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Posts Tagged ‘Skill’

Never underestimate the power of the internet. An increasing number of people use the world wide web to search for a business or service so having a web presence is an important media for promoting your company. Web design is a real skill and if your website is to not only look good but work well, it should be constructed by a professional webdesigner.

Have you noticed these days that so many websites all look the same – square box in the middle of the screen? That’s because it’s evenhandedly easy and cheap to use the many templates acquirable to build a easy website. There are many webdesigners or friends of a friend out there that will offer to do you a website for a few hundred pounds but there are many technical issues to think about to ensure really professional results.

A good website should have the following attributes:
Strong corporate identity
User friendly navigation
Swift to download
A useful resource
Expandable – needs to incorporate technology that allows
scalability
Visually captivating to encourage usage
Must work in all browsers on all personal computer and MAC
Good investment / value for money
Search engine friendly

Remember that first impressions count and a badly designed website is worse than having no website at all. You wouldn’t get a friend of a friend to do your company brochures or service your nice new automobile you would go to a specialist, so why take the risk and compromise on calibre with your website.

A well designed website with good graphics and strong corporate branding will last for years and should be a good investment for your company. Updating the content is easy and inexpensive.

You can begin with a small but well designed website that fits within your budget. The key is to ensure that your website is expandable so that as your business grows it can be added to – you might even wish to add a database or e commerce functionality at a later stage.

We believe that Flash is really designed for use in the entertainments industry and we do not advocate using it on a business website. Even with the increasing availability of broadband Flash can be very irritating for users, it serves no purpose, it can detract attention away from the important messages on your website and it will adversely affect your search engine rankings. Strong visual affects can be reached using other methods.

Using HTML is the most favourite and cost effective way to design a website. These can include original graphic designs and are text driven to incorporate relevant search terms, which is good for getting your site recognised by search engines.

DYNAMIC websites incorporate a database and offers more individual functionality. A dynamic website can be classed as a web application and is a powerful tool for gathering and providing data for your customers who will be healthy to log in and search the site swiftly for information. If you require a dynamic database driven webdesign you will have to budget for the back end coding required to build the database. This will be more costly than a HTML site and will need specialist hosting.

As a less costly substitute it is doable to build a HTML site which links to a third celebration database which you can access through your existing ISP.

An E-COMMERCE WEBSITE is an online secure shopping artefact so that customers can buy your goods by credit card over the web.

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MODEL – INNOVATIVE LEARNING MODEL
SOFT SKILL TO DEVELOP
FOR STUDENTS

A. Understanding Softskiil
Softskills according Berthal in Sailah Illah (2008). can be interpreted as “Personal and interpersonal behaviors That develop and maximize human performance (eg Coaching, team building, decision making, initiative). SoftSkills do not include technical skill, Such as financial, individualized or assembly skills “. Softskills in Rakerwil PTS leaders in 2006 adopted a statement on softskills O’Brien is any individual who can work along with others, interactive in the workplace, and responsible against the company. Meanwhile, according to Owen and Schatzberg are those that are open to receive guidance, healthy to work in a diverse environment and is healthy meresolusikan conflict.
Softskiil associated with improvements in thinking, attitude, and mental. Meanwhile, Klaus (2007) in his book The Hard Truth about Soft Skills, said that “soft skills encompass personal, social, communication, and self-management Behaviours, They cover a wide spectrum: self awareness, trustworthiness, conscientiousness, adaptability, critical thinking, organizational awareness, attitude, Initiative, emphathy, confidence, integrity, self-control, leadership, problem solving, risk taking and time management. ” Tempo entrepot in 2007 has selected 10 higher education because graduates of character.
Character is important in the world of work has place forward are:
1. Want to work hard
2. High confidence.
3. Having a vision of the future.
4. Able to work in teams.
5. Having a mature confidence.
6. Capability to think analytically.
7. Adaptable
8. Able to work under pressure.
9. English Proficient
10. Capability to organize work

In order to develop the attributes of soft skills in college students, self-evaluation is required of apiece student about the strength of which is currently owned, as well as weaknesses. Development of soft skills in college can be done through the learning process and student activities in extra-curricular activities or kokurikuler. The most important thing, softskills rote material, but this is not practiced by individuals who are studying or who wish to develop it. Development of soft skills in the learning process can be done through learning activities through grappling to grappling in the classroom and practice in the work or field. This requires creativity administer subject lecturers and learning competencies expected of those subjects who Amnestied. Soft skills development is not solely to do without a clear statement of competency to be achieved. If the statement expressed the need for competence in aksplisit attribute certain soft skills, it is inevitably a learning methods should be directed at achieving the expected competencies.

B. Benefits for graduates sofkill (Student)
Softskills indispensable in their utilization in planning and job search process and career success in his work. This indicates that the soft skills to determine the speed of graduates find work, in addition supported by a hard skill. Ruben and DeAngelis (1998) from the results of the survey classifies competencies required and one can successfully oppose a career and life, ie individualized competence, communication, organization, international / intercultural and inter-domain, as shown in Table 1 of 2 where the plateau should be clearly shows in this era of globalization where the freedom of someone looking for a job or work demands competence also international / cross-cultural. While Puliam (2008) mentions that the skills most sought by employers are communication skills, integrity / honesty, interpersonal skills, motivation / initiative, strong work ethic, work in teams, individualized skills, analytical, flexibility / adaptibilitas, and detail oriented . Beach (1982) mensitasi U.S. study which showed that 87% of people lost their jobs or promoted because they have unsuccessful lifestyle and behaviors that are either inadequate or in addition to job skills or knowledge is not sufficient. The need for soft skills are also strengthened the capability of the results of a survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) in 2002 in the United States. Peter Vogt then categorize the results of the survey to 10 the capability or skills required by employers from job seekers.

Table 1. Competencies required for success in work
(Ruben and DeAngelis, 1998)
No type of capability or skill competencies
A Personal Competencies • Positive Behavior
• Motivation
• Flexibility
• Integrity
• Active Learner
• Troubleshooting
• Capability to make decisions
• Analytical / cognitive
• GPA / accomplishments
• Academic
• Commitment to change
• Loyalty
2 Competency Communication • Communication (written / oral)
• Talking in public
• Keterampilansosial
• Skills bergroup / team
• Networking
3 Competence Organization • organizational skills
• Leadership / management skills
• Skills in meeting
• System Perspective
• Personal Skills
• Economics / statistics
• Knowledge of calibre approaches
• Work experience
• Customer Orientation
• Activity extracurricula
• Understanding business
Competency 4 International / Inter-cultural • cross-cultural Competence
• International Understanding
• second language
• International Management
• International Marketing
• The theory of international trade
• international human resources
5 Competency Domain • Business Basics
• Knowledge domain
• Accounting

Table 2. Necessary Abilities According to the World of Work Importance
No capability / skill Score interests
1 Communication Skills 4.69
2 Honesty / Integrity 4:59
3 Capability Working Together 4:54
4 The capability of Interpersonal 4:50
5 Ethical 4:46
6 Motivation / Initiative 4:42
7 4:41 Adaptability
8 Power Analytical 4:36
9 Capability Personal 4:21
10 Capability to Organize 4:05
11 4:00 Detail Oriented
12 Leadership 3.97
Confidence 13 3.95
14 Friendly 3.85

Source: NACE Survey USA (2002)

Clearly indicated that soft skills needed for college graduates to compete in getting a job, oppose a career in their own work and to entrepreneurship. It could be argued that the hard skills or technical skills of graduates was not significant when poor soft skills. Technical skills alone do not lead one to the recognition, promotion and more importantly is the opportunity, so it remains important technical skills demikiani also soft skills.

 Table 3. Job Seeker Character Ranking the World of Work Demanded (PDAT, 2007)
No capability / skill Score interests
1 Want to work hard 9:03
Confidence high 2 8.75
3 Having a vision for the future 8:37
4 Able to work in teams 8:07
5 Having a mature planning 7.91
6 Capability to think analytically 7.82
7 Simple beradapasi 7:12
8 Capability to work ddalam 5.91 pressure
9 English Proficient 5:27
10 Capability to organize work 5:26

C. Development softskiil
Softskills has many variations on the elements contained therein. The following will explain several types of soft skills associated with success in the world of work.
How to develop softskiil for students:
1. Written curriculum,
This is done by entering predetermined softskills into learning design. thus student mastery of specific softskills should be included in the assessment aspect of the course. In learning to use models with an innovative learning that leads to the CBC (Competency-Based Curriculum) as a model problem solving and reasoning, inquiry training model, a model problem-based instruction, conceptual change model of instruction, group investigation model, the model problembased learning, model Jurisprudensial research, social research model.
2. Hidden curriculum
This was done informally through faculty-student interaction. professors as role models (role models). can also be done by creating an academic region within your department.
3. Co-curriculum
Utilize activities such as internships (internship), working practice (KP), or CCN (internships).
4. Extra-curriculum,
Involving the student activity unit as a container for melatihsoftskills student.

D. Educator Role
The success of competency based learning in which the integrated development of soft skills of students as the hidden curriculum depends on the understanding and commitment to learning guides (lecturer) in the learning process. The level of understanding and commitment will be seen through the planning and implementation of the learning process, including select models of learning, assessment and system documentation. So, see whether the learning system is focused, measured and justified. In Handbook of Competency-Based Curriculum Development of Higher Education (Director General of Higher Education, 2008) mentioned a very important role as a lecturer as a motivator and facilitator as well as providing the necessary learning experiences of students in order to achieve competence that is charged to the Amnestied subjects. To be healthy to as a motivator and facilitator as well as providing a good learning experience, Nan-Zhao (2006) quoting from UNESCO’s four pillars of education that should also be applied by the learning guides / lecturers, namely:
a. Learning to know: professors comprehend the structure of knowledge, master the curriculum standards that have been prepared, knowing the learning approach to assist learning with ICT (ICT).
b. Learning to do: instructors develop learning modules, learning to organize, deliver on the competencies expected of students through sufficient pedagogical approaches and enables students to apply the technology as a tool and source of learning.
c. Learning to be: professors develop professional attributes include commitment, responsibility and love of learning for students as human beings are healthy to build good social communication.
d. Learning to live together: lecturer breaking isolation through team work and as a ‘coach’ to guide students in learning and as a ‘co-Learners’ students in achieving educational goals and create the conditions to unlock her potential.

E. Innovative Learning
Innovative learning is learning more student centered. That is, the more learning opportunities for students to construct knowledge independently (self-directed) and mediated by peers (peer mediated instruction).
Innovative learning based on constructivist paradigm to help students to internalize, reshape, or transform new information. The transformation occurs through the creation of new understanding (Gardner, 1991) which is the result of the emergence of new cognitive structures. Deep understanding occurs when the presence of new information that encourages the emergence or increase the cognitive structures that grant students to rethink their ideas before. In a constructivist classroom setting, students are responsible for belajarannya, become autonomous thinkers, to develop an integrated concept, develop a challenging question, and find the answer by themselves (Brook & Brook, 1993; Duit, 1996; Savery & Duffy, 1996). Seven core values ​​of constructivism, namely: collaboration, autonomy, individual, generativitas, reflectivity, active, self-relevance, and pluralism. These values ​​provide opportunities to students in the accomplishment of understanding in depth.
Constructivist teaching settings that encourage active knowledge construction has several characteristics:
1. Provide opportunities for students to learn from the goals set and develop ideas more widely.
2. Support the independence of students learn and discuss, make connections, reformulate ideas, and draw your own conclusions.
3. Sharing with students about the importance of the message that the world is a complex place where there are multiple views and the truth is often a result of interpretation.
4. Placing a student-centered learning and assessment that can reflect students’ divergent thinking.

Here are examples of learning model based on constructivist paradigm, namely: the model of reasoning and problem solving, inquiry training model, a model problem-based instruction, conceptual change learning model, a model group investigation, problem-based learning model, model Jurisprudensial research, and research model social.

1. Reasoning and Problem Solving Model
The capability of reasoning and problem solving are key skills that students should possess when they leave the classroom to enter and conduct activities in the real world. Reasoning is a thinking part that is above the level of calls (retention), which includes:
a. Basic thinking is the capability to comprehend the concept.
b. Traffic critical-thinking capability is a test, connect, and evaluate those aspects that focus on the problem, gather and organize information
c. Creative thinking abilities is to produce original, effective, and complex, inventive, pensintesis, power, and application ideas.
Model of reasoning and problem solving in learning has five learning steps (Krulik & Rudnick, 1996), namely:
a. Reading and thinking (identifying facts and issues, visualize the situation, describing the setting solution
b. Exploring and planning (organizing information, a diagram depicts a solution, create tables, graphs, or drawings).
c. Selection strategy (set pattern, test pattern, simulations or experiments, reduction or expansion, logical deduction, write the equation).
d. Finding the answer (to estimate, using the skills of computation, algebra, and geometry).
e. Reflection and expansion (correct answer, find another substitute solution, extending the concepts and generalizations, discuss solutions, formulate the problems varied original).
Means of learning that is needed is a confrontational form of material that can generate the basic thought process, critical, creative, higher-order thinking, and non-routine problem-solving strategies, and non-routine problems that challenge students to perform reasoning and problem solving efforts. As the impact of learning in this model is the understanding, critical and creative thinking skills, problem solving skills, communication skills, skills in a meaningful use of knowledge. While the impact of the tentative nature of the entourage is krilmuan, science process skills, students’ autonomy and freedom, tolerance for uncertainty and non-routine problems.

2. Inquiry Training Model
Inquiry training model has five steps of learning (Joyce & Weil, 1980), namely:
a. Confronts the problem (explaining the research procedure, presenting conflicting situations).
b. Find a problem (check the nature of the goal and the conditions they faced, examine the appearance of a problem).
c. Reviewing data and experimentation (isolate variables appropriate, formulate a hypothesis).
d. Organize, formulate, and explain.
e. Examining the research process to obtain a more effective procedure.
Means of learning that is needed is a confrontational form of material that can generate the intellectual process, research strategy, and problems that challenge students to do research. As the impact of learning in this model is the strategy of research and creative spirit. While the impact of the tentative nature of the entourage is krilmuan, science process skills, student autonomy, tolerance of uncertainty and non-routine problems.

3. Problem-Based Instruction Model
Problem-based instruction is a learning model based on constructivist understanding that accommodate student involvement in learning and solving trusty problems (Arends et al., 2001).
Models problem-based learning instruction has five steps are:
a. The instructor defines the problem
b. Instructors help students clarify the problem and determine how the matter was investigated.
c. Instructors help students create meaning associated with the results of solving the problem to be reported (how they solve the problem and what is rational).
d. Organizing reports
e. Presentation.
The impact of learning is the understanding about the relevance of knowledge to the real world, and how to use knowledge in solving complex problems. Impact entourage is to accelerate the development of self-regulated learning, creating a democratic classroom environment, and effective in dealing with student diversity.

4. Model Group Investigation
Model-investigation group has six steps of learning:
a. Grouping select a topic, formulate the problem, set the number of group members, determine the source.
b. Planning (specify what will be learned, how to learn, who does what, what purpose).
c. Investigation (exchanging information and ideas, discussion, clarification, gather information, examine data, make inferences).
d. Organizing (members of the group writing the report, planning the presentation of the report, the determination of the presenter, moderator, and the court reporter.)
e. Presenting (one group presents, other groups observe, evaluate, clarify, ask questions or responses.)
f. Evaluating (each student make corrections to the report respectively on the basis of class discussion, students and instructors collaborate to evaluate learning conducted, to assess learning outcomes are focused on achieving understanding.

Growing social system is the demand of instructor direction, democratic, instructors and students have the same position that is a problem, the interaction is based on the agreement.
Principles developed reactions are instructors act more as counselors, consultants, sources of constructive criticism. The role is displayed in the process of problem solving, classroom management, and individual meanings. The role of instructors associated with the process of solving problems with regard to the capability of researching what the nature and focus of the problem. Management is shown with regard to troubleshooting to determine the necessary information and organizing groups to obtain such information. Making of an individual with respect to the inference that was organized by the group and how to distinguish the capability of an individual.

5. Models problem-based learning
Problem-based learning is an approach to learning by making the confrontation to the learners with practical problems, the form of ill-structured, or open-ended through the stimulus of learning (Fogarty, 1997). Problem based learning model has the following characteristics:
a. Learning begins with a problem.
b. Ensure that problems are related to the real world learners.
c. Organising lessons around problems, rather than around the disciplines.
d. Give full responsibility to the learners’ experience directly in their own learning process.
e. Using small groups.
f. Demand learners to demonstrate what they have learned in the form of product or performance (performance).

Problem-based learning model is run with 8 steps, namely:
1. Find issues
2. Defining the problem.
3. Gather the facts.
4. Develop tentative estimates
5. Investigate.
6. Improving the issues that have been defined.
7. Alternatives concluded collaborative solutions.
8. Test the solution of the problem (Fogarty, 1997)

In the model of problem-based learning, understanding, knowledge transfer, higher-order thinking skills, problem solving skills, and abilities of scientific communication is the direct impact of learning. While opportunities for students to obtain the tentative nature of science, science process skills, students’ autonomy and freedom, tolerance for uncertainty and non-routine problems is the impact of learning accompaniment.

6. Jurisprudensial Research Model
The premise of this model is related to the conception of society who have different views and priorities regarding social values ​​that are legally conflicting with apiece other.

To be healthy to perform such activities, needed three capabilities, namely:
a. Familiar with the values ​​prevailing in the environment.
b. Having a set of skills to be used in clarifying and solving the problem of values.
c. Mastering knowledge.

The most appropriately used as a field of study in this model is the interracial and ethnic conflicts, philosophic and religious conflicts, individualized safety, conflict between economic groups, health, education and welfare, and national security. The scope and level of complexity of apiece field of study, of course, must be plain to students’ age level and environment.

Jurisprudensial research model has six steps of learning (Joyse and Weil, 1986:268), namely:
a. The orientation of the case, at this stage the instructor introduces the subject matter and reviewed the existing data.
b. Identify the case, at this stage, students are synthesizing the facts into a case at hand, select one of the government policy to didiskuskan case, refer the values ​​and conflicts, recognize the facts underlying the case and questions undefined.
c. Setting the position, at this stage students weigh weigh-position or position, then said his position in the conflict of values ​​and in relation to the consequences of that position.
d. Exploring the examples and patterns of argument, at this stage students define the point where it appears the destruction of value on the basis of data obtained, proving the desired consequences and undesirable from an elected position, clear conflict of values ​​by making the process of analogy, set priorities by comparing values ​​to one another and demonstrate the shortcomings if it has one value.
e. Clarify and test the position, at this stage students declare its position and wage rational about his position, and then test a number of similar situations, students straightened position.
f. Testing the assumptions underlying existent diluruskannya position, at this stage students refer and establish appropriate existent assumptions or not, specify the expected consequences and existent validity of these consequences.

Impact of learning Jurisprudensial research model are: the capability to adopt the role of other students and the capability to dialogue. While the impact of learning is the accompaniment: a framework for examining social issues, empathy / pluralism, facts about social issues, and capability to participate in social action.

7. Social Research Model
Learning model of social research bases itself on the capability of instructors to reflect on class where she facilitates students. According Massialas and Cox (in Joys and Weil, 1986), that the reflective region of the class that has three main characteristics, namely:
a. Social aspects of class and openness in the discussion.
b. Emphasis on hypothesis as the main focus,
c. The use of facts as evidence.

This learning model has six steps pembelajarannyaitu:
a. Orientation as a step to make students become sensitive to the problem and to formulate problems that will be centers of research.
b. The formulation of hypotheses that will establish to be mentors or guidance in conducting research.
c. Explanation and definition of terms contained in the hypothesis.
d. Exploration in order to test the hypothesis within the framework of the validation and testing of internal consistency as a basis for the testing process.
e. Proof by way of collecting data that has to do with the essence of the hypothesis.
f. Formulate generalizations of statements that have a broad level of abstraction that links several concepts are closely related to the hypothesis.

The main support system is needed in implementing this model is, the development of problem-solving way of life that is flexible, an unlimited source of literature, and other information access as a source of good learning. Learning environment that is rich in information is necessary existence, thus giving an optimal opportunity for students to conduct research process well.
The impact of the learning model of social research are: preservation of social problems and commitment to improving the calibre of students as citizens. While the impact retinue are: respect for human rights, social action, and tolerance in the dialogue.

Bibliography

Anugerawan. 2010. Pengembangan Softskills Mahasiswa. 15 Oktober 2010. http://anugerawan.blogspot.com/2010/04/soft-skills-bagi-mahasiswa.html

                        Joyse & Weil. 1980. Model of teaching. New Jersey : Prenice-Hall

Klaus, P.2007. The Hard Truth about Softskill. New York. Harper Collins Publiser.

Sailah, I., 2008. Pengembangan Softskill di Perguruan Tinggi. Tim Kerja Pengembangan Softskill Direktorat Jendral Pendidikan Tinggi : Jakarta

Siskandar. 2003. Teknologi Pembelajaran dalam kurikulum berbasis kompetensi. Makalah .Disajikan pada Seminar Nasional Teknologi Pembelajaran pada tanggal 22-23 Agustus 2003 di Hotel Inna garuda Yogyakarta.

Sulaeman, E.2008. Urgensi program pengembangan Soft skills bagi mahasiswa fakultas ekonomi unsika. (http://emanfeunsika.blogspot.com/2008/01/soft-skillsmahasiswa.html)

Suyanto, 2001. Formula Pendidikan Nasional era global. Makalah. Disajikan dalam symposium  Pendidikan Nasional dan Munas I alumni PPS.UM. di Malang, 13 Oktober 2001.

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The growing awareness of the need to use personal in domestic, commerce and industries has brought about a new turn in the way audit is conducted. Computerization or Information Technology has taken over most of the business activities and has spread over and beyond unimaginable tendencies.

Technology has brought about serious changes that might warrant traditional Auditors (i. e. Auditors who do not possess enough IT skill to perform audit tasks) asking themselves whether their role in today’s world of computer-run organizations can be guaranteed. And if so, what must they do to remain relevant, maintain and expand the scope and calibre of their services, and contribute to the new form of wealth in the contemporary knowledge economy.

We now live in a society where change is imperative. Even when we do not wish to change, it is forced on us. To be competitive in this dynamic environment, today’s Auditors are expected to keep pace with the technological issues and opportunities surrounding the development.

Technology has affected the ways and methods Auditors carry out their jobs. Knowing what areas have been affected and which particular technologies have affected the areas is very important so that Auditors can continue to plan their carrier development.

Computerization of Bookkeeping Jobs, Electronic Commerce, Electronic Data Interchange, World wide web and On-line Services, to mention a few, have serious implications for traditional Auditors and their works because they have affected how and when information is created, processed, stored, communicated, acquired, refined and interpreted.

To add positively to the value chain creation in our modern organizations and societies, Auditors need to reorganise themselves to keep up with the rapidly advancing technologies and the resulting changes in the needs of their clients and employers. As a critical success factor, technology is changing the organization chart and value change relationships. Nevertheless, no matter how much automation takes place in commerce and industry, a lot of human intervention will continue to be involved in solving information problems at the level of information reengineering.

This is where Auditors have a great opportunity, as information architects and systems integrators, to expand their services. This means that the role of technology will change the nature, timing and location of Auditors roles in the value creation process. For instance, Auditors will now do less of manual vouching of bookkeeping documents (which personal will now take over) and become information systems consultants, analyzers and interpreters of data.

They have to become information architects and information professionals to be healthy to assist their clients and employers into the mainstream of the information age, in which efficient information system, enabled by appropriate technologies are waved into the overall corporate strategy.

A major concern among view leaders in audit profession this day is that the staggeringly fast changing information technologies might overwhelm the control abilities of Auditors, unless they constantly upskill themselves at a speed consistent with the changes taking place.

To be effective, Auditors need to comprehend the security sensitivity of Computer-based Environment and be healthy to combat personal – related fraud. Acquiring information technology skills requires the discipline of learning. They must engage in the learning process necessary to revamp their skills.

They need to become information engineers and architects, using their better knowledge of the business process to help management make efficient and effective Information Technology (IT) decisions. Offering sound counseling to management is an area that Auditors have a role to play.

As we realize the value of information as asset, they need to help management appreciate the need to protect both information and the technologies that are used to manage and move information. Having talked about this, it is now obvious that a major challenge in a knowledge society is making information productive. Information that is not secured can't be productive for the owner.

Those who are responsible to ensuring integrity, confidentiality and availability of information can't afford to be noncurrent in the technology that is either used to process the data or convey the information. It is therefore clear that Auditors who do not possess the right skill to work in a computerized environment can not claim to have an answer to information security stipulation of such establishment. Auditors in general must continue to enroll in IT Security Schools and Associations to leverage the gap being created by emerging technologies.

This is very important because they must fulfill the expectations of their employers and clients, who count on the truth and impartiality of financial statements that they audit. They must also ensure that modern techniques and tools appropriate to the new environment in which they work are learned and used in verifying the validity of the financial information on which they express opinion.

The author is a copywriter with SEO Technologies, a bourgeois of world wide web marketing in Houston. Learn more at: http://www.websites-marketing.net/Texas/Houston.aspx

One of the hardest parts about learning search engine optimization is knowing where to start. The field  is always changing, and its prominent experts often preach conflicting advice.

To that end, I have prepared a list of SEO blogs I trust and enjoy reading. Even if I occasionally disagree with a post, I come back day-after-day to these blogs. Whether you are new to seo or experienced in the field, they can help you make the most of your world wide web marketing.

Search Engine Land (http://www.searchengineland.com) – This is the mom of all SEO websites. Founded by search engine expert Danny Sullivan, it features news, tips, view pieces, and learning resources.  The website features columns devoted to link-building, local business search marketing, business-to-business SEO, and other specialties. Readers will enjoy tips from some of the ideal known SEO leaders and regularly updated links to other blogs and resources.

SEOMoz (http://www.seomoz.org/blog) – While not as expansive as Search Engine Land, the SEOMoz company blog is useful for just about anyone in the field. I love to keep up with them for in-depth insights into search engine and world wide web marketing trends. Their ideal feature might be the “Whiteboard Friday” series of videos, which can be as irreverent and personality-driven as they are informative.

SEO Book (http://www.seobook.com/blog) – This brilliant blog is the brainchild of Aaron Wall, a fiery-tongued SEO who is not afraid to raise agitating questions. While he offers excellent tips for practitioners, his lengthy essays on marketing ethics and the search industry are the crown jewel of his writing.

SEO by the Sea (http://www.seobythesea.com/) – This is a relatively new discovery for me. Author Bill Slawski’s specialty is presenting and examining search engine patents. Keeping up with this blog helps me comprehend the search engines themselves in greater depth.

Local SEO Guide (http://www.localseoguide.com/) and Understanding Google Maps and Local Search (http://blumenthals.com/blog/) – These two excellent blogs wage news and tips for local business seo, local directories, and search engine maps.

Occam’s Razor (http://www.kaushik.net/avinash/) – Google Analytics evangelist Avinash Kaushik offers in-depth tips for understanding website analytics and using them as tools to improve your online marketing performance.