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 reading a genealogical article and discovering that your name has been published along with your DNA information and conclusions about your ancestors. How would you feel? How would you react? Some people may not mind if their private information is published, while others – probably a majority - don’t appreciate their name, their parents’ names, grandparents’ names, etc. published for anyone to see. It is about privacy and ethics. Privacy and Ethics We value privacy in our DNA tests results. We want DNA testing companies to safeguard our information and protect it from exposure that is granted without our...
Today's episode of Research Like a Pro is about creating layered citations for images found on the four major genealogy websites: Ancestry, FamilySearch, MyHeritage, and Findmypast. We discuss how to separate the digital layer from the physical layer, and the five elements of a source citation. We discuss what element to lead with and how to find the details you need to include. Links Peeling Back the Layers: Online Source Citations Part 1 - by Diana about Ancestry.com Peeling Back the Layers: Online Source Citations Part 2 - by Diana about FamilySearch.org Peeling Back the Layers: Online Source Citations Part...
Do you use MyHeritage or Findmypast in your research? Have you wondered how to create a layered source citation from one of these websites? In this final article of this series, I'll once again give you examples of using the basic citation elements of who, what, when, where, and wherein to create citations that reflect both the digital and physical source information. Links to the first two articles about creating citations for FamilySearch and Ancestry sources are included at the end. Citation for MyHeritage My 2nd great-grandfather, William Henry Kelsey, Sr., lived in the southeast corner of England from the...
Creating source citations from online materials can be confusing and vary from website to website. In Part 1 of this series, we looked at a source document hosted on Ancestry. I showed the process I use to create a citation that includes the basic citation elements of who, what, when, where, and wherein. This article will focus on citing sources found on FamilySearch - those indexed and not indexed. Citation for a Record Indexed on FamilySearch The marriage record for my great, great-grandparents has been digitized and indexed on FamilySearch. I've attached it to the source list for William Henderson...
Have you wondered how to create a source citation for a record found on a website like FamilySearch or Ancestry? With the majority of our research now done online, understanding the basics of citation can help us accurately cite our sources and create a path back to the original source. In this three-part series we'll look at different examples that illustrate the principles needed to construct a citation for a source from any website. First up, an example from Ancestry. Citation Elements Genealogy Standards defines five elements any source citation should include. (1) Who: the creator of the source What:...
Genealogy Standard #28 states, "Genealogists attach citations to images and printouts."[1] This is to ensure that a record will never be without its citation, but what is the best way to do this? I have tried a few different approaches with varying degrees of success, but then I tried Canva, a free online publishing tool that makes it possible to "design anything and publish anywhere." I had been using Canva for several years to create everything from social media graphics to ancestor collages. Once I decided to try using Canva to add citations to my record images, I haven't looked...
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...
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 When I wrote my report on Benjamin Cox, I used both traditional research and DNA analysis in discussing his hypothesized father-daughter relationship to my confirmed...
Are you ever frustrated while writing citations? Many people are! Learning about a simplified formula for citations can lift the frustration and bring calm to an essential part of genealogical research. In a previous blog post, DNA Sources, Information, and Evidence: Sorting it All Out, I wrote that you are a source—you share your DNA with a testing company. The DNA testing company extracts DNA from the saliva, or the cheek swab you sent back to the testing company by mail. Your DNA goes through the process of genotyping, which identifies the genetic variants you have. Next, the company compares...
