Where did you get most of your information on ASDs from?

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To refine this a little, please answer in terms of the source of information that was the most useful to you, include a first and second choice if you want. I realise that most of us will have gleaned information from all sorts of places.

Books written by "experts"?
Books written by ASD writers?
Scientific articles?
Articles/blogs on the net?
Courses?
Conferences?
Psychiatrists?
The DSM?
Psychologists?
Other therapists?
People on WP?
Family members?
Friends?
Formal study at university?
Blogs by people on the spectrum?
The news media?
Teachers or adults at school?
Doctors?
Self-diagnostic tests online?

If you like, break your answers down further into time periods - eg Initially = books, later on WP.

The most useful sources for me in the initial period were books written by authors like Attwood and blogs by autistic writers. At the stage I am at now scientific articles provide most of the information that I find useful to me on a personal level.

The most useful source of information are books by Aspies and online/email dialogues with Aspies. The next most useful source of information is scientific literature, however there is significant variability in the quality of the research that is being published.

The autistic spectrum is so broad, that it is very difficult to identify behavioural characteristics that apply to all autistics. Recognising and accepting the breadth of the autistic spectrum is very important for a constructive discussion of the topic and for gaining a better understanding.

I agree that the material written by Tony Attwood is amongst the most useful of what has been written by "experts". I do however notice his external perspective, and the difference to descriptions found in first-hand accounts. The external perspective can be helpful for navigating typical society, but it is not the best path for improving the level of mutual understanding between Aspies.

DSM-IV & V
University psychology textbooks.
Encyclopedias (Dead tree versions)
NIMH

Books written by experts, writing (all kinds) by others with ASDs, documentaries, my psychologist, and journal articles.

I get different things from each.

I got most of my information from online sources like this site, blogs and random googling.
I've read some scientific articles, but I'm not really interested in how it is caused.
I've read Attwood's book and a Grandin autobiography, but besides that I haven't really gotten into autism books.

I've gotten most of my information from books written by experts. WP only helped to refine my understanding.

I initially got my information from random internet articles (of varying quality), followed by books written by ASD authors, and then finally WP.

Here.

Initially Temple Grandin and random websites, then WrongPlanet, then Karla's ASD Page (I no longer use Temple Grandin, but I use all the rest).

Where I got most of my useful information from:
-- Books written by "experts"
-- Books written by ASD writers
-- Scientific articles
-- Articles/blogs on the net
-- Courses
-- The DSM
-- Psychologists
-- People on WP
-- Blogs by people on the spectrum
-- Participating in Autism Research Experiments
-- Self-diagnostic tests online

Where I got little or no useful information from:
-- The news media
-- Teachers or adults at school
-- Doctors
-- Conferences
-- Psychiatrists
-- Family members
-- Friends
-- Formal study at university
-- Other therapists

Initially, he most useful sources were books (I have read ~ 20 on the subject). Nowadays, the most useful is a combination of: participating in autism research experiments and reading scientific articles. I also still frequent WP.

I was diagnosed before I know what it was, it was explained to me by someone sent from the school system who I believe actually was the one that recommended me to this site all those years ago. It took me a while to really come to terms with it, I'd say I've learned more here than I have anywhere else tho. My parents read all these books and whatnot, I've always tried to steer away from it irl as it at one time made me very uncomfortable.

I got mine from:

Autistic bloggers
The DSM
Books by autistic people
Books by professionals who work with autistic people and research autism
Other posters on Wrong Planet
Autistic people on other forums or social media sites

There are a lot of details about autism from professionals that do not make a lot of sense to me - not because I do not experience what they talk about, but because the way they talk about it has no bearing on how it's experienced, at least in my case. On the other hand, I have seen autistic people describe experiences very close to mine.

Pretty much all stuff by people on the spectrum. The stuff written by 'experts' didn't resonate with me at all, because they were talking about outward appearance and I didn't realize how I appeared to others. But people on the spectrum described feelings I had felt too and never realized anyone else had.

1. I read a few scientific journals that I have access to through my university.
2. I read more popular sources, such as Tony Attwood's book, several blogs,
3. Original Texts, which mainly includes the works of Hans Asperger and the other psychologists who created the labels for autism as we now know it.
4. This forum.

I researched AS alittle bit by googleing it when I 1st heard I had it but I didn't dwell on it much till I joined this forum. I get most of my information from here.

Science articles
Autistic people
Science research