A method of generating amplified nucleic acid from RNA comprising: a) exposing an RNA template sequence to a set of primers under reverse transcription conditions such that a mixed population of cDNA first strands are generated, wherein said set of primers comprises individual primers each comprising: i) a 5' restriction sequence site, ii) a 3' random hexamer sequence, and iii) a barcode sequence located between the 5' restriction sequence site and the 3' random hexamer sequence, wherein said 5' restriction sequence site in each of said individual primers is identical and wherein said set of primers comprises every or nearly every possible random hexamer sequence, and wherein each of said cDNA first strands have one of said individual primers at its 5' terminus; b) exposing said mixed population of cDNA first strands to said set of primers under polymerization conditions such that a mixed population of double-stranded cDNA molecules is generated, c) digesting said mixed population of double-stranded cDNA molecules with a restriction enzyme specific for said 5' restriction sequence site, d) treating said mixed population of double-stranded cDNA molecules with a ligating agent such that individual double-stranded cDNA molecules are ligated to each other to form a mixed population of concatamers; e) exposing said mixed population of concatamers to random primers under whole genome amplification conditions such that amplified nucleic acid is generated; f) at least partially digesting said amplified nucleic acid with the same restriction enzyme specific for said 5' restriction sequence site thereby generating a plurality of digested sequences; and g) ligating sequencing adapter sequences to the ends of said plurality of digested sequences to generate a mixed population of adapter-ligated sequencing templates, wherein said sequencing adapter sequences contain a restriction enzyme site that is identical to the 5' restriction sequence site in the set of primers. a) exposing an RNA template sequence to a set of primers under reverse transcription conditions such that a mixed population of cDNA first strands are generated, wherein said set of primers comprises individual primers each comprising: i) a 5' restriction sequence site, ii) a 3' random hexamer sequence, and iii) a barcode sequence located between the 5' restriction sequence site and the 3' random hexamer sequence, wherein said 5' restriction sequence site in each of said individual primers is identical and wherein said set of primers comprises every or nearly every possible random hexamer sequence, and wherein each of said cDNA first strands have one of said individual primers at its 5' terminus; b) exposing said mixed population of cDNA first strands to said set of primers under polymerization conditions such that a mixed population of double-stranded cDNA molecules is generated, c) digesting said mixed population of double-stranded cDNA molecules with a restriction enzyme specific for said 5' restriction sequence site, d) treating said mixed population of double-stranded cDNA molecules with a ligating agent such that individual double-stranded cDNA molecules are ligated to each other to form a mixed population of concatamers; e) exposing said mixed population of concatamers to random primers under whole genome amplification conditions such that amplified nucleic acid is generated; f) at least partially digesting said amplified nucleic acid with the same restriction enzyme specific for said 5' restriction sequence site thereby generating a plurality of digested sequences; and g) ligating sequencing adapter sequences to the ends of said plurality of digested sequences to generate a mixed population of adapter-ligated sequencing templates, wherein said sequencing adapter sequences contain a restriction enzyme site that is identical to the 5' restriction sequence site in the set of primers.