Confirming what you know and finding what you don't
Well, I’ve survived another family Thanksgiving here at Casa de Phelps. Many years ago, when I married into the family, I had no idea what a fun ride it...
When you need focus and depth for online research, try local news. Long after the national news packs up and leaves after a hurricane, for example, the local press...
In a recent post, I discussed Social Security traces, including what they are, how we use them at Phelps Research, and the problems with these reports. This time, I’ll...
As many of you know, I’m an active member and a past-president of the Association of Independent Information Professionals (AIIP). I first joined in 2001, a year after starting...
I just received one of the best phone calls an investigator can get. A client called to say thanks and let me know that our due diligence process worked....
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...