Instructions for Study Participants

We greatly appreciate your volunteering to donate a DNA sample for the SPRENKEL DNA study.  Collecting the DNA sample is easy and painless.  It is done using a q-tip like device to scrape some cells off the inside of your cheek.

If you are willing to pay the full cost of the test yourself, you can just go to:

http://www.familytreedna.com/surname_join.asp?code=X65552

 
That site has a form to fill out to order the test.  You should select the "Y-DNA -- Male 12 marker paternal test... $99 (Group)."  There is also a $2. shipping fee added for a total of $101.

If you are paying for your own test, and want to get the 25 marker test up front, you can select:  "Y-DNAPlus -- Male 25 marker paternal test... $169 (Group)" [$171 with shipping]

 
The site has a form to fill out and they will ship the test kit the next day.
 
If you would like the group to pay for all or part of the cost of the test, contact Margaret Sopp at mlsopp@ix.netcom.com and let her know that you want to go that route.  You will then go to the same web site and fill in the form and select "invoice."  We will then make the payment to FTDNA. We will need the invoice number and test kit number to include along with the payment. After you have filled in the form, we can get that information off the administrator's page at group web site.

There is one very important disclaimer for each sample donor:

 
"There is no guarantee that your line does not contain a "non-paternal event" (illegitimacy or adoption) somewhere between you and the immigrant.  The statistical estimate I have seen is that this happens about 5% of the time.  There is also the slight chance that there is an error in the genealogy.  All of these things could result in your DNA not matching the other Sprenkel DNA patterns.  Before you agree to participate, you need to be sure that you could accept this rare, but possible outcome.  If you would find this too upsetting, we recommend that you do not submit a sample for analysis.  This will all be kept strictly confidential.  No donors (or potential donors) will be named on the list, web site, or anywhere else."
 
Please confirm by email (to Ken McCrea at Ken@GermanNames.com) that you willing to accept the above mentioned possibility.
 
Again, we greatly appreciate you willingness to donate a DNA sample to the project.
 
Kenneth D. McCrea, Ph. D.
Sprenkel DNA Project Coordinator
Ken@GermanNames.com

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