Identify the root of the cladogram
Follow the branches from the root to the tips
Read shared derived traits at each branch point
Compare organisms by their most recent common ancestor
Determine which organisms are more closely related by shared branch points
Use the order of branching to see evolutionary relationships
Note that organisms sharing a more recent branch point are more closely related
Read from the base toward the tips, not from left to right
Check the trait labels, if present, at each node
Identify sister taxa as groups that share an immediate common ancestor
Use the tips only as endpoints, not as measures of progress
Compare branch patterns rather than physical appearance