Technical Analysis 101

A short course in the basic tenets of the field, designed to provide newcomers with a working background of technical analysis.

Below, you'll find a series of articles about the basics of technical analysis. If you are new to charting, these articles will give you the “big picture” behind the charts on our site. If you are an “old hand,” these articles will help ensure you haven't strayed too far from the basics. Enjoy!

Part 1 – What exactly is Technical Analysis?

Part 2 – Why does TA work and how it is commonly misused?

Part 3 – The important assumptions that TA makes about financial data

Part 4 – All about Line and OHLC bar charts

Part 5 – The basics of candlestick charts

Part 6 – How charts are scaled, how volume works, and how to create CandleVolume charts

Part 7 – Support and Resistance

Part 8 – Trend line analysis

Part 9 – Price channels

Part 10 – Using volume to confirm trend-changing signals

Part 11 – Basics of Price Patterns

Part 12 – Using volume to confirm Price patterns

Part 13 – The (infamous) Head and Shoulders Reversal pattern

Part 14 – Using Fibonacci percentages to find Support and Resistance levels

Part 15 – Price gap analysis

Part 16 – Candlestick chart pattern basics

Part 17 – Comparison charting