Why am I participating in the DNA study? I hope that my explanation might persuade the STRONGs who still hesitate, to take the step of signing up. We need the participation of those who hesitate in this cooperative venture. Your results have great potential both for yourself and for us. EXPLANATION: We have only a certain amount of time, energy and resources we can spend on our researches. DNA results allow us to prioritise our efforts and direct them to areas which have the greatest chance of success. Many of us have pre-conceived notions of which branches of the STRONG family our own family is related to. Accordingly we have collected information about these branches, hoping to establish definite links at some later stage... using the usual rigorous genealogical standards of proof. What if we are wrong? We have wasted valuable time! Let's now use the information given on October 25, 2002, by Jim Hull, Hull Surname DNA Coordinator who gave an explanation of DNA procedure and FAQs to the STRONG mailing list. Let's CONSIDER A HYPOTHETICAL SITUATION. Suppose you have joined the DNA Survey and you obtain a result such as: (a) all 25 markers match with a hypothetical George W. STRONG with family from Tyrone. (b) no matches elsewhere You accordingly divert your energies from say Co. Donegal into the history of Co. Tyrone and links with George W.'s family, since there is a 50% probability that the Most Recent Common Ancestor (MRCA) shared by your family and George W.'s family is 7 generations OR less from the person who provided the sample. Here you make a detour from the certainties of genealogical proof to probabilities and statistics.... this may be the sticking point for some. As a biologist I never found the mathematics of statistics an easy study. You have a 50/50 chance. You have to hope for the favourable 50% in which the MRCA is less than 7, and acknowledge that the precise generation in which the MRCA connection is made is not given, just a range with a probability of 50%. I stress.... you continue with the same standards of proof for placing a person in a family tree.... the DNA data may give us a better idea of where to look. Let's suppose that you can only go back 5 generations to your g-g-g grandfather Cyril Stronge b. 1802. What do you do now? You now know with George W.'s information, that you are in with a chance to look for STRONGs in Co. Tyrone around 1800 at a mere 6 generations back... a distinctly possible MRCA within the 50% chance that the MRCA is less than 7? A better prospect than looking exclusively in County Donegal! AND THAT GIVES FOCUS TO YOUR RESEARCH EFFORTS, POTENTIALLY SAVING VALUABLE TIME AND MONEY! Why am I personally excited about the prospect of DNA results? My g-g-g grandfather was John STRONG of Drumbo, Co. Down, perhaps b. ~1775. I have recently found an American family who also claims a John STRONG of Drumbo around the same time. How many John STRONGs in that area at that time? If it was the same John STRONG, then he escaped to the USA and raised another family over there. As I write, I hope that a male STRONG of this USA family is using his DNA toothbrush and a match will be made with my family! DNA is surely a chance for a major breakthrough in our family history in our own life time! **Philip Strong**Email:plstrong@pnc.com.au**Blue Mountains, Australia** Interest:STRONG(E)s of Drumbo,Knocknagoney,Belfast Ireland early 1800's then New Zealand after 1875. See web site "STRONGs of Ulster,Ireland" http://www.pnc.com.au/~plstrong/ ---------------------------------------------------