The semester is ending and we wanted to check in and make sure J-students are using all of our resources.

News databases:

When you need to pull clips the top databases to use are Lexis-Nexis or Factiva. As part of your research, you may want to also pull clips on a subject to see what the has already been reported and what previous research has been mentioned publicly. For that, use Lexis-Nexis, Factiva or  ProQuest (which specializes in historical news.)

Other notable databases include the following:

Academic Search Complete:

Is an EBSCO host database that gives access to the latest articles in journals.

If you want the most relevant research:

(1) click on the box for “Scholarly (Peer Reviewed) Journals”

(2) make sure your keywords are located in the title

(3) fill out the date fields to limit your search.

JSTOR:

This database gives J-students full text to over a thousand academic journals. It can be wonderful for background research, but it does not give access to the latest studies.

Academic OneFile:

This has access to thousands of journals. Not all articles are available in full text, but you can limit your search to full text and peer-reviewed studies.

Do you have any suggestions for us? What are your thoughts on these databases?

Learn how to best use LinkedIn by joining the professional journalists group. There are tips and tricks as well as group discussions.

The next conference call to find hear about a free upgrade and using LinkedIn for reporting is Tuesday, April 30, 2013 call at 8:15 a.m. PT / 11:15 a.m. It is will consistent of 10-15 minutes for tutorial questions. For more information go here.

For tips and tricks on how to use LinkedIn for journalists go here.

Hey J-Students check out our featured books on display for April. We do our best to cover a variety of student interests and research needs.

Journalism by Joe Sacco  Joe Sacco uses short-form comics to illustrate and report on war throughout the world. Here is comics are collected for the first time.

The Century by Peter Jennings & Todd Brewster  This books portrays some amazing photos from the ABC News archive and is the companion to The Century series on The History Channel. The book explores themes that have been explored throughout the decades by ABC News.

 Journalistas: 100 Years of the Best Writing and Reporting by Woman Journalists Edited by Eleanor Mills and an Introduction by Naomi Wolf

The Best Business Writing 2012 Edited by Dean Starkman This books recaps the best investigative journalism in Business during 2012. This is especially significant since it was a year of economic continued economic upheaval.

 Sin and Syntax: How to Craft Wickedly Effective Prose by Constance Hale This books upgrades ideas from Shrunk & White for the modern writer.

 And It Don’t Stop: The Best American Hip-Hop Journalism of the Last 25 Years by Raquel Cepeda This is a collection of the best articles the hip-hop generation has produced since 1979.

Funding Journalism in the Digital Age by Jeff Kaye & Stephen Quinn This book effectively explains how the news media informs the public and further the democratic process. As technologies change so does the media.

The CUNY J-School Research Center is closing at 5:30 on Monday, April 8th.

We will resume our regular hours tomorrow, which on Tuesdays are 10am-8pm.

Barbara Gray

Interim Chief Librarian

The CUNY J-Tool gives you access to our research databases and guides remotely. The features include the following:

Library Catalog Search

-Keyword Search

-Enter a text string in the Search box then hit “Enter” (Done/Next) on the keypad to submit.

Hours & Location

-Location

-Directions

-Hours

-Phone #

-Fax #

-E-mail

-Holidays & exceptions to regular hours

Research Databases

-Biography Reference Book

-Credo Reference

-Critical Mention

-Factiva

-Facts on File

-Guidestar

-Historical New York Times

-Hoover’s Academic

-IMBD Pro

-Info Share

-JSTOR

-Leadership Directories

-LexisNexis Academic

-Mango Languages

-Marquis Who’s Who

-MasterFile Premier

-Media Bistro

-Mergent

-Reference USA

-Social Explorer

-Vanderbilt TV News Archive

-Vocabula

-Writer’s Market

Research Guides

-Tips for business research

-How to find census data

-How to research cops & crime

-How to use copyright-protected information

-How to find court records

-How to find expert sources

-How to research your explainer

-How to fact-check your reporting for accuracy

-How to use FOIL/FOIA

-How to expertly search Google and beyond

-How to research for international reporting

-Where to find media for broadcast and multimedia reporting

-How to research NYC community districts

How to find people

-How to write well

There is also research center news and links to connect with the research center through Facebook or Twitter.

Go to http://www.cunyjtool.boopsie.com/ to download.

It is Jack Styczynski’s favorite time of the year – MARCH MADNESS! Styczynski does some sports writing and has won four United States Basketball Writers Association awards. Previously, he was an award-winning news and sports director at radio stations in Louisiana and Massachusetts, and a freelance production assistant at NBC Sports in New York. He has a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism from Hofstra University and an M.L.S. from the University at Albany.

Check out this profile of the beloved Cuny J-School research adjunct, craft professor & humanitarian Jack Styczynski.  Makes a research nerd look cool! You don’t know Jack!

The Research Center is closing at 5pm on Monday March 11th, so stop by before 5 if you need research help.

The research center has created a new guide on FOIL and FOIA FAQS.

What is a FOIL & FOIA?

FOIL, or “Freedom of Information Law,” is a law enacted in New York State to ensure public access-by-request to records held and produced by or on behalf of state governmental agencies, including the legislature.

FOIA stands for “Freedom of Information Act” and is the federal equivalent and precursor to FOIL.

Why and how should I use this?

For journalists, freedom-of-information laws are important because they can be used to extend or deepen the public witnessing and information spreading functions of reportage.

However, they should generally not be relied upon unless available avenues for getting the information you need to write your story or to do your piece are exhausted, and you still don’t have everything you need.

Records requests should be made when they are absolutely necessary, or when you have time enough to research and produce work that is not time-sensitive and which will remain newsworthy in the future.

What you need to know:

• The type of case: civil, criminal, housing, etc.
• The jurisdiction: state, federal, local.
• Not everything is online; sometimes you must go to the court to request a copy of the case and photocopy it there.
• Juvenile records are not available. A NYS family court case record of filing is usually available, but the documents filed in the case are not. These rules usually apply in most states.

It is also good to be familiar with civil court procedure and to have a sense of how the criminal justice system works.

Where can I find info on NYS Civil cases?

Civil case date range on eCourts depends on jurisdiction, but some go back to the 1980s.

SCROLL has some Supreme Court filings for New York County civil case documents.

LexisNexis Academic has selected state cases under the US Legal bar on the left, then click “federal & state cases” link.

LexisNexis Pro has even more civil cases. Come to the Research Center and ask to login.

Bronx County Clerk’s Office (civil & criminal cases lookup). NOTE: You can register to access this search, or just sign in as a guest.

Where can I find info on NYS Criminal cases?

Only pending criminal cases are listed in eCourts.

NYC Inmate search (need DOB) NYC Dept of Corrections

NYS inmate search NYS Dept of Corrections, goes back to 1970s.

NYS Criminal Record Search For a $65 fee, applications must be mailed or hand delivered to NYS Office of Court Administration, 25 Beaver Street, Room 840. Results emailed in 24-48 hours.

LexisNexis Academic has selected state cases under the US Legal bar on the left, then click “federal & state cases” link.

It is surprising that so many J students are not aware that one of the databases the Research Center provides is Mango Languages. Mango offers English speakers 16 different language programs. The database interface is easy to navigate and each chapter has a fun theme. Mango lessons are based on everyday common words that you can start using right away. The system sets goals for students to understand what they need to accomplish and memory building and/or critical-thinking exercises are placed throughout the lesson.

The system is web-based and accessible remotely so that you can access it anywhere with your library card number. The premise of the program is that you can develop real conversation skills after one lesson.

So try Mango Languages today! This is a perfect tool to help build skills for summer internships.