It’s exciting to have new DNA analysis tools continually developed by amazingly smart and creative people! Hybrid AutoSegment is a brand-new 3rd-party DNA tool from Genetic Affairs. This tool gathers DNA segment data from 23andMe, Family Tree DNA, My Heritage, and GEDmatch together in one report. Having the segment information all in one place streamlines the process of examining, analyzing, and figuring out which of our DNA segments we inherited from specific ancestors. Now, we don’t have to compare segment data between computer files or manually import the data from different testing companies into one massive spreadsheet. Some DNA Basics...
Are you up for an adventurous foray into DNA segment data and ready to use some programs to understand it, analyze it, and use it in your Family History research? Let's go! You may have already read some Family Locket blog posts about using DNA segment data. The Chromosome Browser: A Tool for Visualizing Segment Data by Nicole, explains how to use chromosome browsers to visualize the DNA that you share with your DNA matches and triangulate shared autosomal DNA segments. Segment Triangulation: Proving an Ancestral Line, by Diana, explains how to use MyHeritage segments to confirm a set of...
Have you thought about the steps to take to work through a DNA research project? Have you ever been stuck or lost during a project and wondered what you should do next? What do you do? I've thought about it a lot, and it motivated me to create DNA Process Trees that have a stepwise model/instructions/flowchart of the main steps to take when working through a DNA research objective. The steps help me maximize the research time I have available. I have also added some logistical steps that prompt me to save genealogical documents, create citations, and write the...
Imagine starting on a brand-new research project with DNA matches and an unfamiliar family tree. You want to get the most out of your precious research time and efficiently organize the DNA matches so you can focus on the family line(s) of interest. - What do you do first? - What’s the most effective method? Great questions! Try the methods outlined below to get started efficiently and effectively. Make a Leeds Method chart Spend 10-20 minutes creating a Leeds Method DNA Color Cluster chart. This will help you become familiar with the groups and identify the family lines to focus...
Many Americans have been told by relatives that they have Native American ancestry and want to find out if the story is accurate. DNA testing has the capability to help people determine if they inherited any DNA from Native American ancestors. At RootsTech 2020, I attended a class taught by DNA expert Roberta Estes entitled "Native American DNA: Confirming Those Stories." I am sharing some of the helpful information from Roberta's class and including links to her website, DNAeXplained, for more information. Her lecture was my favorite class from Rootstech 2020 because she has so much experience about this topic...
Today's episode of Research Like a Pro is an interview with Libby Copeland, author of the new book The Lost Family: How DNA Testing is Upending Who We Are. We discuss some of the main themes in the book, from ethnicity estimates, the history of genetic genealogy, the use of DNA to solve cold cases, and surprises that come from testing. Libby also shares her own experience with genealogy and DNA testing. Links Link to purchase the book on Amazon: The Lost Family: How DNA Testing Is Upending Who We Are (This is an affiliate link. If you make a...
Today's episode of Research Like a Pro is about how to use a research log in your genetic genealogy research. We discuss the sources and methods to include in your log, how to best keep track of your DNA matches, correspondence logs, and tech tools that will help you be efficient. We discuss how to use a database tool called Airtable to help you with big projects where you have a lot of DNA matches and searches to keep track of. Links Healing and Family History: The Emotional Side of DNA - Robin's RootsTech 2020 class, available in the RootsTech...
Have you used DNA test results to help with your genealogy research? Maybe you've heard that you can verify ancestors with DNA. Or perhaps you have formed a hypothesis about a brick wall ancestor's parents and would like to confirm it. You may want to identify the biological parents of a recent relative who was adopted. What is the best way to go about using DNA test results to meet these objectives? What tool could help you make discoveries? It may seem overwhelming to know your next step. Robin Wirthlin, our genetic genealogist, has created two decision-tree style flowcharts called...
Today's episode of Research Like a Pro is about how to create DNA source citations. We will discuss the importance of citing and saving DNA information, the citation elements described in Genealogy Standard #5, and how to cite DNA matches and tools using this formula. We give several examples of what each element could be, from the DNA testing company name, to the details about an mtDNA haplogroup. Join us to learn about how to create citations in your DNA research. Links DNA Source Citations by Robin at Family Locket - includes the table with the 5 elements and...
Do you have a tough research question involving autosomal DNA? Do you like visualizing your data? Have you considered using a network graph to see connections between matches? Let me tell you how a network graph helped me break my Dyer brick wall and gave me new avenues for research. Also, I'm sharing a coupon code for 15% off your Connected DNA network graph order - FamilyLocket15. This is good until the end of February. Who were the parents of John Robert Dyer? I have been searching for the parents of my husband's 3rd great grandfather for the last several...
