So you've made up your mind that you are going take full control of your financial future . You've taken a look at the stock and commodities market and you have made some good opinions . You're now caught up on the indicators of the economy and the dollar's strength. You've figured out what you want to get involved in , and the markets you want involved in . Of course, you've heard what some of the Wall Street wise say "Figure out what to trade based on the fundamentals but technical analysis should determine decisions on entrance and exits ." No doubt you know you will need a stock trading course. To learn about technical analysis, you will need a good stock trading course . Wondering how to find a great one ? The following are some simple guidelines for choosing a high quality course in technical analysis . What are the author's credentials? Look for an author who has been in the field for many years , and who won't allow the newest fad to sweep them away . Wall Street has lots of fads but few of the ideas are enduring. Are they an academic or a trader ? If you need to learn material that is basic, well established, and does not move much past what is available in the public domain , then someone who is an academic may be okay for your technical analysis training course. But if you are seeking more powerful techniques , try to find an author that is a successful trader, as it is likely that he or she will focus on the most useful and productive strategies . Is the technical analysis training applicable to any tradable security ? If you are going to take time to learn all the chart patterns for technical analysis , then you want them to be applicable to commodities, futures, Forex trading, and stocks . It would not be the best use of your time to learn stock trading online if it applied only to the Dow Jones . Are techniques taught simple or complex? Some of the courses may require a heavy background in math , such as college calculus. The best options out there are easy to understand by those who have a good education and high school degree How much does the course cost? The cost is going to be something to consider but watch out for courses that are low cost or even for free. This is not to say they are without value , because free courses often have great information that is basic, especially if the information is available to the public and it can be found in regular books . Espeically in the world of finance and trading, you'll get exactly what you pay for and information that is useful and from real successful traders most likely will not come for free . Research the course and if possible talk to someone who has taken the course in the past to find out if it's really a valuable technical analysis software, course, or indicators. Look around carefully and do your research, and you'll be able to find the best stock trading course!