Join LRL for a series of interactive online trainings meant to improve effectiveness and research skills. These sessions are designed to be useful whether you’re new to the legislature or a seasoned staffer with extensive legislative experience. Trainings are offered free for NCSL members.
Keep Calm and Google on, or Hacking a Search Engine and Other Nifty Ways to Save Time
Thursday, Nov. 5, 2020
Noon PT / 1 p.m. MT / 2 p.m. CT / 3 p.m. ET
For sheer magnitude and breadth of information at its disposal, search engines such as Google can challenge any database. Breadth and magnitude of results, however, do not always lend themselves to speedy and precise searching. Using what I learned from creating a customized search tool for Delaware legislative information, we will explore advanced Google operators through discussion and example. You will learn to hack a Google URL in order to send customized advanced Google searches to others.
After this webinar, participants will be able to:
- Explain the function of "site:", ‘filetype:" and ‘-’ Google operators and apply them in a search.
- Identify the format of a simple Google search URL.
- Explore and analyze the structure of a website’s directory of webpages in order to incorporate Google advanced operators in the creation of a stable customized Google search URL.
Speaker: Joel Rudnick, legislative librarian, Delaware
To receive a registration link, please email LRL liaison Megan McClure (megan.mcclure@ncsl.org)
Read and Evaluate Research: Vetting for Accuracy and Objectivity
Date TBD
Unlike articles published in established law reviews and medical journals, information online is not always checked for accuracy. There are even some online science “journals” that are not real. As researchers, legislative staff must gather the most accurate information on the policy issues they are asked to study. When there is bias, they must identify that and provide all sides of the issue. But how do we gather information and determine its source and reliability? Legislative staff with expertise on vetting research will help participants navigate online sources and discuss the best ways to evaluate them for reliability and credibility.
This webinar will be open to all legislators, legislative staff and NCSL partner organizations.
If you would like to be added to a list to be notified when a date is set and registration is open for this training please email LRL Liaison, Megan McClure (megan.mcclure@ncsl.org).