This presentation reviews the ethnicity prediction and cousin matching features of AncestryDNA and explains how to use the analysis tools available on the site. This presentation highlights any new capabilities recently released by Ancestry.

This presentation reviews the ethnicity prediction and cousin matching features of Family Tree DNA and 23andMe and explains how to use the analysis tools available on these sites. 

The first part of this presentation focuses on GEDMatch which is a third-party website that provides tools for comparing your DNA with other users on the site. This presentation explains how to upload your raw DNA data and describes how to use the tools to compare your autosomal data to that of your matches on the site. This presentation also reviews the tools available to search the family trees that users have posted on the site. The second part of this presentation reviews a number of third-party tools that are available to assist in autosomal DNA analysis. Topics covered include several Chrome extensions, the Genetic Affairs AutoCluster tool, the DNAGEDCom Client, and several visualization tools for mapping family relationships.

We’ve been, we’ve researched and now what do we do with ALL those notes, images, papers we brought back.  We’ll talk about how to file, organize and decide what’s relevant and what might not fit with what we know (or think we know) about our family.

The first part of this presentation addresses chromosome mapping which is the process of assigning DNA segments to an ancestral line based on sharing the segments with cousins who descend from the line. This presentation explains how to use the Chromosome Mapping feature of DNA Painter to track the DNA you share with matches and to map segments to ancestors. The second part of this presentation focuses on the Ancestral Maps and Tools features of DNA Painter. It explains how to create different views of your family tree, with annotations for different DNA inheritance paths, and provides an overview of the Shared cM Project tool and the What are the Odds? tool.

 It’s true.  None of us live forever.  WHAT will  happen to the decades of research that you leave behind?  Do you have  a plan?  You should. 

This presentation explains one of the research methodologies used to solve unknown parentage cases. This methodology focuses on the analysis of shared matches and presents a case study illustrating how tools such as the Leeds method and the What Are the Odds? tool can be applied in the analysis.

Many of us belong to one (or more).  Joining can be difficult.  Documentation requirements are different in each one.   Is it right for you?  Do you want to go through the trouble and  EXPENSE of joining?  We’ll be inviting some ‘experts’ to talk to us.

Endogamy is the practice of marrying within a limited community or group over many generations for cultural or religious reasons or due to geographic isolation. This presentation describes how to recognize endogamy in your family tree, explains its impact on evaluating DNA test results, and provides recommendations on how to deal with endogamy in your family research. 

Let’s go back to the beginning…..sometimes we just have to take a  look at where we started.  Sometimes, (Sadly) it’s best to start over  and do it right this time.  Sometimes we get in a rut and it’s time to  look someplace new or another way.

This presentation provides step-by-step guidance on how to approach the analysis of DNA testing data and apply the results in your genealogical research. Topics covered include testing strategies, confirming relationships to family members tested, verifying the branches in your tree, identifying “surprise” cousins, and addressing brick walls in your distant ancestry.