Judy Russell in her blog, The Legal Genealogist, publishes an article every Sunday relating to DNA for genealogists. This past Sunday she posted an article on DNA Basics for a Sound Foundation. IN this article she outlines a number of basics that you need for a good genetic genealogy foundation. She starts out by saying:
“If we want to build a sturdy house, we have to have a sound foundation. It’s that sound foundation on which everything else is built: the walls, the floors, the roof all depend on having a sound foundation.So when we set out to build a house, we know we need a firm understanding of what’s essential to a sound foundation. We educate ourselves in the basics of construction before we set out to lay that foundation. We don’t put in the plumbing first. We don’t wire the house for electricity. We learn the craft and lay a sound foundation. Otherwise, we know, the first time the wind blows, the first time the rains come, our house is going to be in trouble. And so it is in genealogy: we have to have a sound foundation for our conclusions about relationships if we want them to be sturdy and stand the test of time.”
In her article she covers a number of steps, with links that will aid you in your DNA research. See the rest of her article here.