Even the most conservative value funds have been whacked this year. But Keith Fitz-Gerald says following a value-investing discipline is the smartest thing to do right now. That’s where the big recovery gains will be. He gives five tips on how to seek out “real value” in the market.

This from Money Morning:

Value funds have long been viewed as conservative investments. So why are they down an average of 42% during the past 12 months, and what’s wrong with them?

No question, such numbers are scary, especially for large-cap value fund investors who have experienced that 42% drop. And the fact that some of the biggest names in value investing have taken such big beatings has to be especially disconcerting for investors who already have had their confidence badly shaken and their portfolios eviscerated.

Bill Miller’s once-vaunted Legg Mason Value Trust fund (LMVTX) has dropped 62%. Meanwhile,