Web full of reporting tools

Any of my friends that have seen the closet in my home office marvel at the large file bins filled with papers. I probably have about 100 pounds of files in that closet.

The files range from research from graduate school to stories I’ve written to planned projects. The heaviest box is full of my journalism papers. I have everything from copies of articles I liked from other papers to handouts from seminars to tips on everything from writing leads to property taxes.

I have one file about 4” thick of notes and articles I’ve given to reporters for the last 10 years. I started making the file after I kept having the same talks with every new reporter about covering meetings, cops, budgets, property taxes, leads, the list goes on. Every editor goes through it, and I started the file to help get reporters up to speed in a hurry. When they first start, I give them copies of the things they’ll need as a first-time reporter, then supplement as different issues arise – budget time, school test scores, elections, etc.

One thing I’ve always found is a great resource is the Internet. Now, I’m against using it as the source for a story, but I’ve found it can be a great source for background research and finding statistics on scores of topics. Here are my top picks of helpful Web sites:

Merriam-Webster: The site offers an unabridged dictionary, thesaurus, medical dictionary, and Spanish to English dictionary. Be careful of online dictionaries such as Wikipedia where anyone can post “facts” on any subject. The source needs to be credible. www.m-w.com

Census date: The government spends all of that time taking the Census and are nice enough to categorize much of the data; a handy tool for many stories. www.census.gov

Know the law: One of the hardest things to learn as a new reporter is what documents you’re allowed access to, if a meeting must be public or in executive session, and other similar matters. The Reporter’s Committee for Freedom of the Press is a good overall resource on access issues. You can download a copy of The First Amendment Handbook or use the FOIA Letter Generator to help make a federal FOIA request. Reporters should also check with their state’s press association and FOI committee Web site for state-specific resources. www.rcfp.org

Track the vote: Thomas (named for Thomas Jefferson) provides legislative information through the Library of Congress. Track the status of bills, voting records for U.S. Senators and Representatives, and many other resources. It’s a great resource for tracking bills with local impacts. www.thomas.loc.gov, www.house.gov, www.senate.gov

Federal data: A wealth of information with links and index listings to scores of federal agencies with statistical data. www.fedstats.gov

Locate someone: Forget the phone book, head to the Net to locate addresses, phone numbers, e-mails and reverse phone look-ups. www.switchboard.com, www.yellowpages.com, www.whitepages.com

There are hundreds of good Web sites out there, including many government agencies with online data. A little time spend finding good resources will help deadline reporting in the future.