How do you know that the information you are passing on to your readers is trustworthy?

With the internet so easily accessible and readily available to us all, it’s so easy to take it for granted. Gone are the days of the ceremonious dial-up process and pay-as-you-go system; now most of us are permanently connected to broadband or Wi-Fi by way of computer, tablet or smartphone. We can surf 24/7, whether we’re on the bus, at the beach, at home or in the lab, which is pretty incredible when you think about it – only we never do. It would seem that as technology has advanced, it’s become all too easy to forget the extent of power that this incredible tool keeps stored away in the cyber realms. With an abundance of knowledge and information that is so fingertip-ready for us, as researchers it’s important to remember that this data needs to be approached and handled with caution.

 

Research Data

If it’s medical journals or research reports you’re looking for, then no longer do you have to take a trip to the library to get your hands on the relevant information; the internet has its cyber shelves well and truly stocked for your convenience. What’s more, it’ll even helpfully sort out all those facts and figures for you, saving you the time and trouble of trawling through countless pages of dusty books and forgotten journal issues. Although the information on the internet is plentiful in supply, and you can access countless studies, collections of data and subsequent hypothesises at the convenient touch of a button, it has its drawbacks, nonetheless. For all of its convenience, nothing online is new.

Reliability

One of the internet’s greatest strengths is that it can be added to by anyone and everyone, meaning that information builds up at incredible rates. However, this is also one of its major weaknesses; how are you supposed to know where the information has come from and if you should trust it? So much of the data you’ll stumble across on the internet is unreliable and the sites you get it from entirely unpoliced. So, is what you’re looking at accurate, dependable data, or the third-hand results of a poorly executed study? There’s just no way of knowing sometimes. Google searches can be used to track flu data or even uncover drug side effects, but as soon as the word about such results gets out, more and more people are likely to perform the same searches out of curiosity. Likewise, using Twitter to track sentiment data can exaggerate problems as more people retweet, share, pass on the message and distort it. If you’re taking your research a step further than an online questionnaire you need a means of judging what data should be listened to.

So, when weighing up the pros and cons of using web-based research, we have a lot to put on the scales. On one hand, the internet offers readily available information that’s convenient to collect, easy to sort through and completely free, but on the other it’s unreliable, second-hand (at least) and has frequently already been quantified and analysed – so it’s nothing new. When deciding how to carry out your research, you need to have a think about what tips the balance for you – the pros or cons. If you find internet-based research con-heavy, then maybe it’s time to take a look at our automated research data capture solutions.

The 10 Commandments of Social Media

By Mickie E. Kennedy, President of  eReleases Press Release Distribution Service

Social media has its rules like all other forms of public relations. Make sure to review and follow these as you develop your own social media campaign!

1. Thou Shalt Communicate

This is the most important commandment…it’s called SOCIAL media. It’s all about communication! Remember to keep the lines open every day to develop relationships with your followers and friends.

2. Thou Shalt Listen

To really communicate is to listen. Don’t just fling information at your readers, make sure to really listen and understand their needs and wants. Make sure to answer said needs and wants as quickly as possible.

3. Thou Shalt Not Spam

Watch that you’re not just slinging ads and spam all day long to your followers. It’s about interaction, not advertising.

4. Thou Shalt Take Time to Connect

Dedicate time daily to search and find new people to connect with. If not daily, then block off a few hours one day a week to expand your follower or friend database. Preaching to the choir means you’re stagnant!

5. Thou Shalt Allow Your Page to go Off Topic a Little

Not too much, but if something is really interesting, share it! It’s not business 24/7, and if you really want to create relationships with your followers and Facebook friends, then talk about what people really talk about. Find a funny cat video? Share it!

6. Thou Shalt Watch What Thou Shares

On the other hand, be careful with linking to every video you come across. Don’t overdo it, and definitely avoid politics, religion, or any other subject that you think might cause unrest and people to unfollow you.

7. Thou Shalt Brand

Use your social media exposure to start creating your brand. Have a great profile picture. Create helpful and fun videos to upload to your Facebook or link on Twitter. Upload photos of yourself and other people in your company, or your product. Give people a face to focus on!

8. Thou Shalt Comment

Head to others’ Facebook pages or personal and business blogs and add real and insightful comments. Interact with other commenters as well as the blog owner, creating a different set of connections and possibilities for followers.

9. Thou Shalt Leave the Computer Occasionally

Expand your connections and contacts by leaving the computer once in a blue moon. Attend trade shows and find your fellow social media pros and get their info. Sometimes, real life interaction can’t be beat.

10. Thou Shalt Use HootSuite

Okay, so maybe this one is a little specific, but hey, the Hootsuite application is amazing and makes your life so much easier. Check it out right now!

Did we miss a commandment?

By Mickie Kennedy, founder of eReleases, the online leader in affordable PR distribution since 1998.Grab your free copy of Ultimate Guide to Pinterest here, a must-read for the small business professional.Follow eReleases on Google+, Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter.

How to write a successful article

How to write a successful article

It was always curious to me how people write interesting articles on various topics. What a large scope of imagination should they have! Any topic may be discussed, even that boring computer components or any other social media. It is really not that difficult to make a masterpiece of your own if you have a subject, actually. Still, how should you write an article if you can’t even find a topic to discuss?

Imagine a tabula rasa in front of you that must be filled up with your ideas.

The most difficult, as for me, is to choose the subject. I can give you some tips.

• First of all, listen to what people around you talk about, but not look only for information that interests you.
• News is one of the main sources to get the information for your article. So, pay attention to the news.
• There are also so many interesting things that happen around us. Just devote some your attention to them and you will understand how many interesting topics you can pick out from that.
• Our experience is our main source of information, so look through all the “data” you have in your head. Believe me, some crazy things you will find there, for sure!

What is more, you have to capture attention of your reader, so you have to know what interests him. Yes, here you will certainly need imagination and your talent to think and analyze.

What articles to people read as a rule? Those that are not very large, concrete, with short sentences, and what is really important, big attention is given to the structure of the article. Yes, it is true. The reader likes to read that piece of information that is easily comprehended by him. The visual image of the article will tell much about it, and it is the moment when the reader decides whether he will read it or not.

What to do to make your reader read your article?

• anecdotes
• various figures of speech
• comparison
• facts
• examples from your own experience, with humorous effect mainly

Titles and the marked lists will be of a great benefit to your reader. Imagine yourself reading such an article; it is really easier to read, and far more interesting, isn’t it? Still, do not use too many subtitles as it may bore your reader and he will lose interest to continue reading your article.

Maintain the interest of your reader by the colorful pictures supporting your utterances. Visual aid is one of the most important things to remember the reading information, and bright and colorful pictures will contribute to the success of your article.

Nevertheless, try to give your reader correct information. And, in spite of that we have our own opinions to this or that situation, try to be objective and not offensive. What’s more, try to write the article the way you would love to read it. Imagine that you are a reader and write your article according to this.

About the author: Paul Smith is a professional essay editor. He is a versatile person with a great scope of imagination that any other writer can envy. You can find more information about him on his profile  Google+.

What's the secret of Silicon Valley’s success?

What’s the secret of Silicon Valley’s success?

Silicon Valley combines a great variety of cities and a numerous lifestyle options. For the recent forty years Silicon Valley becomes a concentration of world electronics and digital industry. The numerous corporations and factories were firmly established there many years ago. They handle with discovery and development of digital technology and software marketing. Silicon Valley is often called Land of Wonders.

The question is how has Silicon Valley so popular? What turned an ordinary American land in the global epicenter of high technology? It is hard to say what is first and what is second: plenty of brains or money? Probably, everything is interconnected, one complements the other!

There is a competition of intelligence with intelligence, money with money! People have not been afraid to be silly with their “crazy” ideas. Inventors don’t fear to take a risk, creating something new and investing in this new their capital. There is a struggle with the high spirit.

It does not matter what nationality or religion do you have. It is only important what an expert you are, and believe you in yourself and your abilities or not.

People work 365 days a year, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day there, and the discoverers are optimistic about everything what they  may make (or may not, but try to do it). Inhabitants firmly believe that the high-technologies and imagination of a bright digital future of humanity are absolutely correct.

One thing we know for sure: if a great number of highly skilled professionals (scientists, engineers, businessmen) concentrate in relatively small area, the results will surpass all expectations!

About the author: Articles written by Melisa Marzett are substantial, useful and relevant. She writes on such topics as word press, internet and marketing. It is easy to contact with Melisa on Google+

smartessaywritingservice.com.

Top 3 Most Easy Ways to Earn Money from Home

Top 3 Most Easy Ways to Earn Money from Home

In this highly competitive world everybody wants to make more and more money. Even housewives want to work and earn sitting in their homes, using the skills and knowledge they have. And there are ‘n’ numbers of ways to make money from home. Some best of those are being discussed below.

1. Go for an unusual job.

• Babysitting jobs can fetch more money in the ease of home. One just needs to advertise for the services in the neighborhood and also on some websites.
• Working for ChaCha, a telephonic job in which one is paid for answering the questions made by the callers, after a lot of research on the topic.

2. Online jobs for computer literate

• By taking surveys of some reputed online survey jobs sites that work online, a good amount can be earned.
• Drafting reviews or feedback about certain products or services provided by companies can also help in fetching quick money in short period of time.
• Earn money by advertising for companies on social websites like facebook, twitter etc.
• Automated Turk program, like the one offered by Amazon, can also be chosen, in which one is required to do some boring and repetitive, though basic jobs online.
• Go for some freelancing jobs like write articles for the clients. Housewives can write food recipes and earn from them.

3. Vend your things

• Advertise through the newspaper or online, for the things of no further use in home that can be sold.

• A good artist can sell his/her homemade art through various websites like Etsy, eBay etc.
• Upload a good collection of photos that can be chosen by buyers who can use them in brochures, articles, presentations etc.

So through these ways one can make money from home. just few things are needed to be kept in mind like there is requirement of hard work, positive attitude as well as determination in this field and also one must be  very well aware of what one is doing to earn money. All pros and cons must be considered beforehand.