In today’s world, you’re expected to know everything. That’s what Google is for, right? But as far as narrowing the search down when time is of the essence, those looking to get wise to a particular subject need a trusted path when looking for reliable information. SEO is great for business, but it’s bad for uncovering the truth.
Here’s a list of four online sources you can always count on to find the accurate information you need:
Nothing beats the defacto encyclopedia of the World Wide Web. Drown in information for hours by starting on one article and clicking on the links to others. Virtually every topic to exist in the spectrum of human understanding is covered, and Wikipedia’s popularity means it’ll always show up first second or third in a search.
As far as original thinking goes, you’re unlikely to find an online source as diverse and voluminous as TED.com. Sort by speaker, date, or theme to find uncover new information about subjects we typically take for granted, such as tying shoes and sorting laundry. Perhaps not very useful for immediate knowledge needs, it’s still good stuff to absorb for the sake of encouraging yourself to think creatively.
Social news aggregates are where you’re going to find anything and everything topical and late-breaking. Reddit by far is the most popular and respected of such online communities, and is sure to provide you with some fascinating new tidbit of information every time you check in, even if that’s every 20 minutes. Searching for specific subjects isn’t easy, but the multitude of forums excludes very little.
Virtual Lessons
Many education experts and academic trends analysts see online video lectures as the future of learning. The web is awash with what are essentially virtual lessons covering everything from office policy awareness to advanced physics. Either check out free lectures such as those found at the Khan Academy, or use a service such as OpenSesame to find the best value on pay-per-lessons.
Sometimes your standard Google search isn’t good enough for finding information fast on-the-go. If you’re ever in the need for immediate knowledge absorption, make the aforementioned sites your first four visits.
Amanda Green is a guest writer who as written extensively on the subject of business and personal finance.
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Wikipedia is the top of my list when it comes to knowledge.
I never knew that about TED – must check it out!
I love TED as a self development resource, thought I don’t use wikipedia as much. Reddit is a bit hit or miss for me. Mostly, if I have a specific topic in mind that I want to research, I will do a google search and read some blogs. Also, another great resource for research is Youtube as you can find some good instructional materials there.