Michael Smale - The Scientist That Helps

With over a million new pages created everyday on the Internet it is no wonder that we can sometimes be overwhelmed by the sheer number of pages returned by our searches. What I have found over many years of research is that you need to have some basic understanding of what to search for if you want to get anywhere. But that can be a problem if you're just starting out so here's my advice.

Start with an encyclopedia article on the topic you are researching. Give yourself a lot of time to read through it properly. I suggest the following method to increase your retention. First read the introduction paragraph slowly and carefully making sure you look up any of the jargon words whose meaning you do not fully understand. Then look over the entry outline, that is, all of the section headings to give you an overview of what you're going to cover. Then scan the entire article one section at a time. At the beginning and end of each section take a moment to pause, close your eyes or at least make sure you've completely stopped reading, and paraphrase what you've just read in your own words. If you can't make a decent couple of sentence summary, go back and read it a bit slower. Do this for each one of the sections then take a short break. Go get yourself a drink of water and a piece of fruit then sit down and write a paragraph summary of the entire article. If you're having trouble with any of the new words or ideas, refer back to the article and quote directly if need be. Congratulations, you've started on the way to a decent search.

Once you've got a basic understanding of the field you should find it much easier to distinguish between factual data, and rubbish. Furthermore you'll have a much better ability to create the search phrases that will get you to the real goodies. Using the proper jargon, multiple word search terms in quotes and finally checking the references of the author of the web page should see you in good stead when it comes to researching information on the Internet.

One of the best ways to introduce yourself to the credible authors on any particular topic is to search University sites for your topic, then find the course outline and get a hold of the prescribed text. University lecturers and professors have spent many years learning in their particular specialty and while not infallible are a reputable source of information on most topics. Even if you are looking in the seemingly non-scientific areas of food preparation you will find there are University courses that cover nearly everything, you just have to look hard enough.

They probably won't like me telling you this, but the truth of the matter is that one of the best resources can be the University Librarian. Because etymology is a fascination for librarians they might be able to point you in the right direction more quickly than if you try to come up with it by yourself. If you read the advice above about looking in encyclopedias then you'll perhaps have recognized that sometimes you can't even get a look in because you're not sure where to start. In this case my suggestion is to call on the Librarian. They're enormously helpful.

By now you're probably thinking, how is it that I'm supposed to do all this when I'm really just looking on the Internet. Well, get of your duff and go to the local University. It really isn't that complicated. You get in your car and drive to the closest University you can find. They don't have armed guards on the doors so you'll be able to just wander in and ask questions like any other student. Actually you'll find that other students can be very helpful as well, and they're usually pretty smart. You might just make a new friend.

It is a sad fact that chances are you, like me, are average. We all are by definition, pretty average. If that weren't the case then it would defeat the definition, so what is it I'm suggesting we do? Simple. Follow the leader.

Not everyone has the time or the gumption to get off their duff and make significant contributions in a field, yet some through exceptional levels of commitment, intelligence and creativity do. I hope that you are one of them. But if you are not yet, then you don't want to go and waste any time re-inventing the wheel so your best bet is to find the ones that are the leaders of the pack, and get to know them.

You might not be able to get to know them personally at first, of course this is preferable, but you can move in the right direction by reading their blogs or their books. By reading the same magazines or blogs as them. And attending the same events as them. For example TED. You probably won't get invited straight away, but if you persist and work hard and focus, you can do it.

Jack Hart the famous editor says that in any great achievement you must first start, stay focused, and learn along the way. Of course you must see things through, get to the end and let everyone know too. I wish you all the best of success. Check out my bio where I keep all my sites listed. Take care, and best of success.