DefinitionThe "members" of the project are those who volunteer their data to it. They are typically people who have had their DNA tested by Familytree DNA. Once they use the FTDNA project joining mechanism, their data is normally published using the standard FTDNA publication system at their site: Members can leave the project but they should be aware that as their data has been openly published, it is possible that copies of data will persist elsewhere even if it is no longer available above. Indeed, if your data is available through another published project it may also be encorporated into 3rd party analysis. GradingIf the analysis of this data is to mean anything, the data itself must be of high quality. To that end, the project has traditionally refused membership to those who do not have a proven East Anglian heritage along their purely paternal (Y-DNA) and/or maternal (mtDNA) lines, i.e. the two outer edges of a family tree. However, this threshold of proof may represent a hurdle to those who have good reason to suspect an EA heritage but who cannot demonstrate it, perhaps through lack of resources or where records do not exist. Their data may be useful nonetheless as long as it is identified as speculative. There is also a third category for those who have significant genetic matches to those who have proven links, but otherwise have no demonstrable links to the region.
Joining
Please remember that men can take the Y-DNA and mtDNA tests. Women do not have Y-chromosomes so they can only take the mtDNA test. You should only take tests that you can afford. It is usually possible to upgrade from lower tests to higher tests at a later date although this might cost more in the long-run. |