This paper considers the problem of estimating the direction of arrival (DOA) for the both incoherent and coherent signals from narrowband sources, located in the far field in the case of uniform linear array sensors. Three different methods are analyzed. Specifically, these methods are Music, Root-Music and ESPRIT. The pros and cons of these methods are identified and compared in light of different viewpoints. The performance of the three methods is evaluated, analytically, when possible, and by Matlab simulation. This paper can be a roadmap for beginners in understanding the basic concepts of DOA estimation issues, properties and performance.