Internet Research Links
Updated January 2010 |
Reporter's Desktop - Handy Search Launchpad
Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) Resource Center - Online Companion to the Investagative Reporter's Handbook
Journalist's Toolkit - from Mediachannel.org
FIND BOOKS, JOURNALS & ARTICLES
Bengal Central Search - Similtaniously Searches Multiple Academic Databases. BSC Students and Faculty Login Here
Google Scholar Search - Online Journals. Find citations here, then search your home library databases or interlibrary loan if full text is not available.
Google Book Search - Search Within Text of Scanned Books. Find complete books via interlibrary loan.
Newspaper Archives by State - Find articles by nespaper. (from UNC)
Lexus/Nexus - BSC Students and Faculty Login Here
ONLINE DATABASES
The Invisible Web - Comprehensive Searchable Listing of Searchable Databases
NICAR - National Inst for Computer Assisted Reporting Database Library
IRE Database Library - ($) Descriptions of Govmt. databases digitized by IRE and available for purchase.
Search Google for Spreadsheets - Use this link and Specify .xls under "file type."
ONLINE ARCHIVES
Archive.org - The Internet's Not-for-Profit Library
WayBack Machine - Archive.org's Historic Snapshots of the Internet. Go Back in Time & Look for Revisionism
ibiblio.org - "a conservancy of freely available information, including software, music, literature, art, history, science, politics, and cultural studies from The Univ. of N. Carolina.
TV News Archive - Searchable Archived TV News Programs by Subject etc. (very incomplete)
Newspaper Archives by State - Find articles by nespaper. (from UNC)
US GOVERNMENT INFO
Fed World - Gateway to Government Publications (also see Library of Congress)
GAO - Government Accountability Office. Online Reports, Investigations etc. [ Publications]
First Gov - Search US Government Datbases
US Tax Court Records -- For For IRS Liens by Name
Pacer - U.S. District,
Bankruptcy, and Appellate court records (small fee)
OSHA - Occupational Safety and Health Administration / Databases and Info
Government Accountability Project - Not-for-Profit Whistleblower Defense Organization - Info by Subject / Industry
Center for Responsive Politics - Homepage
Sunlight Foundation - Dedicated to Transparancy in Government
Open Congress - Congressional Voting Records etc.
Congresspedia - a Wiki on Congress (Wiki Warning!)
LOCAL GOVERNMENT RECORDS
Master Directory -- Compresensive Directory of Local and STate Government Websites.
Gov Engine - Similar to Above
Public Records Directory - ($) From Search Systems. Subscription Fee for Full Access or Locate What Directories are Availalbe for Free (then find from original source).
Public Records Finder - Links to Sources (fee & free) for Finding Public Records
New York State GOVERNMENT RECORDS
Gov Engine NY - Directory of State Databases
Disciplinary Actions - Against Licenses Professionals
Teachers' Certificates - Search by Name fopr Current Status
Housing Court -- Limited to NYC and Buffalo - Search by Name
Civil Court Cases -- Search by Name (limited to NYC, Auburn, Geneva and Canandaigua)
NYS Supreme Court Cases - All 64 Counties
Pending Criminal Cases - Limited to NYC and burbs, Buffalo/Erie Co
Family Court - Including Domestic Violence - Search by Names - All 64 Counties
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT
National Freedom of Information Coalition - Info on How to Use FOIA and Sunshine Laws
FOIA Information - from Reporters' Committee for Freedom of the Press (RCFP)
FOIA Letter Generator (Federal) from RCFP - Too EZ. Be sure to edit.
Brechner Center - Guide to Using FOIA and Sunshine Laws
Center for Public Integrity - FOIA info
Department of Justice FOIA Info Site
CAMPAIGN FINANCE
Center for Responsive Politics - Election Finance Databases
Center for Public Integrity - Campaign and Issue Finance Database
Maplight - Mapping the Money in Politics
State by State - Guide to Local Boards of Election
CORPORATIONS
National Mobilization Against Sweatshops - Research, Info. Names names.
Multinational Resource Center - Database for journalists and students tracking corporations.
Corp Political Contributions - Track Political Contributions and Lobbying Expenses for Major Corporations. Excellent Resource
Ctr. For Public Integrity - Database of Corporate Funding of Polticos
They Rule - Database Mapping Connections Between Corporations
International Forum on Globalization - 60 Organizations form 20 Countries. Scholarly Analysis of Global Economy
Corporate Watch - Research Trans-National Corporate Activity - also see Multinational Monitor (above)
Paywatch - In 1999 the average CEO made 475x average worker's salary, up from 42x in 1980! Stats Here.
Council on Economic Priorities - Analysis of Social and Environmental Performance of Corporations.
AFL-CIO Corporate Research Page - Resources
Sweatshop Info - Products and Companies
Boycott Action News - Latest Info on Major Boycotts from Co-op America
Center for Responsive Politics - Lobbying Directory
Toll-Free Phone Directory
LOCATING NEWS MEDIA ORGANIZATIONS & LIBRARIES
NewsLink - Find Local Newspapers, Magazines and Broadcast Outlets by Geographic Locale
Specialized Information Publishers Association - Find Trade Publications by Industry
LIST SERVES AND BLOGS
Finding List Serves - Search by Subject or Region etc. From L-Soft.
Vlogs - Browse Video Blogs
LOCATING (& BACKGROUNDING) PEOPLE
411.com - Phone Directory, Reverse Phone Directory etc. Or try Switchboard.com.
Ancestry.com - ($) fee based. Will Provide or Confirm Basic Info for Free
DEMOGRAPHIC DATA
Bureau of Economic Analysis - Economic Data by US Region
CIA Factbook - World Data From the US Government
Claritas Corp ($) - Typologies. Some Free, Some Fee.
Rand Corp. ($) - Economic / Social Data. Fee
IMAGES
Archive.com Moving Image Library - Fun.
BUFFALO
Erie County Clerk's Office - Online Data
City of Buffalo Property Information
PRISONS
ETHICS!
Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics
Radio and Television News Directors Assocation Code of Ethics
Assocated Press Managing Editors Statement on Ethics
RUMOR CONTROL
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
OTHER LISTS OF USEFUL LINKS
Mediastudy.com Journalism Resource Links
©2010 Michael I. Niman
usage rights released to BSC faculty