Confirming what you know and finding what you don't
One of the first steps in creating our background reports is to run what’s known as a Social Security trace or an SSN trace. It’s a report that lists...
As an info pro/researcher/investigator, I use a lot of specialized database products for news, public records, and other info. As a result, I’ve had a chance to work with...
We’re drowning in information. It pours into our email inbox, and, thanks to Google and other DIY search tools, the answers to our questions are just a few clicks...
I recently taught a 1/2 day workshop at WebSearch University in Washington DC on Visualization Tools for Turning Information Into Insights. At a conference that basically focuses on the...
One of the biggest challenges when creating effective charts is deciding which type to use. I’ve found that the best way to choose the appropriate chart is to listen...
Researching or investigating people can be one of the more challenging types of online searching – for several reasons: Precision is everything, good sources are hard to find, and...
When you’re working with numbers, charts can be an effective way to tell your story. These types of visualizations simplify complex ideas and help us understand and communicate what’s...
This is one of my favorite information-related quotes, because it describes so well why I love my job. I’m on a never-ending hunt for new and exciting ways to...
Measure twice, cut once. It doesn’t matter the activity. Time spent on preparation pays off in the end. Research and investigations are no different. Misunderstandings lead to poor results...
While doing some research for a recent post on alternative search engines, I turned to one of my usual sources for inspiration, search expert Phil Bradley. I found a...