This document provides tips for finding worthwhile resources for research. It recommends searching various sources like blogs, social media, mailing lists and conferences. It emphasizes skimming information to find the most relevant parts, using reference managers to organize resources, focusing on basics first, checking comments and author credibility to validate information, creating an online identity to share findings, connecting with experts in the field, using tools like RSS and alerts to follow new resources, and helping others to expand your knowledge.

1. Resource Mining
Finding worthwhile resources for
successful research
12/17/2012 SSCRG @ UW Tacoma

2. Sources of Information
● Blogs
● Twitter
● Facebook
● Reddit/Slashdot/HackerNews
● IRC
● Mailing lists
● Google Groups
● Meetings/Conferences
SSCRG @ UW Tacoma12/17/2012

3. Skimming Information
Lots of articles aren't worth a complete read -
you can safely skip over / blink / or whatever
entire sections.
If you don't have time to finish it, leave it open
for later or use a "Read it Later" program.

4. Recording Resources
Use reference management software,
bookmarks, social media feeds, browser
history, etc.
Just make sure it's easy to find things later. You
will want/need them!

5. Reading Information
Focus on the basics in a field first. Don't worry
about knowing too much about them.
Example: What is DNS?
Answer: resolves hostname <-> ip,
forward/reverse lookups, zones, etc.
Don't worry about too much detail in the short
run.

6. Detecting False Information
Check the comments - if there are none, check
back later.
Check other posts by the poster.
Search for the title of the article on Google/Bing
and check aggregators.

7. Create a Identity
Create profiles with the same username, link
them together, and possibly add to resume.
Then create a website and add your elevator
pitch + links to all of these accounts.
Later on, add a blog and keep analytics of what
happens.

8. Make Connections
Once you have established a place on each one
of the "Sources of Information", follow those
who post information relevant to your field of
research.

9. "Following" Resources
● Use a RSS reader (Google Reader is great)
● Remain in IRC channels after your question
has been answered.
● Look for related posts to what you found
interesting.
● Bookmarks (including social bookmarks,
pinboard, etc)!

10. Finding Field Experts
Find the authors of the information you rely on.
● History of wiki pages
● Presenters at Defcon, BlackHat USA, AppSec,
CSA, etc.

11. IRC
● Most major open source software packages
have an IRC channel
● Find channels on Netsplit.de/SearchIRC
● Idle in the channel to see other people's
questions

12. Google Alerts: Setup keywords you want to
"watch", and configure a daily report of the
results
Google trends: find popular/relevant keywords
Google Tools

13. Solve other people's problems
Go to the "unanswered" section on the site.
http://stackoverflow.com/unanswered
Try to construct an answer, or at least think
about it for a while.

14. Example Problem
How would one keep track of changes on a
Linux server?
What about a Windows one?
What keywords would you use to find an
answer to this problem?

15. Q&A
SSCRG @ UW Tacoma8/17/2012