Difference between revisions of "Research using the web"

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==Resources and useful links==
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==Web search tips==
  
===Press and Media databases===
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In some cases, researching affiliations between people, groups and organizations is as simple as typing the names involved into the Google search box.
  
Lexis Nexis http://www.lib.strath.ac.uk/lnexecutive.htm
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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
(requires Athens login)
 
  
BugMeNot. Lets you skip the registration process for many online news sites – although not those requesting paid subscriptions. http://www.bugmenot.com
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:"joe bloggs" "toxic & lethal"
  
NewsMap Useful little site that tracks graphically what is making the headlines at any given time. http://www.marumushi.com/apps/newsmap/newsmap.cfm
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provides more useful hits than typing
  
Mailinator. Allows you to generate a free one-time only, incoming-only email address http://www.mailinator.com/mailinator/index.jsp
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:joe bloggs toxic & lethal
  
===Archives===
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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.
  
Glasgow University http://www.archives.gla.ac.uk/about/default.html
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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
  
HBoS http://www.hbosplc.com/abouthbos/history/group_archives.asp
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:"james smith" -filth -music -rock
  
RBS http://www.rbs.com/about02.asp?id=ABOUT_US/OUR_HERITAGE/OUR_ARCHIVES
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For more Google search tips, see [http://www.google.com/support/bin/static.py?page=searchguides.html&ctx=basics&hl=en Google's Basic search help]
  
National Archives of Scotland http://www.nas.gov.uk/about/default.asp
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==Resources and useful links==
  
Scottish Executive Consultations [http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Consultations/Current]
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===Press and media databases===
  
Scottish Executive Publications http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/Recent
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*[http://www.lib.strath.ac.uk/lnexecutive.htm Lexis Nexis] (requires Athens login)
  
Glasgow City Council Archives http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/en/Residents/Libraries/Collections/Localhistory/CityCouncilArchives/
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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.  
  
===Resources on lobbying/corporate power===
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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.
  
Spinwatch http://www.spinwatch.org
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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
  
Sourcewatch http://www.sourcewatch.org
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===Archives===
  
Corporate Watch UK http://www.corporatewatch.org
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*[http://www.archives.gla.ac.uk/about/default.html Glasgow University Archives]
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*[http://www.hbosplc.com/abouthbos/history/group_archives.asp HBoS Archives]
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*[http://www.rbs.com/about02.asp?id=ABOUT_US/OUR_HERITAGE/OUR_ARCHIVES RBS Archives]
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*[http://www.nas.gov.uk/about/default.asp National Archives of Scotland]
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*[http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Consultations/Current Scottish Executive Consultations]
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*[http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/Recent Scottish Executive Publications]
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*[http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/en/Residents/Libraries/Collections/Localhistory/CityCouncilArchives/ Glasgow City Council Archives]
  
Corporate Watch US http://www.corpwatch.org
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===Resources on lobbying/corporate power===
 
 
Wikipedia: http://www.wikipedia.org
 
 
 
Open Secrets, guide to money in (US) politics: http://www.opensecrets.org/
 
 
 
LobbyingInfo.org (part of Public Citizen) http://www.lobbyinginfo.org/
 
 
 
Clean Up Washington (part of Public Citizen) http://www.cleanupwashington.org/
 
  
White House for Sale (data on campaign finance in past US Presidential election) http://www.whitehouseforsale.org/
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*[http://www.spinwatch.org Spinwatch]
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*[http://www.sourcewatch.org Sourcewatch]
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*[http://www.corporatewatch.org Corporate Watch UK]
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*[http://www.corpwatch.org Corporate Watch US]
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*[http://www.wikipedia.org Wikipedia]
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*[http://www.opensecrets.org/ Open Secrets], guide to money in (US) politics
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*[http://www.lobbyinginfo.org/ LobbyingInfo.org] (part of Public Citizen)
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*[http://www.cleanupwashington.org/ Clean Up Washington] (part of Public Citizen)
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*[http://www.whitehouseforsale.org/ White House for Sale] (data on campaign finance in past US Presidential election)
  
 
===Freedom of Information===
 
===Freedom of Information===
  
Statewatch – FOI in Europe http://www.statewatch.org/foi.htm
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*[http://www.statewatch.org/foi.htm Statewatch] – FOI in Europe  
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*[http://www.yrtk.org Your right to know] – Heather Brooke’s FOIA advice site.
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*[http://www.cfoi.org.uk/ Campaign for Freedom of Information]
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*[http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/opensecrets/ Open Secrets] – a blog about freedom of information by Martin Rosenbaum
  
“Your right to know” Heather Brooke’s FOIA advice site. http://www.yrtk.org
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===Government offices, official sources===
Campaign for Freedom of Information http://www.cfoi.org.uk/
 
Open Secrets A blog about freedom of information by Martin Rosenbaum http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/opensecrets/
 
  
===Government Offices, Official Sources===
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*[http://www.ico.gov.uk/ Information Commissioner’s Office]
 
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*[http://www.itspublicknowledge.info/ Office of the Scottish Information Commissioner]
Information Commissioner’s Office (England and Wales) http://www.ico.gov.uk/
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*[http://www.opsi.gov.uk/ Office of Public Sector Information]
 
 
Office of the Scottish Information Commissioner http://www.itspublicknowledge.info/
 
 
 
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]
 
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*[http://www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/FreedomOfInformation/fs/en Department of Health]
Cabinet Office/Downing Street
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*[http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/opengov/accessinfo.htm Department of Food and Rural Affairs]
 
 
Publication Scheme http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/publicationscheme/
 
 
 
FoI Page: http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/foi/foi.asp
 
 
 
Department of Health http://www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/FreedomOfInformation/fs/en
 
 
 
Department of Food and Rural Affairs http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/opengov/accessinfo.htm
 
  
 
===Governmental publications/records===
 
===Governmental publications/records===
  
House of Commons Publications http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmpubns.htm
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*[http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmpubns.htm House of Commons Publications]
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*[http://www.parliament.uk/publications/archives.cfm House of commons Archives]
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*[http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/index.htm Scottish Parliament Official Report]
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*[http://www.wales.gov.uk/keypubrecordproceedings/index.htm National Assembly for Wales Record of Proceedings]
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*[http://www.statistics.gov.uk/ National Statistics] (formerly ONS)
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*[http://publications.europa.eu/general/oj_en.html Official Journal of the European Union]
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*[http://ec.europa.eu/unitedkingdom/about_us/office_in_scotland/index_en.htm European Commission Representations - Office in Scotland]
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*[http://www.europe.org.uk/info/ Europe in the UK: Information Network]
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*[http://europa.eu/documents/index_en.htm European Union Documents]
  
House of commons Archives
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===Web research===
 
 
http://www.parliament.uk/publications/archives.cfm
 
 
 
Scottish Parliament Official Report
 
 
 
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/index.htm
 
 
 
National Assembly for Wales Record of Proceedings
 
 
 
http://www.wales.gov.uk/keypubrecordproceedings/index.htm
 
 
 
National Statistics (formerly ONS) http://www.statistics.gov.uk/
 
 
 
Official Journal of the European Union
 
 
 
http://publications.europa.eu/general/oj_en.html
 
 
 
European Commission Representations - Office in Scotland http://ec.europa.eu/unitedkingdom/about_us/office_in_scotland/index_en.htm
 
 
 
Europe in the UK: Information Network
 
 
 
http://www.europe.org.uk/info/
 
 
 
European Union Documents
 
  
http://europa.eu/documents/index_en.htm
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[http://www.archive.org/index.php Web archive/Way back machine]
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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.
  
===Web research===
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The [http://tech.nytimes.com/top/news/technology/cybertimesnavigator/index.html/ New York Times Newsroom Navigator]. This is the home page of all journalists on the NY Times
  
Web archive/Way back machine http://www.archive.org/index.php
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*[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]
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*[http://www.royalmail.com/postcode-finder/ Royal Mail postcode/address finder]
  
The New York Times Newsroom Navigator. This is the home page of all journalists on the NY Times http://tech.nytimes.com/top/news/technology/cybertimesnavigator/index.html/
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===Powerbase guides and resources for research===
  
STD Code Reverse List. Discover which area a dialling code is in: http://www.ukphoneinfo.com/section/tci/locator.shtml
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*[[Resources for studying propaganda]]
  
Reverse List of US telephone area codes: http://www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs.cmu.edu/user/bsy/www/area.html
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*[[How to research front groups]]
 
 
Royal Mail postcode/address finder http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm/postcodefinder;jsessionid=BSED5FPVSVAQSFB2IGFENZQUHRAYWQ2K;jsessionid=BSED5FPVSVAQSFB2IGFENZQUHRAYWQ2K?catId=400145&gear=postcode
 
  
 
===How to find the owners of domain names===
 
===How to find the owners of domain names===
 
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*[[How to find owners of domain names]]
http://www.networksolutions.com/whois/index.jsp
 
 
 
http://www.whois.net/
 
 
 
http://www.allwhois.com/
 
 
 
http://www.whois.sc/
 
 
 
http://www.whois-search.com/
 
 
 
http://samspade.org/
 
 
 
For .uk domains: http://www.nominet.org.uk/
 
 
 
Reverse DNS (IP Address) lookup. http://remote.12dt.com/
 
 
 
Monitor changes in websites: http://www.changedetection.com/monitor.html
 
 
 
Or: http://www.changedetect.com/
 
 
 
Statistical Information on the net: useful database of Statistical Information – based in US. http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/stats.html
 
  
 
===Corporate information===
 
===Corporate information===
  
Companies House http://www.companieshouse.gov.uk/
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*[http://www.companieshouse.gov.uk/ Companies House]
  
 
==Notes==
 
==Notes==
 
<references/>
 
<references/>
[[Category:SpinProfiles Help]]
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[[Category:Powerbase Help]]

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