A method comprising (a) designing a synthetic double stranded nucleic acid tag having a length within the range between 400 bases and 100 kilobases whose nucleic acid sequence comprises a plurality of repeating units of a structure A-B-C, the synthetic nucleic acid tag having an overall structure represented by the formula: X i -[A-B-C] n -Y j, wherein the synthetic nucleic acid tag includes n repeats of the structure A-B-C wherein n is at least two, wherein A and C are each at least 8 bases in length, and are the same or different lengths, and wherein B comprises at least 8 bases, wherein B has a sequence designed to have zero probability of being present in the sample to be analyzed, wherein the synthetic nucleic acid tag includes i repeats of X, wherein the synthetic nucleic acid tag includes j repeats of Y, wherein X comprises or consists of at least one instance of C, or otherwise comprises or consists of a nucleic acid other than C, or a nucleic acid modification, wherein Y comprises or consists of at least one instance of A, or otherwise comprises or consists of a nucleic acid other than A, or a nucleic acid modification, and wherein i and j are integers independently selected from 0-100, (b) adding said tag to a nucleic acid sample, and (c) sequencing said nucleic acid sample containing said tag, and wherein: each of A and C comprises at least one primer landing pad sequence element in that a primer hybridized thereto can be extended, and further wherein A and C have nucleotide sequences that are compatible with one another in that oppositely directed primers can simultaneously hybridize to both of A and C so that an amplification product is generated by extension of the hybridized primers. (a) designing a synthetic double stranded nucleic acid tag having a length within the range between 400 bases and 100 kilobases whose nucleic acid sequence comprises a plurality of repeating units of a structure A-B-C, the synthetic nucleic acid tag having an overall structure represented by the formula: X i -[A-B-C] n -Y j, wherein the synthetic nucleic acid tag includes n repeats of the structure A-B-C wherein n is at least two, wherein A and C are each at least 8 bases in length, and are the same or different lengths, and wherein B comprises at least 8 bases, wherein B has a sequence designed to have zero probability of being present in the sample to be analyzed, wherein the synthetic nucleic acid tag includes i repeats of X, wherein the synthetic nucleic acid tag includes j repeats of Y, wherein X comprises or consists of at least one instance of C, or otherwise comprises or consists of a nucleic acid other than C, or a nucleic acid modification, wherein Y comprises or consists of at least one instance of A, or otherwise comprises or consists of a nucleic acid other than A, or a nucleic acid modification, and wherein i and j are integers independently selected from 0-100, wherein the synthetic nucleic acid tag includes n repeats of the structure A-B-C wherein n is at least two, wherein A and C are each at least 8 bases in length, and are the same or different lengths, and wherein B comprises at least 8 bases, wherein B has a sequence designed to have zero probability of being present in the sample to be analyzed, wherein the synthetic nucleic acid tag includes i repeats of X, wherein the synthetic nucleic acid tag includes j repeats of Y, wherein X comprises or consists of at least one instance of C, or otherwise comprises or consists of a nucleic acid other than C, or a nucleic acid modification, wherein Y comprises or consists of at least one instance of A, or otherwise comprises or consists of a nucleic acid other than A, or a nucleic acid modification, and wherein i and j are integers independently selected from 0-100, (b) adding said tag to a nucleic acid sample, and (c) sequencing said nucleic acid sample containing said tag, each of A and C comprises at least one primer landing pad sequence element in that a primer hybridized thereto can be extended, and further wherein A and C have nucleotide sequences that are compatible with one another in that oppositely directed primers can simultaneously hybridize to both of A and C so that an amplification product is generated by extension of the hybridized primers.