atDNA from AncestryDNA

By Anonymous on Wed, 02/07/2018 - 13:35

Forums

I have read the various forum entries regarding citing atDNA results as well as 4.10 from EE, "Citing Genetic Sources for History Research Evidence Style," and the QuickLesson 21.  Based on all of those it seems it is less complicated than anticipated. 

I want to cite a "match" from a particular test taker's results.  This is what I have come up with. Is it correct?

Ancestry, AncestryDNA (http:www.ancestry.com/dna : accessed 1 Feb 2018), access restricted, results for JoLynda Gray Wilson, "Robert [name deleted], 278 cMs, 2C-3C."

Thanks in advance for any insight or correction.

Jo Arnspiger

 

 

Submitted byEEon Thu, 02/08/2018 - 09:56

Jo, have you seen our QuickSheet Citing Genetic Sources for History Research? 

EE offers several basic examples for genetic reports (EE 4.10), but even a book of 892 pages can't cover everything—especially in the field of genetics where a single company offers different tools, each with their own reports that differ in format, content, and other essentials. 

For the AncestryDNA results you are reporting, we also need to consider whether you are citing data from an Ancestry DNA Circle or from a tree-linked prediction that is outside of a circle.

Incidentally, one tweak can be made to your draft above that will streamline many of your citations going forward. When a website's name is eponymous—the same as the name of the website creator—we don't have to identify the entity/person in the creator field, as well as the title field, and then yet again in the URL. Citing the title of the website and the URL are sufficient.

Submitted byjarnspigeron Fri, 02/09/2018 - 22:57

Dear EE: I am citing  from a tree-linked prediction that is outside of a circle.  Thanks so much also for the clue re creator name and website name being the same and no need to state the name twice. 

Jo

Submitted byEEon Sat, 02/10/2018 - 10:57

Jo, as a starting point for an Ancestry DNA citation, you've suggested:

AncestryDNA (http:www.ancestry.com/dna : accessed 1 Feb 2018), access restricted, results for JoLynda Gray Wilson, "Robert [name deleted], 278 cMs, 2C-3C."

You also state that it is a tree-linked prediction. Against that background, we need to think about two things:

What purpose does a citation have?

  • We cite sources so that we or someone else can relocate our information and/or re-perform our research.
  • We cite sources so that we can evaluate the validity of the information as evidence for the point we are trying to make.

What is the purpose for which we are citing this genetic data?

  • A genetic kinship? If our purpose is merely to show that JoLynda Gray Wilson and somebody named Robert share 278 centimorgans and are likely second to third cousins, then your citation suffices.
  • A genealogical relationship? If we are using this to propose how  JoLynda and Robert are related—that both are descendants of a specific person or a specific family—then the citation is not adequate because it does not address the validity of the genealogical assertions.

Our QuickSheet: Citing Genetic Sources for History Research, Evidence Style offers this suggestion for citing Ancestry’s tree-based predictions outside of a DNA Circle:

1.       “Ancestry DNA Results for John Shew Grimsley,” database report, AncestryDNA (http://dna.ancestry.com : accessed 1 April 2015), prediction 3rd-to-4th cousin genetic match with user “MC227” at 98% confidence. “MC227” (Mac Christopher) identifies his grandfather as Albert Grimley (1921–2009); no kinship to Mac or Albert has been proved.

In this model, the first sentence addresses Ancestry’s genetic data. The second sentence addresses the relevant genealogical claim and the evidence that underpins it.