Q. Is it expensive?

A. The 25 marker test from FamilyTreeDNA.com costs $169. Go to the application page to learn how to apply.

Q. Is the 25 marker test the one I should get?
A. To participate in the St. Clair Research project, you must complete at least 25 markers. But these days we recommend the 37-marker to start.

Q . I'm a conspiracy theorist. Should I worry about my DNA getting into the wrong hands?
A.  This form of DNA testing is not useful for anything other than genealogy comparison.

Q. What if I want to participate and give you my DNA results but want to keep my identity private?
A.  That works for us. We may want to list the country your line is from, but nothing more if you so desire.

Q. Who are you people? Do you make money at this?
A.  We are Steve St. Clair of New Jersey, Stan St. Clair of Tennessee, Iain Laird of Scotland, Mark Sinclair Staveley of Canada, and the 140 or so participants exploring the questions of our ancestry. We make no money whatsoever at this project. In fact, we lose money on it. It costs money to keep websites hosted on the internet.  It costs money to send out letters.  But it's an awful lot of fun figuring out the real history of our family.

Q. What happens with my results?
A.  If you'll look around the links to the left, you'll see a lot of information. You'll get a private page on FTDNA's         website which you can use any way you want. We'd like to display your results behind a very secure
    password on this website at the "Shortcut to Results" link at the left. Only others in the project plus trusted
    researchers from other families with whom we're interested in working, and the rare consultant I approach to
    help me intepret results.
 
Q.   I just want to do the 12-marker test.
A.   This is not the right DNA project for your goals. There are many different kinds of projects.
       Ours exists to study certain relationships that can only be revealed by taking the
       25 or 37-marker test.

Q.   What if I read conflicting information on Sinclair Yahoo user groups?
A.   DNA , like all aspects of genealogy, is open to some debate. However, it's usually very easy
      to spot the people who are attempting to bend the truth to prove they connect to some mythic
      lineage or famous person. The one you'll see most often in our family is a claim to connect to
      the Earldom Lineage. If you see it, let me know. The other thing you'll see from some people
      is a claim that their DNA mutates faster than other mere mortals.  My way of handling this
      is very simple - demand they show their proof. If they don't have it, or if it's full of holes and
      wishful thinking, they're working with dreams, not science. 

      The key for you, the reader, is to look for signs of wishful thinking. Have they formed their conclusion
      before they have any data?  This is not even close to scientific method. Scientists form
      hypothesis then let the data lead where it may. 

     At the end of the day, you the reader will have to form your own opinions. I always err on the side
     of caution, giving the DNA scientists out there time to work things out before I report on it at this website.

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