DNA – Page 8 – Family Locket

Using DNA Source Citations in a Research Report

Sep 20, 2019

How do you give credibility to your research that includes DNA evidence? The same way that you give credibility to research using evidence from traditional genealogy sources such as census and probate – with a source citation. Creating a source citation for the DNA matches, ethnicity reports, chromosome browsers, cluster reports, etc. that you use in your research project will back up the conclusions that you’ve drawn from your DNA analysis. Traditional Genealogy Source Citations...

RLP 61- Analyzing Your Sources in a DNA Research Project

Sep 9, 2019

Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about how to incorporate DNA information into the timeline and analysis part of a research project. The timeline and analysis portion of the Research Like a Pro process is at the beginning. It helps you determine your starting point, because you look at all the sources you already have. After you test your DNA, you have an additional source that will help you in your family history...

Genealogy Research Planning with DNA

Sep 4, 2019

What should your research plan look like if you want to test a hypothesis with DNA evidence? Each project is unique, but all can follow the same guiding principles. In the Research Like a Pro with DNA process, we have already discussed the following steps: Step 1 Take a DNA Test: Which DNA Test Should I Take? and DNA-Recommended Testing Strategy Step 2 Assess: Understanding and Using Your DNA Results – 4 Simple Steps Step...

DNA Gedcom – A 3rd Party Tool That Can Help Shorten Your Search

Aug 29, 2019

What if you could find an automated program that would help you… – Look through your DNA matches trees to find shared ancestors – Identify triangulated groups, and – See DNA segments that you share in common with your matches Would you be interested? DNA Gedcom tools can do all of that! Rob Warthen, who founded DNAGedcom in 2013, was looking for a faster, better, more understandable way to interpret DNA test results. He and...

Chromosome Mapping – Visualize Your DNA and Identify the Ancestors Who Passed It On To You

Aug 25, 2019

Have you ever tried to explain your pursuit of DNA matches, and found it hard put into words? Have you ever wanted to see an image of your DNA and how it connects you to your ancestors? Chromosome mapping will help you come up with an answer! The goal in using DNA in our genealogy research is to learn which segments of our DNA we inherited from specific ancestors and use them to learn more...

RLP 57 – Three Steps to Focus Your DNA Research with an Objective

Aug 12, 2019

Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about how to focus your DNA research with an objective. If you feel overwhelmed by all the matches and all the test results you have, perhaps focusing on one research question could help. Maybe you want to confirm a relationship or focus on a brick wall ancestor. We discuss how to create an objective with genetic genealogist Robin Wirthlin. Links What Do You Want to Know? 3...

The Chromosome Browser: A Tool for Visualizing Segment Data

Aug 4, 2019

For most of us, the goal of genetic genealogy is to identify how our DNA matches are related to us. We want to determine our common ancestor or identify an ancestor who was previously unknown to us. Chromosome browsers help us do that. By determining that an autosomal DNA segment was inherited from a certain ancestor, we can use that segment information in the future to identify matches whose connection to us is unknown. Chromosome...

RLP 54 – Three Ways to Chart your DNA Matches

Jul 22, 2019

Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about organizing your DNA matches by creating diagrams. Charting your DNA matches in a pedigree showing most recent common ancestor can help you visualize your DNA results like never before. We’ll talk about two online charting options, charting using Ancestry.com’s trees, and also an offline method. There are many more. Join us as we talk with Robin Wirthlin about how to chart your DNA matches! Links What...

Resources for Learning About Genetic Genealogy

Jul 16, 2019

Do you want to start a DNA research project to confirm an ancestral relationship? Have you been wanting to learn more about genetic genealogy but are not sure where to start? Maybe you’re interested in joining our Research Like a Pro with DNA study group in the fall and are curious about the prerequisites. Diana, Robin, and I have been talking about what basic DNA education would be helpful before doing a DNA research project....

Finding Jeanie’s Father with DNA part 3: Identifying a Familial Cluster

Jul 12, 2019

Have you wondered how you can figure out which of your genetic cousins descend from a particular line on your family tree? Or maybe you have hit a brick wall in your genetic genealogy and are wondering what else you can try. In this post, I will explain the importance of identifying a familial cluster to solve your research objective and hopefully break through that brick wall. I will also continue the story of how...