigration Records Part 4 – After 1906

Jul 8, 2024

In this episode, Diana and Nicole discuss finding immigration records for ancestors arriving in the United States after 1906. They provide a timeline of important immigration laws and their impacts, such as the 1906 establishment of the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization, the 1917 Immigration Act, the 1921 Emergency Quota Act, the 1924 National Origins Act, the 1945 War Brides Act, the 1948 Displaced Persons Act, the 1952 Immigration and Naturalization Act, and the 1965...

Transkribus: Revolutionizing Handwritten Text Analysis with AI

Jul 2, 2024

Would you like to automate the transcription of handwritten documents? Or quickly search for a particular name in a large probate or pension application file? Transkribus is an innovative platform that harnesses the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to make deciphering old handwriting faster. Whether you’re tracing your family tree or researching historical figures, Transkribus can save you countless hours by automatically transcribing handwritten documents into searchable text. In this blog post, we’ll explore how...

RLP 312: Mitochondrial DNA and WikiTree

Jul 1, 2024

In this episode of Research Like a Pro, Diana and Nicole explore the use of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and WikiTree in genealogical research. They explain that mtDNA is inherited from our mothers, with only females passing it on, and how it differs from autosomal DNA by coming from a distant maternal ancestor. They discuss how mtDNA testing reveals haplogroups, genetic population groups with a common ancestor, and share their personal testing experiences with 23andMe, FamilyTree...

Handwritten Text Recognition by Claude 3.5 Sonnet

Jun 28, 2024

Handwritten text recognition by large language models (LLMs) has become much better with the latest releases of ChatGPT 4o and Claude 3. 5 Sonnet. Claude 3.5 Sonnet is the smartest LLM available today. See Anita Kirkovska, “Claude 3.5 Sonnet vs GPT-4o,” vellum (https://www.vellum.ai/blog/claude-3-5-sonnet-vs-gpt4o). I decided to test Claude 3.5 Sonnet with one of my favorite tasks – handwritten text recognition, a challenging task for LLMs. To test the capabilities of Claude 3.5 Sonnet, I created a...

RLP 311: Giving Credit to AI Tools in Genealogy Writing

Jun 24, 2024

In this podcast episode, Diana and Nicole discuss the use of Generative AI in scholarly and genealogical writing, emphasizing the importance of transparency in disclosing AI assistance. They talk about editorial guidelines from scholarly journals and the Association of Computational Linguistics, which suggest clear declarations of AI’s involvement in literature searches, drafting, and idea generation. Key points include recommendations for crediting AI-generated content not as authors but by detailing the AI’s role. They also explore...

RLP 310: Disclosing Use of AI in Genealogy Writing

Jun 17, 2024

In this podcast episode, Diana and Nicole discuss the evolving role of AI chatbots in various writing contexts, particularly in academia and genealogy. They highlight the changing policies around the use of large language models (LLMs) in academic writing, noting how organizations like the International Conference on Machine Learning have shifted from prohibiting to allowing LLMs, provided that authors are responsible for the content and its integrity. They delve into the ethical considerations of using...

RLP 309: WikiTree Special Projects with Elaine Martzen and Emmaline MacBeath

Jun 10, 2024

In this episode of “Research Like a Pro,” guests Elaine Martzen and Emmaline MacBeath join hosts Diana and Nicole to discuss various WikiTree projects. Projects on WikiTree are groups organized around topics or activities to facilitate collaboration among members. They include top-level projects with unique tags and badges, sub-projects using higher-level project badges, project teams, and informal free-space projects. Types of projects include geographical (e.g., Australia, Mexico, South Africa), themed (e.g., Mayflower, Holocaust, Native Americans),...

RLP 308: DNA Features at WikiTree with Emmaline MacBeath

Jun 3, 2024

This episode of Research Like a Pro focuses on the DNA features available on Wikitree, with guest Emmaline MacBeath, a genetic genealogist, explaining them. Diana and Nicole, discuss with Emmaline the various DNA tools and functionalities on Wikitree. One key feature is the ability to mark relationships as “DNA confirmed” by providing evidence from DNA matches. Users can also record the DNA tests they’ve taken on their profiles, which propagates to ancestors and descendants within...

RLP 307: Build Your Family Tree at WikiTree with Betsy Ko

May 27, 2024

In the podcast episode of “Research Like Pro,” Betsy Ko, a mentor and leader of the WikiTree Events Committee, discusses her background and role at WikiTree. Betsy began her genealogy journey influenced by a family belief related to historical ties and deepened her commitment by studying genealogical principles. She participates in projects focused on England, Scotland, Wales, and Canada, leads the Events Committee, mentors new members, and hosts livecasts. WikiTree itself was described as a...

RLP 306: Institutes and Continuing Education with Cyndi Ingle

May 20, 2024

In this podcast episode, Diana and Nicole introduce Cyndi Ingle, the creator of CyndisList.com, a renowned resource for genealogical research. Cyndi, with over 44 years of experience in genealogy, is currently serving as the Executive Director for the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research (IGHR). They discuss the distinctiveness of genealogy institutes in comparison to other forms of genealogy education and inquire about Cyndi’s preference between virtual and in-person institutes. They delve into topics...