While advances in DNA testing are exciting and useful, there are real limitations. DNA does not hold all of the answers for everyone. Nevertheless, it plays an important role for many who are searching for family, or those simply hoping to learn more about themselves and their genetics. In some cases, DNA testing has helped people discover unknown medical risks, which is invaluable in situations where little or no family health history is available.

When incorporating DNA into a genealogical search, the chances of success depend on a variety of factors. At a basic level, people biologically related to you will have to take a DNA test and share the results on the same service or platform you choose to test. After that you will need to use the tools available for DNA analysis allowing you to understand the results to their fullest.

Each DNA testing company provides its own set of tools you can use for making sense of your DNA matches, and these tools change over time. Some are extensive, some may seem overly simplistic, and some seem like they are the same from one company to the next but have small differences that can make a difference to a search. This course will help you determine what tools are best for you and when to use them.