How can I choose which tech to research?

[Magician]

can anyone help?

[JAMiAM]

Turn off blind research. Then you can direct it, within limits.

[Flubber]

and to turn off blind research you customize the rules --- you know that screen where you can decide if you want "look first", tech stag, a more aggressive AI, which victory conditions are permissible etc

Playing this way, you get options of tech to research and can make your choice. Note however that not every tech that you would otherwise be able to research will come up as a choice. This can be frustrating at times when you REALLY want a specific tech