Question

I find the DNA comparison instructions incomprehensible. Please help.

Answer 1

Lisa, the DNA test named on your profile is an AncestryDNA autosomal test, not a mitochondrial test. The comparison instructions here may make more sense if you read about autosomal DNA. Also, Ancestry apparently doesn't show members the data in the form needed to make comparisons described here. Upload your DNA data to Gedmatch.com to compare with more people, in the manner described here.

Answer 2

I'm new to this as well so I'll share what I believe I understand and hopefully someone will correct anything that I've misstated.

From what I've found is that the only thing automatic is once you are connected to the main tree, your DNA results appear on each of your Ancestor's profiles it applies to (depending on the test that was taken... Y, mitochondrial, or autosomal). This helps people find your test and then they can use triangulation tools on sites such as GedMatch to prove that ancestor.

You'll find that most of the DNA matches that could be used to prove an ancestor match are not on WikiTree. You can invite them to add their data (you are no longer allowed to add it yourself... they have to have their own profile and add it themselves) or you can manually add the information on a profile in the source area. The instructions say to do this as follows:

Paternal relationship is confirmed with an AncestryDNA test match between [[Gulick-353|Sharon Bart]] and (match's initials), 1st Cousin, once removed. Predicted relationship reported by AncestryDNA: 2nd Cousins based on sharing 399 cM across 22 segments; Confidence: Extremely High. 

Edit: New Example

=== DNA === 
Paternal relationship is confirmed by an AncestryDNA test match between [[Whitten-1|Chris Whitten]] and his second cousin. Their MRCAs are their great grandparents, [[Bartlett-4|Hollis Bartlett Sr.]] and [[Storrs-2|May Storrs]]. Predicted relationship from AncestryDNA: 2nd Cousins, based on sharing 150.3 cM across 9 segments; Confidence: Extremely High.


You can manually change a record to "DNA confirmed" and that indicates that a person has proven to child of the parent via DNA. You wouldn't mark the parent until they can be proven to be the child of their parents. (I was confusing this with the parent/child status). You also need to have sourced documentation from each test taker to the MRCA (Most Recent Common Ancestor).

If you haven't found this information, it's been helpful: 
https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Help:DNA_Confirmation

Updated based on comments below.

Comments

Sharon, Those DNA Confirmation instructions have been updated recently. We're no longer using initials of a match with no profile on WikiTree, just how the two test takers are related to one another.. And you also need to include in the confirmation statement the MRCAs of the two test takers and how each of the test takers is related to the MRCAs.

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Wow, ok, glad I didn't get to them like I wanted or I'd have to fix them for a third time. So I don't see where it addresses if they aren't a member on WikiTree. How is that handled? I read very recently that we weren't supposed to list names anymore, just initials. So do we list the username, use initials, or leave it blank?

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Sharon, I recommend that you read the examples given on the DNA Confirmation Help page to see how a statement can be written without user names or initials. As I explained, you need to explain how the test takers are related to one another, and how each is related to their MRCAs. If you'll send me a private message with details about a specific match, I'd be glad to help you with the wording.

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I found it at this link:
https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Help:DNA_Confirmation#What_do_I_need_to_mark_a_relationship_as_Confirmed_with_DNA.3F
It's very confusing because it looks identical to the previous page and it just looks like the link doesn't work. Can someone make the page headings unique so you know you are somewhere different?

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Sharon, That is the same page. The 'What do I need...' section is just part way down the page.

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They are actually not the same page, that's why I am saying it needs to be edited so people don't think it is and overlook it. Most will, the screen doesn't even look like it changes but the URL is different. One version shows examples if the DNA match is on WikiTree and the other version is if they are NOT on WikiTree.

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Anyway, thanks for pointing that out. I wouldn't have known about the change and I was just about to add some more. Saved me some work going back.

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Sharon, All of those instructions refer to the same situations. If the matches are both on WikiTree, they should both be named in the confirmation statement. If one of the matches is not on WikiTree or has a WikiTree profile with a privacy level that does not allow their information to be displayed, then non-public personal information for living people should not be included in the DNA confirmation statement.

The reason that you are seeing two different URLs is because one URL takes you to the top of the page, and one URL takes you to a header part way down the same page.

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I'm clearly losing my marbles :) I did hard coding html for years with lots of target links and I didn't catch that... it further threw me off because the Ancestry Example doesn't include the profile link to the other person and the 23andMe Example did.

Then I would like to suggest that each link under each testing category be changed from "See the General Confirmation Instructions here." to "Follow the General Confirmation Instructions above." It would make more sense as to what's happening.

It also would be easy to show an example for each scenario with profile and without.

Here is an example of what to add to the biography, just above the == Sources == section, of each profile with a person’s parent(s) marked "confirmed with DNA" using AncestryDNA when BOTH test takers have profiles on WikiTree:

=== DNA === 
Maternal relationship is confirmed by a 23andMe test match between [[Whitten-1|Chris Whitten]] and [[Nally-4|Rebecca (Nally) Syphers]], first cousins once removed. Their MRCAs are [[Bartlett-4|Hollis Bartlett Sr.]] and [[Storrs-2|May Storrs]], the great grandparents of [[Whitten-1|Chris Whitten]] and grandparents of [[Nally-4|Rebecca (Nally) Syphers]]. Predicted relationship from 23andMe: First to Second Cousin, based on sharing 498 cM across 21 segments

Here is an example of what to add to the biography, just above the == Sources == section, of each profile with a person’s parent(s) marked "confirmed with DNA" using AncestryDNA when ONLY ONE test taker has a profile on WikiTree:

=== DNA === 
Maternal relationship is confirmed by a 23andMe test match between [[Whitten-1|Chris Whitten]] and his first cousin once removed. Their MRCAs are [[Bartlett-4|Hollis Bartlett Sr.]] and [[Storrs-2|May Storrs]], the great grandparents of [[Whitten-1|Chris Whitten]] and grandparents of his first cousin once removed. Predicted relationship from AncestryDNA: 2nd Cousins, based on sharing 498 cM across 21 segments; Confidence: Extremely High.

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Thanks for your suggestions, Sharon! Those instructions are new and it's great to have feedback on what might be confusing.