(1) Simplify first: redraw the circuit clearly. Identify series and parallel groups. Check for Wheatstone bridge or symmetry. (2) Choose the right method: simple circuits use series-parallel. Complex circuits need Kirchhoff's laws. Symmetric networks use symmetry + KCL. (3) For Kirchhoff's: assign current variables (using KCL to minimize unknowns). Write KVL equations for independent loops. Solve simultaneously. (4) Sign conventions: be consistent. Assign a direction for each current; if the answer is negative, the actual direction is opposite. (5) Check your answer: verify KCL at each junction and KVL around each loop. Verify power balance: total power from batteries = total power dissipated. (6) Common mistakes: forgetting internal resistance, wrong sign conventions, not identifying parallel combinations hidden in complex networks.