"Genetic Genealogy in Practice" is HERE!

Added 30 September 2016: Latest updates and order information available at http://debbiewayne.com/ggip/index.php.


Finally!! The National Genealogical Society (NGS) announces Genetic Genealogy in Practice is available. A "Learn more" information link at http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/home leads to the order page which is now working.

I am so excited!

I hope this book helps genealogists use DNA to solve genealogical problems as much as we believe it will. This is the book I wish I had when I started learning genetic genealogy.

Bettinger, Blaine T. and Debbie Parker Wayne. Genetic Genealogy in Practice. Arlington, Va.: National Genealogical Society, 2016.

Working with Blaine T. Bettinger was a fantastic experience. It was amazing how often we agreed on exactly how to handle each topic and unanticipated event during the writing, editing, and production process. Being in agreement with Blaine always boosts my confidence level in a conclusion. Each of us wrote some chapters then we passed the chapters back and forth making changes until we were both happy with the end-product. We had well-known genetic genealogists review the text and exercises then worked with a fabulous editor. The analysis techniques and methodology in the book should remain valid for a long time. Only a few items may change in the near future, such as when one of the testing companies changes their match algorithms or thresholds. The basic techniques will remain valid by incorporating any modified information.

We worked diligently to include all of the information needed to get started with genetic genealogy, expand your knowledge beyond the beginner level, and test your understanding using exercises based on real-life cases. The answers are in the back of the book along with an explanation of the reasoning leading to that answer. We integrate the genetic analysis with genealogical analysis. Some of the information is beginner level, some is more difficult to challenge intermediate and advanced practitioners. Some concepts have not been written about much until now.


You can learn more about the book and the process from our interview with Jane Wilcox of the "forget-me-not hour" podcast.

My initial post announcing the book: New Book Coming Soon: Genetic Genealogy in Practice. This post contains a list of topics covered in the book.

See Blaine's posts: Announcing “Genetic Genealogy in Practice” – A New Book Providing Genealogists with the Skills to Understand and Apply DNA.

See the initial NGS announcement at COMING SOON from NGS -- Genetic Genealogy in Practice #NGS2016GEN.



Edited 9 September 2016: order link is now working. Removed note that there was an issue with the link on 6 September.

Added 12 September 2016: For a list of chapter titles and topics see 'Genetic Genealogy in Practice' topics and sub-topics.

Edited 14 September 2016: changed publisher place to Va.

---

To cite this blog post:
Debbie Parker Wayne, "Genetic Genealogy in Practice is HERE!," Deb's Delvings, 2 September 2016 (http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/ : accessed [date]).

© 2016, Debbie Parker Wayne, Certified Genealogist®, All Rights Reserved

Harold Henderson on Writing

I just read a great article with tips on writing your genealogical research from Harold Henderson titled Why We Don't Write, and How We Can.

There is a lot of good info in the article. I especially like the comparison to buffalo hunters and Harold's "Three Ps of Genealogy:"

Prove our conclusions
Propagate our findings
Preserve our information

In addition to his articles at Archives.com, check out Harold's writings at Midwestern Microhistory: A Genealogy Blog. This is one of my must-read blogs.

---

To cite this blog post:
Debbie Parker Wayne, "Harold Henderson on Writing," Deb's Delvings Blog, posted 22 December 2012 (http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/ : accessed [date]).

© 2012, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, All Rights Reserved

Free Webinars from APG on Story-writing and Project Management

The Association of Professional Genealogists (APG) is offering free webinars that will be of interest to all genealogists, not just those who offer professional services. Whether we do our own research or do research for others we need to know how to manage our projects efficiently; the more efficient we are, the more research we can accomplish. And don't we all need to get better at story-telling so we can entice our families with something beyond the begats?

Anyone can register for the live webinars offered by APG. The recorded versions of the webinars will be placed on the Members Only area of the APG website. This works out well for me as I have meeting commitments during both of the live presentations. This is the announcement from APG:

Don’t Neglect the Stories: Add Story-writing to Your Professional Services
Saturday, March 3, 2012 — 2:00p.m. Eastern
Presented by Mary Penner

You’ve finished the client’s research and written a concise, fact-based report. Case closed, right? Not so fast. What about the stories you uncovered? What about those tantalizing tidbits that point to colorful characters and unusual events? Your clients may not ask for a written story, but, often, that’s what they really want from your diligent research efforts. They want to embrace the stories that their ancestors neglected to pass down to them. Join APG member Mary Penner as she offers tips on developing a writer’s instinct for story. She’ll address the differences between a genealogical narrative and a genealogical story, how to spot story-worthy events and characters, how to research a story, how to write a lively story, and how to earn additional income from story-writing.
Reserve your Webinar seat now at: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/313600945


Juggling Complex Projects While Staying on Track
Tuesday, March 27, 2012 — 8:30p.m. Eastern
Presented by J. Mark Lowe, CG

Learn to manage multiple projects without derailing the research in this engaging presentation by professional genealogist J. Mark Lowe. Discover the techniques & skills needed by every professional to keep your clients on board. This will include time planning, scheduling, and decision-making tools.
Reserve your Webinar seat now at: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/699959320

System Requirements:
PC-based attendees
Required: Windows® 7, Vista, XP or 2003 Server

Macintosh®-based attendees:
Required: Mac OS® X 10.5 or newer

© 2012, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, All Rights Reserved

Proof Reading: It's Never Enough

I recently finished an essay for a big project. Several times during the months I worked on the essay, I printed it and carefully proof read. I know I find more errors in print than on a computer screen. At the end, I let the essay sit for a week then proof read it again. As expected, I found more errors and corrected them. I read the narrative out loud and corrected more errors.

I submitted the essay thinking I had done due diligence on proof reading. Of course, days after submission I found more errors in the essay. Not just typos, but I left the name of the state off of a census citation. One citation used the name of the city where a person lived at the time of death instead of the name of the state capitol where the death record is archived. There were other errors I don't want to admit to in public.

I need more proof reading tricks. Letting someone else read an essay is a great way to find typos and sentences that need to be reworded. Because my essay was essentially a test, I could not ask one of my friends to proof read it for me. I learned one week is not enough cooling-off time for a project I have been working on intensely for months and years. I need to let the essay sit longer before the final reading. Next time I will read the citations out loud as well as the narrative. Another proof reading tip is to read your essay backwards. My mind balks at reading backwards. I think I am going to have to practice this.

If you need a demonstration of how your mind "fills in" what it wants to see check out eChalk optical illusions. Scroll down to "Jumbled Words" and click on it. You may be surprised at how your mind works as you read the paragraph. This is a great demonstration of why proof reading is so important.

© 2010, Debbie Parker Wayne, All Rights Reserved