Can DNA help us discover an unknown 4th great-grandfather? In the hopes that it can, I’m returning to my brick wall of identifying Cynthia (Dillard) Royston’s father. The Research Like a Pro with DNA study group is a perfect way to tackle a persistent research question. The structure of the assignments helps me stay on track and the process keeps me moving forward. I’ll be sharing my progress in this series. Will I finally be...
Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about Family Tree DNA’s family matching and bucketing system, which is part of the Family Finder autosomal test. After linking a DNA match to your family tree at their website, the family matching algorithm uses phased matching to assign maternal and paternal icons/buckets to your matches. Adding close matches and up to third cousins helps you take advantage of this helpful tool. Listen in as we discuss...
I attended Karen Stanbary’s course, DNA as Genealogical Evidence at the Institute of Genealogical and Historical Research (IGHR) this summer. IGHR is hosted by the Georgia Genealogical Society, and this year, it was virtual. That made it a no-brainer for me to attend! Today I’m sharing some of my takeaways from the course. The instructors included Karen Stanbary, Michael Lacopo, Paul Woodbury, David Rencher, and Kimberly Powell. It was a great group of instructors. Each...
Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about what to do if you have a brick wall genealogy problem that you can’t break down, or if you have a document in another language you need translated. These and other scenarios are perfect times to hire a professional genealogist to assist you with your research. We discuss how to find a genealogist that will fit your research needs, credentials, and tips for working with a...
Have you thought about working towards a genealogy credential? Would you like to become a better researcher in a certain locality? If so, you might consider accreditation through the International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists (ICAPGen). To take the mystery out of the accreditation process, my ICAPGen colleagues and I have created an institute course through the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG) titled “Becoming an Accredited Genealogist®: The Why, What, and How.”...
Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about ProGen Study Groups. This volunteer-led study group is a wonderful way to study with peers for becoming a professional genealogist. Join us as we discuss our experiences with ProGen, the prerequisites for joining, and the benefits. Transcript Nicole (1s): This is Research Like a Pro episode 165 ProGen study groups and becoming a professional genealogist. Nicole (48s): Hello everyone. Welcome to Research Like a Pro Diana...
Do you have an immigrant ancestor that you would like to trace to their hometown? Although this sounds difficult, and it can be, having a plan of attack makes all the difference. Good methodology and knowledge of useful resources can help you succeed in your goal of discovering your ancestry across the pond. In this guest post, Kimball G. Carter, CG® shares a resource he created to aid researchers in this very goal. Kimball is...
Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is our final interview with Research Like a Pro with DNA eCourse member, Allison Kotter. In this series, Allison shares her experience studying each lesson in the course and how she has applied the lessons to her own family. This episode covers the assignments for lesson 9 in the course – writing the research report. She shares her tip for getting started with the report, and goes...
When working on an African American research project, what resources can help you? Genealogy research in the 21st century certainly has its perks and one of those is an abundance of material to guide us. Although online resources abound, sometimes, a book that can be digested in small chunks provides the best learning experience. Here are titles from my bookshelf. General Reference Books Finding A Place Called Home: A Guide to African-American Genealogy and Historical...
When we work with DNA in our family history research, one of the first steps is to separate the DNA matches into groups or genetic networks. The Leeds Method by Dana Leeds was developed a few years ago as a way to separate DNA matches manually. This method was revolutionary in genetic genealogy! Evert-Jan Blom of Genetic Affairs was the first to create a readily available way of automating separating DNA matches into groups. This...
