How to Avoid Getting Lost Here!

[Robert Donovan]

Hi folks.

If you already have your User Name and Password activated, then just read on. If not, you need to register for a free User Name and Password by clicking here: Register Here Link .

Each Topic is supposed to have a Title that pertains about a specific subject. If you wish to make a comment about that topic and want to reply to the author of that specific topic, or maybe someone who also replied to the author, just click on the Reply Button inside that topic and that's where your comment will stay.

If you wish to start a new topic about a different subject, then click on the New Thread Button and you become the author of the new topic and subject matter.

Now comes the tricky part.
If you're just Replying to existing Topics . . . . you're safe.
But if you want to start a new topic, make sure your new topic and subject matter are in the right FORUM.

So before you start guessing about which forum you should post your new topic in, the first thing you should do is the following:

1) Go to http://www.ipiu.org/forums/ and look at ALL of the forums and their DESCRIPTIONS.

2) Click on each forum to begin reading the titles of the various Topics that already there.

3) If you happen to see a topic that discusses the SAME SUBJECT matter that you were going to ask, then stop and read that topic, and if needed . . . post a reply inside that topic so that you don't create a duplicate topic.

4) As you roam around all the forums, you will come across some forums that will ask you for your User Name and Password again. That probably means that the forum is private and you have not been cleared (yet) to enter it. Don't worry, just use the BACK arrow and return to select another forum to visit.

5) After you have read the titles of all of the topics in all of the forums you have access to, and if your question is still not answered by another topic, then try your best to choose the correct forum and author a new topic by clicking the New Thread Button.

6) Remember to read the ANNOUNCMENT at the top of each topic list that says Read This First. Personal questions about your personal file information and progress are not discussed on these forums.

Personal inquiries should be emailed here:
http://www.ipiu.org/forums/sendmessage.php

But you are free to discuss "general questions", such as the normal time frame of processing that pertains to all of the members.

7) And last, if you just can't figure out which forum to post a new topic, do so in the After Hours Lounge Forum, which is where all of the off-topic and other chit-chat discussions are. A moderator will sure help you.

---

Now let me give you a clue if you've lost an earlier topic that is nowhere to be found. It was probably moved by technical support to the After Hours Lounge Forum, and when a member Replies to your topic . . . it automatically sends you a direct email notification to take you right back to the new home where it is located. Sometimes Tech Support leaves a redirect note that the topic has been moved, sometimes not. Rarely have I seen a topic really get lost. It was probably moved to the another forum.

If you're anxious to get started, so let me give you a tip.

Send an email to tutor@ipiu.org and wait for a return email with tutorial links that will teach you how to get around and use our software. Then try your testing in the forum titled Test Your Forum Writing Skills Forum, and you'll get more teachers.

Welcome to the Private Investigators Forum. There's nothing like it anywhere in the world! I know, because I’ve been at IPIU for over 10 years.

Robert

[Omar Castro]

Maybe this can be an email you send everyone or the new comers. Once they have actually applied and have access or some sort of tutorial that could be in Power Point format. What do you think?
Maybe I can help?

[Robert L Shipley -]

Click On the User cp button. Then click on "Show Threads from" you'll choose from what date. For example "last day, 2 days, 3 days", ect... and it will give you a list of your forums. Hope this Helps.

[Jorge A Rodriguez]

Thanks everybody,

My problem is not that I get lost, but I get easily side-tracked. I go into a certain forum that interests me, then I see something equally as interesting that distracts me from my original search. Anyway, I think I just have to learn to focus on one topic at a time.

[Paul Sweeney]

This will be the 30th post that I have made. I wish I would have found this first! When I started I was like so many others, overwhelmed. But as I began to read and wonder and travel in circles, and end up in places that I didn't really start out looking for, I came to relize, is this such a bad place to be lost in? As long as you are reading you are learning, and if while you are surfing you can pass along some helpful information, all the more enjoyable being here.

Would love to stay longer, but as I always say, a moving target is harder to hit! Gotta go more to see, more to learn

[Georgina Laesch Colvin]

Very good advice on how not to get lost and what to do first. I had followed everything that was written in the first post to a tee, and yes I got lost. I started to clink in other forums and nose around. I wanted to find out everything I could. Being lost can be a good thing as long as your not driving and have to be somewhere at such and such time. I have had a great experience here on the forums and I've learned a great deal.

As far as the testing your writing skills forum I am positive I have read somewhere that it only counts as one post. Meaning if someone gives you a reply and you reply back it still counts as only one post. If I'm wrong I'm sure somone will enlighten me. This was just FYI if your trying to get your posts up like me.

Georgina Laesch

[Carl Isenhour -]

There is an abundance of 411 through out these forums, it is very easy to get side tracked. You can be following a link, and come accross several items of interest. I have caught my self in the middle of something and wonder what I was researching for in the first place. I believe that the key word here is (focus), and that is why it is called training, Carl.



I shall leave no stone unturned.

[Thomas J Nicol]

hello i have been reading the commits and i still can not figure out where i left off because i get started and i have to go to work so i lose my spot is there a away to find out what i have done and what i still need to do to finish and get started on a new career

Theresa, the first thing I would do, is check your reply`s before you post them. You sure have crossed all your T`s & dotted all of your I`s. Then read (newcomer read this first) that is a start. I am not an expert when it comes to reading and writing my self, you still have a chance to go back and edit post # 14.



I shall leave no stone unturned.

What Carl says is so true. Every time you post or reply to a post, others read what you have written. Potential employers are among those who read your work.

Capitalization is crucial to a post, reply to post, or a report to an employer. When capitalization is missing, it makes it difficult to read and understand.

Why not start now, and use proper capitalization and punctuation, so when it comes time for you to produce an actual report to an employer, everything will be as it should.

I do hope you are enjoying reading the forums. They are really packed with great information, hints, and help.

I hope you have a great weekend.

[James W. Smith--]

I do think that getting lost is part of the learning experience. It can teach us a couple of things.
One, it can teach us to stay focused and on a stream of thought, even though there may be some distractions.
Two, the distractions may have the ability to teach us to think outside the box.
By using both techniques we may be able to keep an eye on the whole picture even while investigating the details. Or, as one way may not lead us to the end, the other may help get us there.

Hope I made that clear.
Thanks to getting lost from time to time and getting back on track.
Jim

[Thomas J Nicol]

Thanks for the great information on posting in the forum. Today I did post in a incorrect location because I thought that I knew what I was doing. I really should have read this first and avoided duplicate posting. Oh Well...You live and You learn...

Melba

Hi Melba,

Its all part of the training. As long as we can benifit by our mistakes and grow from them, it all works out and we become better PI's. As Michael suggests, practice makes perfect (or at least gets us closer).

Keep up the good work,

Hi Dionice,

Not to worry, you are not alone. You will get the "hang of it" before you know it. The idea is to have fun and learn at the same time by reading.

Please use the following link, listed below. This contains the answers to most basic questions you may have.

Newcomers Do This First

To start a new topic that has not been authored before, please click on the

To reply to a topic you are reading click the

Be careful not to post a new topic inside another member's topic, as any questions and/or thoughts on your subject may get overlooked. You'll find many of your answers using the SEARCH and FAQ buttons located in the upper part of your screen. If you don't find an answer to your question, please post it in your introduction.

If you have not authored an Introduction Topic for your self, go to Forum Member Introduction's Lounge! and follow the directions in the first link for Newcomers.

I wish you all the best. And again, you will be fine. Just take your time, read, follow the directions, and have lots of patience.

TJ

Hi Tammy,

Its so good to have you with us. There is no need to stress here. No one is pushing and you make your own schedule. The "right and wrong" will become apparent as you progress and others will give you feedback as you move forward. These posts and replies are read by countless members on a daily basis.

If you will follow the instruction, you should start to see your direction and where you need to go as well as what you need to do to move forward. That post is to Dionice, but is just as applicable to you.

This is not a speedy process, by any means, but just about all who want to succeed have the opportunity. Time and desire are all that are necessary. Read and ask questions in your Introduction Topic, you can't find the answers to by searching. After all, you are developing your private investigating capabilities. Most all the questions imaginable have already been asked and answered here in the forums.

Take a step at a time and don't stress. You should be enjoying what you are doing. Every member of the IPIU is always willing to lend a hand with advice and direction.

May I add, I wish you all the best and look forward to watching your development and hearing of your success stories.

TJ

[Richard French -]

This was a very informative thread. For me, however, I find it easier to just surf the various topics and learn everything I can. The questions may come later but for now, there is not a whole lot I could ask that has not all ready been asked before. The fun part is finding it. As I spend more time here and my training progresses, the questions will become more in depth. It's nice to know that this board is filled with people wanting to help others succeed.

[John Pape--]

Thank you for the thread. I did see a few questions that didn't get answered though. Is there a way to track the threads that we have already read? It takes a lot of time to get through all of these posts to find the information in each thread. There seem to be so many that are just saying "Thanks", "Great job", etc.. it makes for a lot of additional reading. Are you encouraging these or would you rather keep the replies to more informative answers?
Now I will be guilty of the very thing that I am questioning. Is there a way to suggest a series of replies get moved to a more appropriate place? (I.E. posts 21-30 on page 1 should probably go into the "Test your writing skills" area?
Have a great afternoon.
John

[Joyce Jameson -]

Did you read the thread about saving things in binders? I found it very helpful to keep all of this info at my fingertips. Have fun!
Joyce

[Thomas J Nicol]

I'm confused on replying to messages. There are three icons to click on 1) quick reply to this message; 2) reply with quote; and 3) reply.

I'm not sure which one is correct to use. Sometimes I can't do a reply because I get a message saying "your message is too short, add two more characters."

If you get the message that your reply is too short, you have somehow posted your reply within the original quote TAGS and the software doesn't see it as a reply but part of the quote. Watch the TAGS closely. They open the functions and end them. The ones within the [ ] also count for the initial Quote function.

If you do a you can do a simple reply to the thread itself, starting your reply with the individual's name you are intending the reply for. You are not given the opportunity to work with what they have originally posted but you do a straight reply.

If you click on the you are replying directly to a specific post/reply, and the original text is couched within quote TAGS. If in this case you start to type your reply within the opening and closing quote tags from the original quote, it will not be seen by the software.

I'm not understanding the 3rd option. Hope that clears it up a little.

TJ

[John Mann]

Robert:
thank you so much for the instructions on how to avoid getting lost , because thats what I was. The instructions were very handy and I will immediately start using them.
sincerely .

[Thomas J Nicol]

Members and Guests,

All posts and replies not advancing or adding to this thread: How to Avoid Getting Lost Here! have been removed to archive.

Please stay on topic and refrain from posting “Introductions”, “Welcomes to members”, or other non-essential or unrelated posts or chat. Please confine chat to the "Chat Forum".

Questions you may have should be asked from within your own Introduction Topic, where a Moderator or Forum Trainer can best give you direction. Those who have not yet posted an Introduction should go to the Forum Member’s Introduction Lounge and do so.

Thank you for your attention and cooperation. Have a great year and continue to enjoy the forums.

[Rafael J Ramos]

Thank you wee all need some help getting through all the areas of the forums.

[Freedom Torrence]

Thank you wee all need some help getting through all the areas of the forums.

I Agree, I don't think I have ever been on a site which was so help oriented, great to be among friends. Thanks alot guys!

[Mary Hahn]

Thanks for the tips. Navigating this web site can be intimidating if you are anxious about making mistakes. We all learn by
making mistakes so I say, go for it !

[Darrell L Dillard--]

Thanks for the info. I try to follow all the links, when possible. Very informative...

[Darrell L Dillard--]

Thanks for the tips. Navigating this web site can be intimidating if you are anxious about making mistakes. We all learn by
making mistakes so I say, go for it !

I am in wonder and amazed at how easy I can become lost in the forum, and with a little patience and perseerance, I can find my way. And I am a hard believer that mistakes can be learning experience, even the bad ones. Thank you, and "...go for it..."

[Debra Elder-]

I really want to thank everyone for your help in navigating through these forums. When I first started reading these forums, I was totally imtimidated. There is so many forums and so many different topics. Since I started feeling my way through, it has become easier and easier. There is so much information in these forums. I learn more and more everyday. I just get caught up with reading all the information. I end up spending hours reading. Everyone is so helpful and I just want everyone to know... all is appriciated!!

[Mila E Loya]

I'm so lost it's not even funny. I look at where it tells me to start but i've done all that. Now what? I'm not sure where to start now. I just past my exam and went up a level and was told I'm ready for assignments but i can't seem to find where i need to go to even get an idea of what's out there. HELP!

[Thomas J Nicol]

I'm so lost it's not even funny. I look at where it tells me to start but i've done all that. Now what? I'm not sure where to start now. I just past my exam and went up a level and was told I'm ready for assignments but i can't seem to find where i need to go to even get an idea of what's out there. HELP!

Hi Mila, Your Introduction is at Mila Loya Introduction. Ed gave you a link to a great deal of good information. You need to read all of it and in it there is information which will help you better navigate the forums. Keep this link to come back to and post questions you can not find the answers to.

Don't get discouraged. Make this part of your training as a PI. When you are out in the field or digging for something on the internet for an investigation, the training you accept here will be of great value.

All the best to you. As for the area that might work well for you could be Internet Investigation. You do the majority of it from the comfort of your home.

Reading is key.

TJ

[Mila E Loya]

I'm pretty savy about findin stuff if i know what i'm looking for. I'm not sure what I'm looking for. I'm finding all kinds of cool stuff to read and i am learning as i read but i'm not sure what i'm supposed to do now. i guess i need a direction. i've done all the intro stuff and looked at all the steps but i'm stilll lost, i need a direction. Thanks...

[Rachel Roetter]

I totally agree with getting lost. My problem is too, like the one above, getting side tracked. I think once we get the hang of all the stuff we will be okay.

[Jacquelyn Polk]

Robert, thank you for all the much needed information, because I'm continually getting lost navigating the web.

[Rowdy Ratts -]

Very good information. Also, if you have a question and can't find the answer, you can always post a reply in your own introduction thread in the Forum Member's Introduction Lounge.

Rowdy

[Denise Autret -]

This is great information. I am a new member and appreciate the information.
Thanks DA.

[Michael Harris]

This is great information. I am a new member and appreciate the information. ...

Denise,

When you have been in the IPIU forums for awhile, you will find that there are posts and threads that you read many times. Sometimes it is because they are so good and sometimes because it takes time for all this great information to sink in.

[Arthur Allen]

If you have the time, getting lost can lead you into information you would have never found by staying on course.
I have found sometimes you have to venture into areas and make mistakes just so you can learn enough to ask intelligent questions.
Just don't forget what you learned finding your way back to where you want to be.

[Michael Harris]

My schedule is so busy right now that I do get lost when I have been away from the IPIU forums for a few weeks.

I always have fun trying to find my way around again. I find such interesting posts.

[Michael Boyter--]

I'm brand new here and gradually trudging through things. Glad I found this before I got too deep into things!
Thanks

[Steven M Kearney]

Arthur and Micheal...its nice to see that a couple of old pros in the forums still get lost roaming around...there really is a bottomless well of info here...and its refreshing to see that old pros at surfing these forums are willing to admit that they get lost too...honesty in the big world is so hard to come by today...but I seem to find a lot of it here in the forums...I too enjoy just sort of rambling off into nowhere in the forums...the unexpected discoveries are always fun.

I figure getting lost is an easy fix...I just return to the top of any page and head back to the Talk Forums button on the list...home base is always a good place to start over.

[Michael Harris]

Arthur and Micheal...its nice to see that a couple of old pros in the forums still get lost roaming around...there really is a bottomless well of info here...and its refreshing to see that old pros at surfing these forums are willing to admit that they get lost too...honesty in the big world is so hard to come by today...but I seem to find a lot of it here in the forums...I too enjoy just sort of rambling off into nowhere in the forums...the unexpected discoveries are always fun.

I figure getting lost is an easy fix...I just return to the top of any page and head back to the Talk Forums button on the list...home base is always a good place to start over.

Actually, I am not embarrassed about getting lost. This is such a dynamic forum and it has grown since I started.

[Luke A Slowik]

Thank you Robert for the wonderful abundance of information...a great tutorial for new members!

Luke

[Cathy Harding]

I wish I had found this forum first. I came into IPIU with a general idea of what I want to do in this field. I wandered from forum to forum, getting sidetracked. I ended up finding more and more interesting fields to pursue. Now I have a huge checklist of things to learn and do!

[Luke A Slowik]

Good luck on that HUGE checklist! Isn't great to have goals!!

Cheers!

[Cathy Harding]

Luke, I feel like a little kid in a candy shop. You know, running around, saying 'Oh, I'll do that one first...no, that one, no maybe that one !'

[Jan C Dillard--]

This is a good place to get lost. I find something new and interesting in each forum.