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RootsTech 2022 - sessions to start with
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RootsTech 2022 - sessions to start with

There are over 1500 sessions in all that will be available for free all year. Below is a listing of some sessions to start with. I’ve grouped them into sections and in a viewing order that may be helpful to follow.

First, some things to remember as you search for and watch the sessions:

  1. Take notes! Writing something down with a pen and paper (or even stylus/tablet) puts the information into long-term memory. So you’re not taking notes because you’re going to be quizzed later. It simply helps you retain the information.
  2. Put it into practice. Take a break between videos and jump over to your matches or records in your tree. Try out triangulation or DNA painter tools, or converting a paper document to digital pdf, etc.
  3. Take your time going through them. These sessions will be available to watch for a full year.  Come back and re-watch to pick up items you may have missed.
  4. Look at the series page to see if there are more videos in the series.
  5. Read the description to see if there is a precursor or companion video you should watch.
  6. Download and view any accompanying materials (i.e. syllabus, presentation slides, etc).
  7. These are pre-recorded sessions. But listen for ways you can contact the presenters if you have follow-up questions. They may tell you to look for them in the virtual expo hall, the chat sessions, or even contact them via their public website or social media profiles.
  8. Watch different presenters even if they cover the same topic. You’ll see different ways of doing the same methods. They’ll present the information with different visuals and analogies to help you learn the concepts.
  9. Look for the RootsTech presenters on Youtube or other sites. RootsTech sessions are purposely brief and cover the basics. Once you’ve grasped the basics, look to see if there are more in-depth learnings.
  10. Don’t forget to use both the written guides and videos available on all of the sites where you research and manage your tests and matches. Those sites offer in-depth learning tools.

Organizing your research:

2021 (3 part session) that is a precursor to the 2022 sessions listed below:

This class will help you understand the basic elements of good genealogy organization and what they may look like in practice. Simple steps to organize your research. This class will help you understand the basic elements of good genealogy organization and what they may look like in practice.

  1. Creating YOUR Organizational System Part 1 of 3 - Savannah Larson
  2. Creating YOUR Organizational System: Organizing Digital Documents, Part 2 of 3 - Savannah Larson
  3. Creating YOUR Organizational System: Organizing Paper Documents Part 3 of 3 - Savannah Larson

Link to 2022 Sessions (3 in the series):

Builds on the 2021 class, Creating YOUR Organizational System. Three-part series discusses how to organize charts and store information for your trickiest families. Whether documenting adoptions, unknown parentage, unexpected DNA results, or other, this class will gives tools needed to create a sustainable system for your tricky tree.

1. Tricky Family Trees: Creating a More Inclusive Organizational System for your Research - Savannah Larson

Part one - the essentials of a good genealogy organizational system. How to visualize what you define as family and help you set the scope for your research and organization.

2. Tricky Family Trees: Creating a More Inclusive Organizational System for your Research - Savannah Larson

Part two - the difference between categories and containers. Examples and limitations of different types of containers. Also file organization, numbering and naming.

3. Tricky Family Trees: Creating a More Inclusive Organizational System for your Research - Savannah Larson

Part three - how to be mindful about maintaining your genealogy research and organization. Questions to ponder as you seek to create a sustainable system.

African American or Southern specific sessions:

So What? Analyze an Obituary with Shelley and Toni, Part 1 - Toni Carrier & Shelley Viola Murphy    Part 1    |    Part 2

Learn about Dr. Shelley Viola Murphey’s So What? principle for analyzing the obituary to get the most out of the information it contains. Dr. Shelley Viola Murphey shows you what information is contained in a death notice or obituary and introduces you to her So What? method for analyzing a record. In the example, they used a 1969 obituary to reveal the former slaveholders of the deceased’s ancestors. Who would have thought a record made in 1969 would break through the 1870 Brick Wall, one of the most challenging aspects of African American genealogy research? Come see how it unfolds!

Research Strategies in the Southern United States 2 parts in the series - Research in the Southern United States has its challenges but also its advantages. The problems of record loss, constant migration, rural areas, illiteracy, and lack of records keep many from researching their families. Learn strategies for success in this intermediate class.

African American Research in Virginia to 1865 - 3 videos in the series This session will provide an overview of laws pertaining to African Americans in Virginia through 1865 with an emphasis on events that impacted recordkeeping. And suggestions for how to determine if an individual was free or enslaved because that information will determine one's research path.

African American Genealogy Research Tips - FamilyTreeDNA FamilyTreeDNA Group Projects team member Sherman McRae, who has located documentation of some of his enslaved ancestors, discusses researching African American genealogy.

USCT Pension Files: A Rich Resource for African American Genealogy In Part 1, Bernice Alexander Bennett shows you what information is contained in a USCT pension file, shows you how to analyze that file, and discusses some of the challenges formerly enslaved people faced when trying to prove their claim to receive a pension for their service in the United States Colored Troops. In Part 2, Toni Carrier shows you where and how to find important record sets for documenting your USCT veteran ancestor’s life before, during, and after the U.S. Civil War.

African-American Family History Made Easier (several mini sessions, link takes you to series page).

Discovering African Ancestry through DNA - This series includes a few fascinating classes from beginner to advanced level for those seeking to learn more on how to trace their African ancestry using DNA.

Beginner to Intermediate DNA:

The Case for DNA Part 1: Are you considering DNA testing for genealogy but don't know where to start? Watch this presentation to learn about the different testing companies and the types of testing that can help you in your genealogy research! Part 2: The presenter shares real-life examples of how DNA testing has been used to answer questions of parentage and to reveal previously unknown genetic connections. The theme "DNA doesn't lie" is proven in this enlightening segment.

The Basics of Genetic Genealogy In this series we discuss autosomal, Y-DNA and mtDNA research for genealogy, what can be learned from testing, what is tested, who can test, and what haplogroups are.

How to Analyze a DNA Match - Robin Wirthlin Learn about DNA match lists, and how to use the information to understand and analyze relationships with your DNA matches. Learn tips from a professional genealogist and Research Like a Pro with DNA instructor, Robin Wirthlin.

Why Don't I Match My Match's Matches? -  Kimberly Brown This video will help you understand why you may not be a DNA match with your match's DNA matches. Learn how you can use triangulation to identify which ancestors you and your DNA matches have in common and which websites have useful tools to help you organize and analyze your DNA matches.

DNA Basics Part I Centimorgans and Family Relationships - Origins International, Inc. dba Origins Genealogy Tips and tricks to understanding DNA basics, DNA matches, genetic genealogy, autosomal DNA (atDNA), centimorgans and family relationships.

DNA Basics Part II Clustering and Connecting Your DNA Matches - Origins International, Inc. dba Origins Genealogy Tips and tricks to understanding DNA basics, DNA matches, genetic genealogy, autosomal DNA (atDNA), and how to use clustering to connect your DNA matches.

Grouping DNA Matches - Beth Taylor The process of clustering or grouping your DNA matches into genetic networks is an essential part of using DNA for genealogy research. This class will introduce the concept of clustering and walk you through the process of grouping your own DNA matches.

Using DNA to Find Unknown Relatives - Beth Taylor Introduces the process of using DNA to find unknown parent/grandparent.

Tracing Ancestral Lines in the 1700s Using DNA Many of us are faced with genealogical brick walls involving ancestors who lived in the 1700s or early 1800s. This presentation will introduce you to the basic concepts of how to use DNA analysis to solve genealogical research questions involving ancestors who lived in the 1700s.

DNA Painter - other tools on the site:

Using the Shared cM Project Tool to Evaluate DNA Matches - DNA Painter Learn to use the Shared cM tool at DNA Painter.

Advanced Features in your Ancestral Tree and Fan Chart - DNA Painter Find out how to add Y-chromosome (YDNA) and Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplogroups to your ancestral tree at DNA Painter

DNA Painter - painting segments:

DNA Painter Introduction- DNA Painter A brief introduction to DNA Painter.

Your First Chromosome Map: Using your DNA Matches to Link Segments to Ancestors - DNA Painter Are you interested in chromosome mapping but unsure of how to start? In this presentation, Jonny Perl will talk through the basics of setting up a new map at DNA Painter, along with some possible first steps towards populating it.

DNA Painter Part 1: Introduction - Tanner Blair Tolman. DNA Painter is a great website to help you map out your DNA and assign segments to ancestors.

DNA Painter Part 2: Chromosome Mapping - Tanner Blair Tolman Chromosome mapping is the bread & butter of DNA painter. Learn how to import segments from 23andme, FtDNA, MyHeritage, and GedMatch to map your DNA to specific ancestors.

DNA Painter Part 3: The Inferred Segment Generator - Tanner Blair Tolman The inferred segment generator is a powerful tool to help you map out your DNA. Not only can you paint the segments you share with a match but you can also use segments that your parents and siblings share with the match to infer further segments about your own DNA.

DNA Painter Part 4: The Distinct Segment Generator - Tanner Blair Tolman The distinct segment condenses segments. This helps create better and more polished versions of your chromosome maps when you are finished and it also helps you determine how much DNA the previous generation would have shared with a match.

DNA Painter and Visual Phasing - Tanner Blair Tolman DNA Painter is a great way to help create and share maps of your DNA based on your visual phasing. Doing both at the same time can be a faster and easier way to map out your DNA.

Common Problems When Doing Visual Phasing - Tanner Blair Tolman Sometimes doing visual phasing is straight forward. Other times siblings can have recombinations in the same or nearly the same spot. This video helps demonstrate how to identify and fix those problems.

yDNA:

Y-DNA: Haplotree and SNPs Page Overview - FamilyTreeDNA In your Y-DNA results, your position on the paternal tree of humankind is shown on the Y-haplotree. This demo looks at the haplotree and SNPs page, which illustrates your position and shows SNP tests you've taken.

Y-DNA: Review of Matches Page - FamilyTreeDNA Learn how to navigate the Detail View of your FamilyTreeDNA Y-DNA matches page. Choose from a variety of filter and sorting arrangements to better utilize your Y-DNA test results.

Y-DNA Big Y: A Lifetime Analysis - FamilyTreeDNA FamilyTreeDNA's Big Y-700 Y-DNA test records your Y chromosomal data. Learn how this sequenced test may continue to provide you with information as more testers enter the database and how your haplogroup can change over time.

Part 1: How to Interpret Y-DNA Results, A Walk Through the Big Y - FamilyTreeDNA

Learn how to read your Big Y DNA test results with FamilyTreeDNA Group Projects team member and Big Y specialist, Casimir Roman. In this video, Casimir explains how to look at your Big Y-700 results, with emphasis on the block tree, Y-DNA matches and time to most recent common ancestors.

Part 2: How to Interpret Y-DNA Results, A Walk Through the Big Y - FamilyTreeDNA

Learn how to read your Big Y DNA test results with FamilyTreeDNA Group Projects team member and Big Y specialist, Casimir Roman. In this video, Casimir explains how to look at your Big Y-700 results, with emphasis on the block tree, Y-DNA matches and time to most recent common ancestors.

Ancestry.com specific:

AncestryDNA® 101: Beginner's Guide to AncestryDNA® | Ancestry® - Ancestry Learn how to get started with AncestryDNA® with the help of Ancestry Expert, Lisa Elzey. April 1, 2021

AncestryDNA® 102: How to Use AncestryDNA® Matches to Make Family History Discoveries - Ancestry Learn new tips for using AncestryDNA® matches to make Family History discoveries with Ancestry Expert, Kelly Becker. April 1, 2021

Ancestry full series link. Includes:

FamilyTreeDNA specific:

DNA Upload: How to Transfer Your Autosomal DNA Data - FamilyTreeDNA

If you have tested autosomal DNA at a company other than FamilyTreeDNA, you may be able to transfer your raw data to our database. Here's a brief look at the process.

https://www.familysearch.org/rootstech/session/dna-upload-how-to-transfer-your-autosomal-dna-data

FamilyTreeDNA: 22 Years of Breaking Down Brick Walls - FamilyTreeDNA - As we enter 2022, we can’t help but reflect on FamilyTreeDNA’s long history since its inception in 2000. Join us as we share the story of how FamilyTreeDNA started, our recent milestones, and what we are most looking forward to in the future. Hear from some of our most valued customers as they share how they have used our DNA tests to break down their own brick walls. It’s been an exciting journey to get to where we are, and we are excited to share a bit of that with you.

https://www.familysearch.org/rootstech/session/familytreedna-22-years-of-breaking-down-brick-walls