Beginner Skills

DNA can be intimidating. We are here to help get you going down the right path. Just take one step at a time and you will get there before you know it. If you are just starting out, try focusing your energy on the following;

  • Visit the different testing companies and learn what they have to offer
  • Understand ethnicity percentages are just a prediction – a best guess
  • Discover your DNA cousin matches and correspond with them to find your common ancestor
  • Learn about shared matches or in-common-with cousins (ICW)
  • Learn what autosomal DNA is and what it can do for you
  • Explore what a centimorgan (cM) tells you about your cousins
  • Learn about the Y chromosome test and what it tells you
  • Learn about mitochondrial DNA (mt) testing and what you can learn from it

The links below will take you to some great resources for learning these skills.