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Paradise Found - The Best Research Spot on the Web

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Getting the most out of the Web is more than just using a search engine... it's knowing the best places to look for specific information. And who better to point us in the right direction than Bill Dedman, a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist. For investigative journalists, the Web is an indispensable tool, and Bill Dedman's Power Reporting site (http://www.powerreporting.com) is THE BEST starting point I've ever found for on-line research for beginners and experts.

Although the site is primarily targeted toward reporters, it is perfect for anyone looking for quality information sources.  

Here's a quick list of some of the resources you may find useful:

Ÿ     A Great Web Tutorial on Search Strategy and Syntax

A well-written (journalists tend to write well) tutorial explaining basic and advanced Web searching.

Ÿ     Links to Government Information

Tons of government information -- national, international, state, county, and city. Links to statutes, census information, and much more.

Ÿ     Calculators for Everything

Calculate cost of living, distances, weights, mortgages, college costs, currency conversion, even electoral votes.

Ÿ     People Finders

Biographies, email directories, phone directories, public records, and more.

Ÿ     Company Information

Company briefs, SEC documents, annual reports, and other information about companies.

Ÿ     Dictionaries

From the traditional Oxford English dictionary to specialized dictionaries of tech terminology, acronyms, economic terms, and language translators.

Think you're good at on-line research? Check out a neat quiz that Bill put together. It tests "newsroom literacy". He has ten research questions that a journalist might face and links to hints and answers. Of the ten questions, I think I would only have gotten 2 or 3 correct, but the quiz really opened my eyes to how talented many journalists are at using the Web for research. It's worth checking out.

I suppose I could have located most of these sources if I'd done some searching myself but why bother. They are all listed here, and not because they paid a fee, but because they are useful for journalists doing research. The site is regularly updated, and there is a free email alert listing new additions. Power Reporting is an excellent resource and belongs in every searcher's tool kit. Check it out, it will be time well spent.

Phil

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Related Links:

Power Reporting Home Page

http://powerreporting.com/

Web treasure hunt: 10 questions to test newsroom literacy

http://powerreporting.com/treasure.html