Difference between revisions of "Research using the web"

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(Freedom of Information)
 
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*[http://www.lib.strath.ac.uk/lnexecutive.htm Lexis Nexis] (requires Athens login)
 
*[http://www.lib.strath.ac.uk/lnexecutive.htm Lexis Nexis] (requires Athens login)
  
*[http://www.bugmenot.com BugMeNot] - Lets you skip the registration process for many online news sites – although not those requesting paid subscriptions.  
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*[http://www.bugmenot.com BugMeNot] - lets you skip the registration process for many online news sites – although not those requesting paid subscriptions.  
  
*[http://www.marumushi.com/apps/newsmap/newsmap.cfm NewsMap] - Useful little site that tracks graphically what is making the headlines at any given time.  
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*[http://www.marumushi.com/apps/newsmap/newsmap.cfm NewsMap] - useful little site that tracks graphically what is making the headlines at any given time.  
  
*[http://www.mailinator.com/mailinator/index.jsp Mailinator] - Allows you to generate a free one-time only, incoming-only email address
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*[http://www.mailinator.com/mailinator/index.jsp Mailinator] - allows you to generate a free one-time only, incoming-only email address
  
 
===Archives===
 
===Archives===
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*[http://www.yrtk.org Your right to know] – Heather Brooke’s FOIA advice site.  
 
*[http://www.yrtk.org Your right to know] – Heather Brooke’s FOIA advice site.  
 
*[http://www.cfoi.org.uk/ Campaign for Freedom of Information]
 
*[http://www.cfoi.org.uk/ Campaign for Freedom of Information]
*[http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/opensecrets/ Open Secrets] – A blog about freedom of information by Martin Rosenbaum
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*[http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/opensecrets/ Open Secrets] – a blog about freedom of information by Martin Rosenbaum
  
 
===Government offices, official sources===
 
===Government offices, official sources===
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*[http://www.ico.gov.uk/ Information Commissioner’s Office]
 
*[http://www.ico.gov.uk/ Information Commissioner’s Office]
 
*[http://www.itspublicknowledge.info/ Office of the Scottish Information Commissioner]
 
*[http://www.itspublicknowledge.info/ Office of the Scottish Information Commissioner]
 
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*[http://www.opsi.gov.uk/ Office of Public Sector Information]
Office of Public Sector Information http://www.opsi.gov.uk/
 
  
 
===Departmental pages===
 
===Departmental pages===
  
Scottish Executive FoI page: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/FOI
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*[http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/FOI Scottish Executive FoI page]
 
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*[http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/FreedomOfInformation/ Ministry of Defence]
Ministry of Defence http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/FreedomOfInformation/
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*[http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1032370383930 Foreign Office]
 
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*[http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/publicationscheme/ Cabinet Office/Downing Street Publication Scheme]
Foreign Office http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1032370383930
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*[http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/foi/foi.asp Cabinet Office FoI Page]
 
 
Cabinet Office/Downing Street Publication Scheme http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/publicationscheme/
 
 
 
FoI Page: http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/foi/foi.asp
 
 
 
 
*[http://www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/FreedomOfInformation/fs/en Department of Health]
 
*[http://www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/FreedomOfInformation/fs/en Department of Health]
 
 
*[http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/opengov/accessinfo.htm Department of Food and Rural Affairs]
 
*[http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/opengov/accessinfo.htm Department of Food and Rural Affairs]
  
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===Web research===
 
===Web research===
  
Web archive/Way back machine http://www.archive.org/index.php
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[http://www.archive.org/index.php Web archive/Way back machine]
 
This search facility is useful if you have a dead weblink to an article or website, as it keeps an archive of old web addresses with their associated web pages or articles.
 
This search facility is useful if you have a dead weblink to an article or website, as it keeps an archive of old web addresses with their associated web pages or articles.
  
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*[http://www.ukphoneinfo.com/locator.php UK Telephone Code Locator] - Discover which area a dialling code is in
 
*[http://www.ukphoneinfo.com/locator.php UK Telephone Code Locator] - Discover which area a dialling code is in
 
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*[http://www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs.cmu.edu/user/bsy/www/area.html Reverse List of US telephone area codes]
Reverse List of US telephone area codes: http://www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs.cmu.edu/user/bsy/www/area.html
 
 
 
 
*[http://www.royalmail.com/postcode-finder/ Royal Mail postcode/address finder]
 
*[http://www.royalmail.com/postcode-finder/ Royal Mail postcode/address finder]
  

Latest revision as of 12:12, 10 March 2013

Web search tips

In some cases, researching affiliations between people, groups and organizations is as simple as typing the names involved into the Google search box.

You can narrow down your search by enclosing names containing more than one word in inverted commas. For example, if you are researching links between Joe Bloggs and the company Toxic & Lethal Co., you'll find that typing

"joe bloggs" "toxic & lethal"

provides more useful hits than typing

joe bloggs toxic & lethal

because the latter will throw up results relating to all Joes, all Bloggses, and all mentions of the words "toxic" and "lethal". At the same time, it's often useful to omit words like "Co." from your search because the way this is written in your sources may change significantly. So some sources will favour Toxic & Lethal Company, while others will favour Toxic & Lethal Co., while others will omit the "Co." and "Company" part of the name altogether.

If one of the words, names or terms you are searching has an alternative meaning that you want to exclude from your search, you can do this by typing that meaning into the search box using a "-" sign. For example, you're searching for a politician called James Smith, but he has the same name as the lead singer in the rock band Filth. You can get rid of a huge amount of irrelevant sites if you use the minus sign, thus

"james smith" -filth -music -rock

For more Google search tips, see Google's Basic search help

Resources and useful links

Press and media databases

  • BugMeNot - lets you skip the registration process for many online news sites – although not those requesting paid subscriptions.
  • NewsMap - useful little site that tracks graphically what is making the headlines at any given time.
  • Mailinator - allows you to generate a free one-time only, incoming-only email address

Archives

Resources on lobbying/corporate power

Freedom of Information

Government offices, official sources

Departmental pages

Governmental publications/records

Web research

Web archive/Way back machine This search facility is useful if you have a dead weblink to an article or website, as it keeps an archive of old web addresses with their associated web pages or articles.

The New York Times Newsroom Navigator. This is the home page of all journalists on the NY Times

Powerbase guides and resources for research

How to find the owners of domain names

Corporate information

Notes