Life is full of challenges. You know that.
You face important responsibilities that can feel strange, or scary, or even overwhelming — and perhaps nobody taught you much about how to do them. You might be asking questions like these:
How do I do my income taxes? — What do I need to know about insurance, and how much do I need?
How can I get money to pay for school? — I need to choose a college major, but how?
How can I write well if I’m a bad writer? — How can I find a good job?
How do I buy a car? Or a house? — How can I travel safely, especially abroad?
Whatever the media says, or what’s on the Internet, how do I know what’s true?
Where can you find helpful, trustworthy advice?
At the Donovan Institute we don’t know all the answers, but we can help you find some answers. For free!
As a free service to the general public, the right-side margin of our website lists many questions and topics of common interest. (For an easier view, click on our Site Map.) Please explore them, because several include links to outside websites that we selected because their information is based on scientific studies using empirical data and evidence, and/or their information comes from authoritative sources such as experienced experts and respected educational institutions. Some webpages contain information produced by the Donovan Institute, drawing upon our expertise in professional research and intelligence analysis.
Some categories have many articles. To help you choose which articles to read, we show each article’s approximate word count (its length), its readability (difficulty), and the estimated time it takes to read the article. Choose the articles you prefer and become informed. It’s that convenient!
Why is this information called intelligence?
The word intelligence has two meanings. The most common meaning is the ability to think, using brainpower and intellect; but another definition of the word is favored by spies: intelligence is a type of information that helps you make a decision. A road map, for example, is a form of intelligence if it helps you to decide which route to take to reach a destination. Intelligence of this type can also give you an advantage. Imagine receiving a traffic report warning you to avoid a particular road because of a traffic jam there. That traffic report is intelligence, and it gives you an advantage over those drivers who haven’t received the warning as they drive (in ignorance) toward the heavy traffic, making it worse.
Why does the Donovan Institute offer this service for free?
We provide this for free because we want you to explore our website and to learn from its contents and links. It’s that simple.
At the Donovan Institute, we believe that a nation’s democracy is strongest when its citizens are well-informed, open-minded, and actively participate in their governing institutions. This starts with you. Don’t be afraid to be curious and learn more. Don’t be afraid to consider another point of view. Don’t be afraid to develop your own personal beliefs and opinions, even if they disagree with someone else’s. You have a right to your own beliefs — but the smartest beliefs are based on facts, faith, discovery, study, and critical thinking. Merely following the crowd might be easier, but even the crowd can be wrong, or deceived. So it’s better to think for yourself.
Here are some topics from our Site Map which may interest you:
Critical Thinking made easy — with advice from the U.S. Founding Fathers
Debunking Fake News and Exposing Deceptions
Why the Military believes in — and worries about — Climate Change
- Intelligence for High School Students
- Intelligence for College Students
- Intelligence for Graduate Students
How to Improve Your Writing Skills — fast!
How to use Google smartly — because too few people do
How to use Facebook smartly — because too few people do
How to use the News Media smartly — because too few people do
How to use Wikipedia smartly — because too few people do
Intelligence for Professionals, Activists and Volunteers
What is Strategic Intelligence? (It’s more than thinking strategically.)