Kiplinger.com's How to Choose Winning Funds lists seven 'simple steps' to building a winning fund portfolio without the help of a broker:

1. Determine your objective
2. Home in on a specific category
3. Watch your costs
4. Study past performance
5. Consider risk
6. Size up the fund
7. Know who's at the helm

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Any similarity to our own Seven Golden Rules of Mutual fund Investing is purely coincidental:

1. No Loads!
2. Don't Overestimate Past Performance Figures
3. No Fat Funds
4. The Younger the Better
5. Watch Expenses
6. Check Performance Relative To Class
7. Know The Fund's Risk Level