Internet Research Links

Updated January 2015

 

JOURNALIST SPECIFIC TOOLS

bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Reporter's Desktop - Handy Search Launchpad
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) Resource Center - Online Companion to the Investagative Reporter's Handbook
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Journalist's Toolkit - from Mediachannel.org

FIND BOOKS, JOURNALS & ARTICLES

bullet.gif (1145 bytes)BuffaloState Butler Library "Summon" Search - Similtaniously Searches Multiple Academic Databases. Access to materials behind subscription paywalls requires Buffalo State login.
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Library of Congress
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Google Scholar Search - Online Journals. Find citations here, then search your home library databases or interlibrary loan if full text is not available.
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Google Book Search - Search Within Text of Scanned Books. Find complete books via interlibrary loan.
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Newspaper Archives by State - Find articles by nespaper. (from UNC)
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Lexus/Nexus - BSC Students and Faculty Login Here

ONLINE DATABASES

bullet.gif (1145 bytes)The Invisible Web - Comprehensive Searchable Listing of Searchable Databases
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)NICAR - National Inst for Computer Assisted Reporting Database Library
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)IRE Database Library - ($) Descriptions of Govmt. databases digitized by IRE and available for purchase.
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Search Google for Spreadsheets - Use this link and Specify .xls under "file type."

ONLINE ARCHIVES

bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Archive.org - The Internet's Not-for-Profit Library
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)WayBack Machine - Archive.org's Historic Snapshots of the Internet. Go Back in Time & Look for Revisionism
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)ibiblio.org - "a conservancy of freely available information, including software, music, literature, art, history, science, politics, and cultural studies from The Univ. of N. Carolina.
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)TV News Archive - Searchable Archived TV News Programs by Subject etc. (very incomplete)
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Newspaper Archives by State - Find articles by nespaper. (from UNC)

US GOVERNMENT INFO

bullet.gif (1145 bytes) Federal Open Government Guide - From Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Fed World - Gateway to Government Publications (also see Library of Congress)
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)GAO - Government Accountability Office. Online Reports, Investigations etc. [ Publications]
bullet.gif (1145 bytes) First Gov - Search US Government Datbases
bullet.gif (1145 bytes) US Tax Court Records -- For For IRS Liens by Name
bullet.gif (1145 bytes) Pacer - U.S. District, Bankruptcy, and Appellate court records (small fee)
bullet.gif (1145 bytes) OSHA - Occupational Safety and Health Administration / Databases and Info
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Government Accountability Project - Not-for-Profit Whistleblower Defense Organization - Info by Subject / Industry
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Center for Responsive Politics - Homepage
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Sunlight Foundation - Dedicated to Transparancy in Government
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Open Congress - Congressional Voting Records etc.
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Congresspedia - a Wiki on Congress (Wiki Warning!)

US GOVERNMENT / ENVIRONMENTAL INFO

bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Right to Know Network -- Protecting and Providing Access to Envionmental Databases
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)EPA Toxic Release Inventory Program -- From the US Environmental Protection Agency

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT

bullet.gif (1145 bytes) FOIA Guide - From Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)National Freedom of Information Coalition - Info on How to Use FOIA and Sunshine Laws
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)FOIA Information - from Reporters' Committee for Freedom of the Press (RCFP)
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)FOIA Letter Generator (Federal) from RCFP - Too EZ. Be sure to edit.
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Brechner Center - Guide to Using FOIA and Sunshine Laws
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Center for Public Integrity - FOIA info
bullet.gif (1145 bytes) Department of Justice FOIA Info Site

LOCAL GOVERNMENT RECORDS

bullet.gif (1145 bytes) Master Directory -- Compresensive Directory of Local and STate Government Websites.
bullet.gif (1145 bytes) State Open Government Guide - From Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
bullet.gif (1145 bytes) Gov Engine - Similar to Above
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Public Records Directory - ($) From Search Systems. Subscription Fee for Full Access or Locate What Directories are Availalbe for Free (then find from original source).
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Public Records Finder - Links to Sources (fee & free) for Finding Public Records

New York State GOVERNMENT RECORDS

bullet.gif (1145 bytes) Gov Engine NY - Directory of State Databases
bullet.gif (1145 bytes) New York Open Government Guide - From Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
bullet.gif (1145 bytes) NY Court Info
bullet.gif (1145 bytes) NY Laws
bullet.gif (1145 bytes) Professional Licenses
bullet.gif (1145 bytes) Disciplinary Actions - Against Licenses Professionals
bullet.gif (1145 bytes) Education Department
bullet.gif (1145 bytes) Teachers' Certificates - Search by Name fopr Current Status
bullet.gif (1145 bytes) Attorney Search
bullet.gif (1145 bytes) Housing Court -- Limited to NYC and Buffalo - Search by Name
bullet.gif (1145 bytes) Civil Court Cases -- Search by Name (limited to NYC, Auburn, Geneva and Canandaigua)
bullet.gif (1145 bytes) NYS Supreme Court Cases - All 64 Counties
bullet.gif (1145 bytes) Pending Criminal Cases - Limited to NYC and burbs, Buffalo/Erie Co
bullet.gif (1145 bytes) Family Court - Including Domestic Violence - Search by Names - All 64 Counties
bullet.gif (1145 bytes) Sex Offender Locator
bullet.gif (1145 bytes) Unified Court Case Search

Buffalo, NY GOVERNMENT RECORDS

bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Erie County Clerk's Office - Online Data
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Erie County Government -
bullet.gif (1145 bytes) Niagara County Government
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)City of Buffalo Property Information
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Citystat

CAMPAIGN FINANCE

bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Center for Responsive Politics - Election Finance Databases
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Federal Election Commission
bullet.gif (1145 bytes) Center for Public Integrity - Campaign and Issue Finance Database
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Maplight - Mapping the Money in Politics
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)State by State - Guide to Local Boards of Election

"FREE TRADE" & GLOBALIZATION

bullet.gif (1145 bytes) TradeWatch - Database and Info on FTAA, NAFTA, TAFTA, TPP and Fast Track. From Public Citizen.
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)International Forum on Globalization - 60 Organizations form 20 Countries.  Scholarly Analysis of Global Economy

CORPORATIONS

bullet.gif (1145 bytes)National Mobilization Against Sweatshops - Research, Info.  Names names.
bullet.gif (1145 bytes) Multinational Resource Center -  Database for journalists and students tracking corporations. 
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Corp Political Contributions - Track Political Contributions and Lobbying Expenses for Major Corporations. Excellent Resource
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Ctr. For Public Integrity - Database of Corporate Funding of Polticos
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)They Rule - Database Mapping Connections Between Corporations
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Corporate Watch - Research Trans-National Corporate Activity - also see Multinational Monitor (above)
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Paywatch - In 1999 the average CEO made 475x average worker's salary, up from 42x in 1980!  Stats Here.
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Council on Economic Priorities - Analysis of Social and Environmental Performance of Corporations.
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)AFL-CIO Corporate Research Page - Resources
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Sweatshop Info - Products and Companies
bullet.gif (1145 bytes) Boycott Action News - Latest Info on Major Boycotts from Co-op America
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Center for Responsive Politics - Lobbying Directory
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Toll-Free Phone Directory

WIKIS - (interactive evolving group sourced databases)

bullet.gif (1145 bytes) Little Sis - Keeping tabs on the one percent. Who's connected to who, how, etc. Background people and organizations. A project of the Public Accoutability Inititative.

LOCATING NEWS MEDIA ORGANIZATIONS & LIBRARIES

bullet.gif (1145 bytes)NewsLink - Find Local Newspapers, Magazines and Broadcast Outlets by Geographic Locale
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Specialized Information Publishers Association - Find Trade Publications by Industry

LIST SERVES AND BLOGS

bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Finding List Serves - Search by Subject or Region etc. From L-Soft.
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Google Blog Search
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Google Group Search
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Technorati Blog Search
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Vlogs - Browse Video Blogs

LOCATING (& BACKGROUNDING) PEOPLE

bullet.gif (1145 bytes)411.com - Phone Directory, Reverse Phone Directory etc. Or try Switchboard.com.
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Ancestry.com - ($) fee based. Will Provide or Confirm Basic Info for Free
bullet.gif (1145 bytes) Death Records
bullet.gif (1145 bytes) Little Sis - Keeping tabs on the powerful. Who's connected to who, how, etc. See WIKIS above.

DEMOGRAPHIC DATA

bullet.gif (1145 bytes)US Census Bureau
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Bureau of Economic Analysis - Economic Data by US Region
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)CIA Factbook - World Data From the US Government
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Claritas Corp ($) - Typologies. Some Free, Some Fee.
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Rand Corp. ($) - Economic / Social Data. Fee
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Nationmaster.com - Much like the CIA Factbook, but includes additional information, also easier to compare countries.

IMAGES

bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Archive.com Moving Image Library - Fun.
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Google Image Search
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Search Youtube - advanced

PRISONS

bullet.gif (1145 bytes) Find Federal Prisonors
bullet.gif (1145 bytes) Find NYS Prisonors

 

ETHICS!

bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Radio and Television News Directors Assocation Code of Ethics
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Assocated Press Managing Editors Statement on Ethics

 

RUMOR CONTROL

bullet.gif (1145 bytes)T or F
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Snopes
bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Hoaxbusters


YOUR RIGHTS


Your Right to take Photographs in public places - A pdf format one page outline of your rights.
The War on Photographers - Popular Photography Article.
Freedom of the Press - From the First Amendment Center.
Freedom of Speech - From the First Amendment Center
Academic Freedom - From Illinios State Univ. Ph.D. Candidate John Wilsom

MISC

bullet.gif (1145 bytes)Google Patent Search

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©2015 Michael I. Niman / mediastudy.com

 


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