Author Archives: Barbara Fought

Aug 03

Find Out News Today

Posted on August 3, 2012 by Barbara Fought

A hat tip to recent alum Emily Maher, @eamaher90, for her recent tweet of a resource that will help with story generation.  AP publishes a list of the 10 things to know each day in the news. And it’s available … Read More →

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Jul 31

Minnesota Association publishes quick ways to find helpful crime and safety information

Posted on July 31, 2012 by Barbara Fought

Sometimes I stumble on amazing websites. If you cover crime and safety or do investigative work, I just found a great directory of resources. Check out this long list of helpful websites, Investigator’s Links, from the Minnesota Coroners’ & Medical … Read More →

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Jul 27

How to Track Product Recalls

Posted on July 27, 2012 by Barbara Fought

The government has made it easy — bet you don’t see those words too often!  Easy to find out government recalls. One site,  Recalls.gov, encompasses six federal agencies listing recalls ranging from food to tires to cosmetics. You can search by topic: … Read More →

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Jul 24

Find the Inside Scoop on a Business

Posted on July 24, 2012 by Barbara Fought

Suppose a corporation announces it is locating in your area. Or a big company in your region is in the news.  You need some background on the business. If it’s a publicly-traded company (stock is traded) then it has to … Read More →

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Jul 20

Search for Grants to Local Arts Groups

Posted on July 20, 2012 by Barbara Fought

The symphony in the city where I live went bankrupt last year.  The tough economy has meant many arts groups are scrambling for money.  Ever wonder what types of government grants the arts groups in your area are getting? Here’s … Read More →

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Jul 17

Use A Directory to Find Farmers’ Markets

Posted on July 17, 2012 by Barbara Fought

Where I live the produce is just coming in to the farmers’ markets — the blueberries and peaches have appeared and we’re all looking forward to sweet corn with butter dripping down our chins.  Some of you in warmer areas … Read More →

Posted in Finding Stories, Searching | Leave a comment
Jul 12

Learn Google for Faster, Better Searches

Posted on July 12, 2012 by Barbara Fought

I just did a session with graduate students on researching on the Net.  Every time I do one of these I ask people’s favorite search engine.  Usually about 85-90% say “Google.”  This time I got 100% for Google. That’s a … Read More →

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Jul 09

Best Help for Media Law Questions

Posted on July 9, 2012 by Barbara Fought

The next time you need a legal primer or have a question about your legal rights — access to private property, juvenile justice or taping phone calls –be sure to check out the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. … Read More →

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Jul 05

Top Three Tips for Searching Online

Posted on July 5, 2012 by Barbara Fought

A student asked me the other day, “how do you write searches because I don’t always get what I want.”   Here are my top three tips to speed your searching and give you more effective answers: 1. Put phrases … Read More →

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Jun 27

Find Public Records for Free

Posted on June 27, 2012 by Barbara Fought

Before you pay for public records online, be sure to check out the option that some of what you want may be available for free. I  wish that all states put records on free in an easy-to-find way, but that’s … Read More →

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