1) FACTOR OUT THE (POS/NEG) GREATEST MONOMIAL FACTOR FIRST.
2) LOOK FOR DIFFERENCE OF 2 SQUARES.
3) LOOK FOR PERFECT TRINOMIAL SQUARES
4) IF NOT A TRINOMIAL SQUARE , LOOK FOR A PAIR OF BINOMIAL
FACTORS.
5) IF A POLYNOMIAL HAS FOUR OR MORE TERMS, LOOK FOR AWAY TO GROUP
THE TERMS IN PAIRS OR IN A GROUP OF THREE TERMS IN THAT IS A PERFECT TRINOMIAL
SQUARES.
6) MAKE SURE THAT EACH BINOMIAL OR TRINOMIAL FACTOR IS PRIME.
7) CHECK
YOUR WORK.