How to Find Out Anything: From Extreme Google Searches to Scouring Government Documents, a Guide to Uncovering Anything About Everyone and Everything

by Don MacLeod

Overview

In How to Find Out Anything, master researcher Don MacLeod explains how to find what you're looking for quickly, efficiently, and accurately—and how to avoid the most common mistakes of the Google Age.

Not your average research book, How to Find Out Anything shows you how to unveil nearly anything about anyone. From top CEO’s salaries to police records, you’ll learn little-known tricks for discovering the exact information you’re looking for. You’ll learn:

•How to really tap the power of Google, and why Google is the best place to start a search, but never the best place to finish it.
•The scoop on vast, yet little-known online resources that search engines cannot scour, such as refdesk.com, ipl.org, the University of Michigan Documents Center, and Project Gutenberg, among many others.
•How to access free government resources (and put your tax dollars to good use).
•How to find experts and other people with special knowledge.
•How to dig up seemingly confidential information on people and businesses, from public and private companies to non-profits and international companies.

Whether researching for a term paper or digging up dirt on an ex, the advice in this book arms you with the sleuthing skills to tackle any mystery.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781101617342
Publisher:	Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date:	08/07/2012
Sold by:	Penguin Group
Format:	eBook
Pages:	272
Sales rank:	22,079
File size:	472 KB
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Don MacLeod has been a law librarian for more than 20 years at four of the most prestigious law firms in New York City. Since 2001, MacLeod has regularly presented a seminar titled How to Find Out Anything for mediabistro.com. His research tips have been quoted in Real Simple, among other publications.

Table of Contents

1 How to Think Like a Researcher 1

The Process of Research

Research Like a Detective

Detective Proof

Proof Give Up

2 Google and the Deep Web 29

Google

tGoogle Deep Web

3 The Ins and Outs of Google 41

The "Advanced Search" Template

Template Collections

Collections Google Tools

4 Why You Still Need a Library Card 67

Get to Know Your Library

Library Collection Libraries

5 A Reference Desk to Call Your Own 89

Basic References

References Portals

Portals Additional Reference Resources

6 Associations 107

Types of Associations

Associations Association Information

Information to Locate Associations

7 Finding People 127

Searching for a Specific Person

Person Tools for Finding People

People for Types of People

People Resources

Resources Services

8 Company and Business Research 161

Public Companies

Companies Companies

Companies Companies

Companies Organizations

Organizations Guides

9 Researching the Public Record 199

About Public Records

Records of Public Records

Records Public Record Information

Information with Public Records

10 Pulling It All Together 241

Acknowledgments 245

Index 247

Editorial Reviews

Do you know where you would find the latest report examining gang trends or threats in the United States? Could you find crime statistics for your region? Can you access Form 990 and research the validity of your favorite charitable organization? Need to find a database to look up toll-free numbers? MacLeod (law librarian; The Internet Guide for the Legal Researcher) shares wisdom and skills that will aid research, save time, and make navigation more proficient. He argues that while Google is a "great place to start" research, it is "not the end" of successful information gathering. He emphasizes that although Google is a powerful tool used by millions, researchers must be aware of its limitations, including blind spots, and be mindful of the need to evaluate findings critically. The book takes a commonsense approach, with chapters ranging from "How To Think Like a Researcher," "The Ins and Outs of Google," and "Researching the Public Record." It also offers advice for limiting scope, determining accuracy, and recognizing reliable sources. Chapters close with lists of "Sites and Sources Mentioned in This Chapter," which offer links that support the text as well as provide readers with an opportunity to deepen their understanding of specific topics. A helpful index completes the presentation. VERDICT This clearly presented title written for nonspecialists can be profitably used by classroom teachers and media specialists. Recommended for high school and college students and public and academic libraries.—Bobbie Wrinkle, McCracken Cty. P.L., Paducah, KY

Library Journal