Fishing the Internet

Overwhelmed by information? Work through it!

The huge volume of resources available on the Internet can be exhausting. And there's a lot of clutter out there, which can be distracting and confusing. When you start to feel the unmistakable symptoms of "information overload", a variety of burn out, it's time to call a halt. There's no point in sitting, glassy-eyed, before a computer monitor as data you no longer can make sense of or retain washes through your numb senses into your tired mind. Turn off the computer and go do something else.

Novice Internet researchers will spend a lot of time separating "noise" from meaningful information. With practice, you'll develop not only the skills, but the mental discipline you need to stay on track. The effort of learning to think like an experienced Internet researcher will be rewarded every time you hit on exactly the information you need, preferably from a person who understands your situation because he or she has been there.