A Crash Course in Using DNA to Discover Your Ancestry

What can DNA testing tell you about your ethnic origins? How can it be used to piece together your family history? Are those TV commercials all hype? How have anthropologists and historians used this type of DNA testing to solve historical mysteries? Can these tests reveal anything about your health?

Class Description

The jam-packed lecture includes an overview of:

• The 3 types of DNA tests used for family history research.
• How each type of DNA is inherited from our ancestors.
• Examples of how DNA can help solve genealogy research problems.
• The main companies who do consumer testing for family history.
• A brief look at results and analytical tools for each type of test.
• Deciding who to test and why.
• Privacy and ethical considerations.

Learning Objectives

• Be able to explain the 3 types of DNA tests used for genealogy, and their patterns of inheritance between generations.
• Make better sense of your ethnicity reports.
• Identify ways in which DNA tests can benefit your genealogical research.
• Make an informed decision about which testing company to choose.
• Develop a DNA testing plan that meets your research and budget needs.
• Stay abreast of ethical and privacy issues.

Class Summary

• Format: Instructional lecture.
• Length: 90 minutes, plus 30 minutes Q&A.
• Audience: Genealogists and family historians.
• Genealogy Experience: New, beginner, intermediate, and advanced.
• Subject Experience: New, beginner, and intermediate.