Resolutions for Information Fluency

If becoming more fluent in digital information is one of your goals for 2012, I have a few suggestions. Readers are welcome to add to the list!

1. Think before you search. What exactly am I looking for?  You may have only a vague idea what you need, but be as clear about what you know as you can be. Choose the clearest keywords for your queries.  Two to five keywords is a good rule of thumb.
2. Think before you search. Who would know the answer I am looking for? Where would that person or organization keep its information? If your goal is to find trustworthy information, seek out recognized experts.
3. Look carefully at your search results. Better keywords are often hidden in the results. There's a good chance you will strengthen your vocabulary in the process.
4. Fact check your findings. It takes only seconds to pull strong keywords out of posts or articles to see if facts hold up.
5. Don't take the first answer you find. Taking the fastest route possible should not be confused with characteristics of fluency. Fast answers may also be wrong answers.

That's a reasonable start.