when you are a beginner in the stock market : do not buy options , do not be a day trader , do not buy or sell puts or calls you do not what they are do not look them up, do not do not buy derivatives , do not buy stocks in a partnership there is a heavy tax paperwork every year behind them , when you buy stocks in any company check it out on the internet you can use yahoo financial pages and there many other sites with financial informations wher you can find almost any stock once you know the stock symbol ..the rule of thumb is "Buy Low sell high "
things do to : buy a diversity of stocks do not put all your eggs in the same basket , study ETF Exchange Traded Funds