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Archiver > GENEALOGY-DNA > 2007-10 > 1191882827


From: Ms Renee Mee <>
Subject: Re: [DNA] 60 Minutes Genetic Genealogy Segment Up Next
Date: Mon, 8 Oct 2007 15:33:47 -0700 (PDT)


Do you have a link for the DNA-NEWBIE list

Renee

Researching Carvell,Collins,Crisp,Greenwood,Cuzner ,Mee,Pickford,Raison
http://members.shaw.ca/meecuzner/index.html







----- Original Message ----
From: "" <>
To:
Sent: Monday, October 8, 2007 2:30:23 PM
Subject: Re: [DNA] 60 Minutes Genetic Genealogy Segment Up Next


In a message dated 10/8/2007 6:38:57 A.M. Central Daylight Time,
writes:

I find that most people I've met who have purchased testing are much
like the Wests on the 60 Minutes segment. They are not statisticians
and do not know much about probability. We are not doing a very good
job of educating them in our discussions on this list. Perhaps that
is not the purpose of the list, but nevertheless, the average tested
individual doesn't find much help here or anywhere else that I've found.



Frankly, I would say the average test purchaser doesn't need to know much
about probability. . That being said, FTDNA and DNA Heritage have some
excellent tutorials and materials on their websites, and both companies -- if you
bother to email or call them up -- will help you understand your results. I
can't speak for the other companies, as I have not had much interaction with
them, and what little I have had has not been on this topic (help in
understanding results).

I may be one of the more "it's my job" Administrators in this respect, but I
do feel that it's part of my function to help my participants understand
their results and interpret and utilize them. Thus, among other cases, I have
patiently explained over half a dozen times to one participant who has a
highly suspected NPE (without knowing the names involved) that a 12 marker match
does NOT mean a particular surname IS the NPE. After 3 years, the participant
has finally upgraded to 37 markers (where, somewhat astonishingly, there are
still within GD=4 matches with 4 or 5 other surnames). So now I am
patiently explaining that even at 37, one cannot rule OUT the other surnames that
still match at that level, since the matches are still that close, but should go
to 67 markers.

I have dealt with almost hysterical participants who have 1 or 2 mismatches
with a known cousin and think that means they aren't related after all. I
have worked very hard at explaining to participants how to analyze their paper
trail looking for possible connections (eliminating all connection points
where the descendants are known, for instance). This has been my greatest
challenge since so many of them are still "direct line oriented" and either have
little information on siblings at each generation or have it "somwhere, like in
the wills and stuff" but have never actually built it into their trees (a
few are even reluctant to share that information for some reason.).

The DNA-NEWBIE list was created for the purpose of discussing these sorts of
things. I have always looked upon this list as one whose purpose is more to
help Administrators understand the technical aspects and the statistical
aspects, so that we can serve our participants in this way.

There are a few good books, such Ann Turner and Megan Smolenyak's, which
have been produced to help the average participant understand, and I readily
refer my participants to these. I also try to cover some technical aspects in
my Project Newsletters.

Short version: there is definitely help out there to be found.

Anne



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