In this episode of Research Like a Pro, Nicole and Diana discuss Transkribus, a platform that uses AI to transcribe handwritten documents. They explain how Transkribus works, the benefits it offers for genealogy research, and how to get started using it. Diana and Nicole outline the transcription process, including uploading documents, choosing the right model, and reviewing the results. They also highlight advanced features like language models, Smart Search, and Super Models, which can improve...
In this episode of Research Like a Pro, Nicole and Diana discuss how to add DNA information to WikiTree. Diana explains the benefits of adding your DNA information to WikiTree, such as helping genetic cousins find you and collaborate on research. She provides step-by-step instructions on how to create a WikiTree login and add your DNA test information to your profile. Listeners will learn how to navigate WikiTree, understand the different membership levels, and effectively...
In this episode of Research Like a Pro, Nicole and Diana discuss using DNA segment data in a research project. Diana shares her experience working on a chromosome map in DNA Painter for several years, gradually adding matches identified as descending from one of her ancestral couples. She focuses on her Cline DNA research project, where she seeks genetic evidence to confirm her hypothesis that John C. Cline is the father of Clemsy (Cline) Weatherford....
In this episode of Research Like a Pro Genealogy, Diana and Nicole discuss using descendancy research to find DNA test takers. They explain how DNA evidence often involves identification of living individuals. The hosts outline the steps for descendancy research, emphasizing the importance of fully identifying the starting ancestor. Nicole shares a case study from her Dyer project, demonstrating how she identified her starting ancestor James Dyer and traced his children forward using various records...
In episode 323 of the Research Like a Pro Genealogy podcast, Diana and Nicole discuss using AI to create DNA descendancy diagrams. Nicole shares how she used AI to help write a proof argument for a DNA research report on her ancestor, Sally (Keaton) Reeves. She used Claude.ai to generate a descendancy diagram of DNA matches, which is an important part of any proof argument incorporating DNA evidence. Nicole walks through her process of using...
In this episode of the Research Like a Pro Genealogy podcast, Diana and Nicole discuss using Airtable AI tools to evaluate DNA matches. They explain that Airtable AI can make writing about DNA much more efficient and explore how these cutting-edge features can be integrated into genealogical workflows. The hosts focus on Airtable AI’s capabilities in long text fields, where users can write paragraphs, summarize information, and extract details into lists. They provide step-by-step instructions...
In this episode, Diana and Nicole discuss Diana’s research identifying Clemsy (Cline) Weatherford’s origins despite record loss in northeastern Arkansas. She began with extensive documentary research, identifying Clemsy’s likely family: father John C. Cline, siblings Jacob, John, and Mahala, and half-siblings Jesse, Abner, Ann, and Amanda. She then incorporated DNA evidence, using tools like the Leeds Method and network graphs with Gephi software. Nicole clustered DNA matches for her cousin Lucretia, confirming Mahala (Cline) Shockley...
In this episode, we discuss breaking up complex research projects into phases. This is a great way to make progress on a research question that might otherwise seem daunting. We’ll talk about how to identify the mother of Elsie, a woman born in 1820, as an example of how to set up phases for research. We’ll also discuss how to determine which phases are necessary and how to write research objectives. We wrap it up...
Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about using Airtable for a genealogy research log and how to configure and save different views of your tables. Tables are like pages within a spreadsheet. In your research log table, you may have many entries of various record types. You may want to filter to just see tax records, then group them by tax district, especially if you’re studying many people with the same name. After...
Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about Chapter 12 of Research Like a Pro with DNA, “What’s Next? Publishing, Productivity, and Further Education.” We discuss updating family tree software at the completion of a project, sharing reports, anonymizing living individuals, asking DNA matches for permission to be included in a publicly shared report or proof argument, and ideas for how to share your written conclusion. We also discuss DNA proof arguments and meeting...
