Archival Notice
This is an archive page that is no longer being updated. It may contain outdated information and links may no longer function as originally intended.
Home | Glossary | Resources | Help | Contact Us | Course Map
Interpretation of genotypes is based on a pattern of peaks or bands, which are visual representations of DNA fragments. Laboratories use data compiled from validation studies to establish procedures for data analysis and interpretation. These validations studies provide data so that the laboratory can establish interpretation guidelines. The following are interpretation parameters that validation studies establish:
- Sensitivity
- Reproducibility
- Precision
- Heterozygosity
- Mixture assessment
Before analyzing and troubleshooting STR data, the analyst must understand the methods and the issues inherent to the analysis process. The ability to differentiate spurious peaks and artifacts from alleles is imperative.
Additional Online Courses
- What Every First Responding Officer Should Know About DNA Evidence
- Collecting DNA Evidence at Property Crime Scenes
- DNA – A Prosecutor’s Practice Notebook
- Crime Scene and DNA Basics
- Laboratory Safety Programs
- DNA Amplification
- Population Genetics and Statistics
- Non-STR DNA Markers: SNPs, Y-STRs, LCN and mtDNA
- Firearms Examiner Training
- Forensic DNA Education for Law Enforcement Decisionmakers
- What Every Investigator and Evidence Technician Should Know About DNA Evidence
- Principles of Forensic DNA for Officers of the Court
- Law 101: Legal Guide for the Forensic Expert
- Laboratory Orientation and Testing of Body Fluids and Tissues
- DNA Extraction and Quantitation
- STR Data Analysis and Interpretation
- Communication Skills, Report Writing, and Courtroom Testimony
- Español for Law Enforcement
- Amplified DNA Product Separation for Forensic Analysts