Basic skills are important, such as computer literacy a sound logical approach to investigation. After all that what this process is, investigation. Untangling the facts from fiction.
Key Points Look to the living, before the dead.
Paper records before the Web. Web for key points. Most people researching family data start with recording their own family, collecting information about their uncles, aunts and other members. Once past this stage, the options are wide. If you have direct access to local records then you can start the process of collaborating your data to date.