SLIG Fall Virtual 2024: Introduction to Genetic Genealogy

Join Paul Woodbury, MEd, AG in his course during SLIG Fall Virtual 2024.

In this hands-on course, students will master the basics of genetic genealogy research through hands-on application in a variety of investigative contexts. They will create testing plans incorporating such elements as which individuals to test, the types of tests to take and the companies to be used. They will also evaluate chances of success and needs for additional testing for a research objective given a set of test results, develop research plans given a set of DNA test results, and learn to abide by genetic genealogy ethics and standards. Participants will practice basic interpretation of Y-DNA, mitochondrial DNA, X-DNA, and autosomal DNA evidence within the context of traditional document research and evaluation of Y-DNA and mtDNA.

Students will identify and evaluate likely relationships based on shared autosomal DNA and tree data, as well as explore possible sources of shared DNA for X-DNA matches. They will also interpret ethnicity reports for Y-DNA, mitochondrial DNA, and autosomal DNA test results and formulate estimates regarding ethnic origins of the first few generations of ancestry. Additional skills participants will gain will include performing modern research, creating “quick and dirty” trees in the pursuit of an objective, collaborating and corresponding with genetic cousins, correctly citing genetic genealogy sources, organizing research to enable discovery, evaluating which approaches and methodologies would be best to utilize in a given research case, and incorporating DNA evidence into genealogical proof arguments.

Students will receive written feedback on weekly homework assignments, in-class lab assistance, and a 15-minute DNA consultation to review a DNA goal, related results, and outline a research plan. (Consultations will be conducted outside of regular classroom hours by appointment.)

Other Instructors

• Angie Bush, MS
• Melissa A. Johnson, CG
• Gretchen Jorgensen
• Leah Larkin, PhD
• Dana Leeds
• Karen Stanbary, LCSW, AM, CG
• Tanner Blair Tolman, AG

This course will be held on Wednesdays from October 2 to 30, 2024 from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm MDT.

 View the complete course schedule here.

Registration for this course and other Fall Virtual 2024 courses opens at 12:00 pm MDT on Saturday, May 18, 2024.