Two years ago, I took a year long workshop type course on working with DNA run by Diahan Southard. The course focused primarily on Autosomal DNA and presented some well structured and thought out workflow plan for identifying and working with one's DNA match list.  I shared a blog post last year that featured the free first four portions of the material we covered when Diahan presented her techniques at RootsTech2024. You can read about them and access the videos from 2024 at this link . Following up this past spring in 2025, Diahan presented two more free installments of her "Plan" at RootsTech 2025. I am including these here.  Best Matches -  https://www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/session/how-just-one-match-can-help-you-find-missing-ancestors-in-2025 Combine Test Types for more insight -  https://www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/session/combine-multiple-dna-test-types-how-atdna-ydna-mtdna-atdna-more-answers Hot summer afternoons present an excellent excuse to t...

Attend a genealogy conference in your comfy chair! Free, Virtual RootsTech is so easy that it is a must experience event for end of February each year. 29 February–2 March Registration for Salt Lake City in person or virtual online are here in the overview section. https://www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/registration/ In person attendance has been the holy grail of genealogy conference experiences for many for years. The in person option is finally back to full stride after Covid and I am sure many will make the trip. If a trip is not in your plans for the end of the month, sign up for the Free online version. There will be more content than you can absorb in a weekend. That is ok. The online version is viewable on demand at your leisure. There are so many specialty topics to choose from and so many levels of expertise taught within the annual RootsTech event. You are guaranteed to walk away with new knowlege, methodologies and strategies to tackle your genealogy mysteries. Take a...

RootsTech 2023 was this past weekend. Here is a short recap of highlights. RootsTech is a live an virtual conference held yearly each spring. RootsTech is billed as a "a place to learn, to be inspired, and make connections through family history." The conference is live (this being the first  live instance since Covid) at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City, Utah. If you are unable to make it to Salt Lake, you can tune into the conference virtually. The most wonderful part about that is that virtual attendance is free and the sessions are available to watch real time or at your convenience. This is a double win for virtual attendees since this weekend in Raleigh was just too beautiful to stay indoors.  If you were outdoors all weekend, you can still join in the fun and learning after the fact. Watch the RootsTech 2023 virtual sessions here.  (You may be required to register or log in. It is free.) I did manage to hit a sampling of the sessions and came away with several rec...

Florida State Genealogical Society will offer a Fall Virtual DNA Conference on Saturday, Dec 7 from 9am until 4:30pm EST. Five speakers, five sessions. (On demand viewing available with registration for two weeks after the live sessions.) Speakers include; Blaine Bettinger Diahan Southard Angie Bush Mary Eberle Judy G. Russell Visit FlSGS for pricing and details here. Looks like a great way to get smarter with out even leaving your sofa! Return to the WCGS Website

There are some excellent classes and opportunities offered around Wake County this fall. First up, is this great series offered by Wake County Public Libraries and taught by members of our own WCGS. The topics will vary by library. Please consult individual libraries for details. These presentations are free. See flyer below. Other opportunities exist as well. Raleigh Senior TechEd will offer multiple series of genealogy content this fall including a five part series on using Ancestry.com from starting to research and build a tree, to working with DNA results. Also offered, Genealogy Basics, Library & Archive Research, and Organization Tools. Consult the Raleigh Senior TechEd schedule here for dates and pricing . Return to the WakeCoGen Website

Presented and prepared by Sallie Szymczyk Evaluating Your atDNA Matches WCGS June 25,2019 Use a unique username Open a new e-mail account Provide at least a skeleton tree Start with your closest matches to determine which side of your family they are on Look at available trees for hints Look for common surnames and locations Check to see if your match has posted to a message board Use the “Shared Matches” tool on Ancestry, the “In Common With” tool on FTDNA or “shared DNA Matches” on My Heritage Determine Paternal or Maternal match Make a spread sheet to keep track of your findings Contact your matches with an “informed” e-mail – Do your home work Return to the WakeCoGen Website

From Family History Fanatics : Family History Fanatics will be producing " A Winter of DNA " eConference on January 26th .  Speakers and topics will include: Tim Janzen - Maximizing Your Use of GEDmatch Richard Hill  - Finding Family with DNA Testing: A Genetic Detective Story Andy Lee - DNA Tree Building: What to Do When GEDmatch Matches Don't Respond Maurice Gleeson  -  Using Y-DNA in Your Family Tree Research The online sessions will begin at 9am Central Time on January 26th . A final panel discussion will end the day.  All registrants will be able to view the conference for 30 days.  Register and get your questions answered by some of the most popular genetic genealogy educators! Presentations are live, not pre-recorded, and you can ask questions throughout. Price is only $19.99 until January 18th and then it will be $24.99.  Also, we will be having DNA kits and other stuff as door prizes that will be given away.  You don'...

This is a checklist I originally prepared for the Dec 2016 WCGS presentation - Enhance your Genealogy Research with DNA Testing. Time flies and so much in the genetic genealogy world has changed so quickly, but I think this stands the test of time as a good basic checklist for beginners. - CD   Enhance your Genealogy Research with DNA Testing Progress Tracker for DNA Study   Getting Started:   _ Identify your need, question, or line of descent that needs proving.   _ Identify your subject or subjects.   _ Choose the appropriate tests and company.   _ Order, complete, return, wait.   While you wait:   _ Build your tree back at least 4 generation - 5 or 6 if possible. Also, build it "wide" at the level of your grandparents and great grandparents. Include all siblings, spouses, and descendants that you can. It really helps when you are looking at lines that may descend from one of those female ...