Standards for Genetic Genealogy

(I know I should have posted this two weeks ago, but other commitments have taken precedence over this blog recently.)

A group of genetic genealogists have been working for several months now to create a draft of Genetic Genealogy Standards. Informal discussions started much earlier, but the time seems right for formal standards to be developed as more researchers begin using DNA for genealogy. These standards do not teach how to analyze DNA data. The standards cover privacy and ethical situations we should all consider as we take a DNA test, ask relatives to take a DNA test, and as we share those test results privately and publicly.

Formal discussions were led by The Genetic Genealogist blogger Blaine Bettinger. More importantly for this effort, he also holds a PhD in Biochemistry and a JD. Others in the group are from several countries, some are medical doctors, some are biologists and geneticists, some are project administrators, most are genealogists—professional, forensic, genetic, and family, or all of these—or have an interest in genealogy. A selected group of genealogists and genetic genealogists outside of the original discussion group were asked for comments prior to making the document available to the public.

Blaine created a website to allow the document to be available for public comment at Genetic Genealogy Standards.

Please take the time to download and review the document then use the website to provide official feedback. The feedback period ends June 15th. The more reviewers we have, the better the final document will be.

Blaine blogged about this on 12 May 2014 at Announcing the Creation of Genetic Genealogy Standards.

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To cite this blog post:
Debbie Parker Wayne, "Standards for Genetic Genealogy," Deb's Delvings Blog, posted 29 May 2014 (http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/ : accessed [date]).

© 2014, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, CGL, All Rights Reserved

SCGS Jamboree streamed and recorded sessions

I won't be able to attend the Southern California Genealogical Society Jamboree this year, but I can see some exciting sessions from the comfort of my home without airport hassles and travel costs. Yay!

For details see the Jamboree Live Streaming Schedule.

These DNA Day sessions will be streamed, require a fee to view, and will be available for viewing for 30 days only (not a part of the general archive of sessions for members):

• CeCe Moore: "Real World Stories from the Desk of a Genealogy DNA Detective"
  
• Diahan Southard: "Lab Tour: How Your Data is Generated"
  
• Blaine Bettinger, PhD, JD: "Using Autosomal DNA to Explore Your Ancestry"
  
• Dr. Maurice Gleeson: "Which DNA is Best for You?"
  
• Tim Janzen, MD: "Advanced Techniques for Use of Autosomal DNA Tests to Break Through Genealogical Brick Walls"

These sessions will be streamed, are free to view, and many will be available for viewing (as part of the general archive of sessions for members) after the conference:

• Friday, June 6 - Four sessions 1:00pm to 6:30pm PDT
  
  • Judy G. Russell JD, CG, CGL - "Dowered or Bound Out: Records of Widows and Orphans"
    
  • Blaine Bettinger PhD, JD - "DNA and the Genealogical Proof Standard"
    
  • Paula Stuart-Warren, CG, FUGA - "Manuscript Finding Aids: Locating Migrating Family Records"
    
  • F. Warren Bittner, CG - "Proof Arguments: How and Why"
    

• Saturday, June 7 - Six sessions 8:30am to 6:00pm PDT
  
  • F. Warren Bittner, CG - "Elusive Immigrant!"
    
  • Judy G. Russell, JD, CG, CGL - "Staying out of Trouble: The Rights and Responsibilities of Today's Genealogist"
    
  • Michael Leclerc - "Researching Your New England Ancestors"
    
  • Bennett Greenspan - "The Future of Genetic Genealogy"
    
  • Dr. Maurice Gleeson - "Researching Your Irish Ancestry"
    
  • Cyndi Ingle - "The Internet: A Genealogist's Printing Press"
    

• Sunday, June 8 - Four sessions 8:30am to 3:30pm PDT
  
  • D. Joshua Taylor - "Resources of the DAR: Beyond Revolutionary War Soldiers"
    
  • Dawn Thurston - "How to Write a Personal History that Captures your Interesting Life"
    
  • Dr. Maurice Gleeson - "Ireland and the Slave Trade"
    
  • Denise Levenick - "Dirty Pictures: Save Your Family Photos from Ruin"
    

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To cite this blog post:
Debbie Parker Wayne, "SCGS Jamboree streamed and recorded sessions," Deb's Delvings Blog, posted 29 May 2014 (http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/ : accessed [date]).

© 2014, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, CGL, All Rights Reserved

MyHeritage offers free access to military records May 23-26

This Friday through Monday, May 23-26, MyHeritage will offer free access to U.S. military records in honor of our Memorial Day. MyHeritage is a subscription site offering access to record images and databases, family trees, and many other things useful to researchers. One of those useful features is a SmartMatch service. Randy Seaver of GeneaMusings discusses the feature here http://www.geneamusings.com/2014/05/looking-for-cousins-in-myheritage-smart.html and in many other posts you can find by searching his website for "myheritage."

Here is the announcement from MyHeritage:

In honor of Memorial Day, MyHeritage is offering FREE access to millions of US military records, which will be available to search from May 23 to May 26.

Military records are valuable resources that provide insight into the lives of those who have served in the armed forces, as well as their families. With these records, users can learn about their ancestors and honor their memory and service to their country.

Please see our special search page for the military collections that will be free over the Memorial Day weekend: www.myheritage.com/memorialday

The link is already live, but the collections will be free starting on Friday, May 23.

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To cite this blog post:
Debbie Parker Wayne, "MyHeritage offers free access to military records May 23-26," Deb's Delvings Blog, posted 19 May 2014 (http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/ : accessed [date]).

© 2014, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, CGL, All Rights Reserved