Journalism Research Guide: Finding Sources & Experts
Finding Sources & Experts
When looking for sources, consider who may have expertise or knowledge in this topic. Some helpful starting places when starting your search:
- government agencies
- advocacy organizations or activists
- community groups
- political organizations
- research institutes or think tanks
- not-for-profits
- labor unions
- academics or scholars
- companies
- individuals with direct experience with the issue
Think carefully about and research your sources. Where does their expertise derive from (lived experience, work, education, etc.)? What organizations, universities, or groups are they associated with? Have they been quoted or written about previously?
Finding People
People search websites are one way to find contact information for individuals. Useful people finder websites that are free or freemium include (note that the information is not identical, try multple!):
- FamilyTreeNow
- Fast People Search
- Nuwber
- Radaris
- RocketReach
- That'sThem
- USPhoneBook
- Whitepages
- ZabaSearch
In addition, creative Google searches such as "john smith" nyc whitepages can sometimes surface directory listings.
The library databases below offer additional ways of finding contact information:
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Data Axle reference solutions This link opens in a new windowDirectory listings for millions of U.S. and Canadian businesses, health care, and residential listings. From the homepage, choose the "U.S. Standard White Pages" option to search the residential listings by name for home addresses and phone numbers. Choose the "U.S. Businesses" option to search by company name, or use the advanced search to locate businesses by geography or other characteristics. Information is compiled from telephone directories, postal service data, company SEC filings, direct phone calls, and more.
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Leadership connect This link opens in a new windowDatabase of professional contact information for people, primarily those in leadership positions, in U.S. federal, state, and local government; news media; law and lobbying; companies; and nonprofits. Search by name or organization, or use the Advanced Search options to browse by job title, sector, or other filters.
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Nexis Uni. This link opens in a new windowAn interdisciplinary database that includes some professional contact information such as emails and phone numbers. From the homepage, click "Biographies" or select the "People" option from the All Content Types dropdown menu and search by name. Note: Nexis Uni does not include the LexisNexis public records module.
Finding Experts
To find an academic or other expert on a topic:
- For academics, one of the best bets is to find for relevant scholarly journal articles on that topic and contact the author (journal articles typically include email addresses for at list one author).
- See the Columbia Libraries' Finding Underrepresented Sources research guide, which compiles directories of experts in a variety of areas that should be heard from more in the news.
- University departmental websites with faculty directories are another resource for finding academic contacts. In addition, many universities maintain public affairs websites of faculty members for journalists to contact, usually findable with an online search. Faculty expert guides for Columbia include:
- There area a number of general online databases and tools for connecting journalists with experts, including:
Finding Government Officials
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Leadership connect This link opens in a new windowDatabase of professional contact information for people, primarily those in leadership positions, in U.S. federal, state, and local government; news media; law and lobbying; companies; and nonprofits. Search by name or organization, or use the Advanced Search options to browse by job title, sector, or other filters.
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NYC Green BookThe city's official directory, with detailed listings for New York City agencies, county offices, and courts. Tip: These results do not always appear in Google or other online searches, so go to the Green Book directly!
Social Media & Other Methods
Social media sites can be very useful for finding people in a specific place or with a particular affiliation, directly impacted individuals on a given topic, or enthusiasts or experts in various areas. Below are some of the most popular social media sites in the U.S. (note that many require personal accounts):
Non-profits and Directories
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Associations unlimited This link opens in a new windowDirectory of information for international and U.S. national, regional, state, and local nonprofits and other organizations in all fields.
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GuideStarFinancial directory of non-profit organizations, including education, healthcare, special interest groups, and religious institutions. Columbia does not have a premium account; register (for free) for additional access.
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Europa world plus This link opens in a new windowEconomic, political, historical, and geographic profiles of 250+ countries and global regions. Contact information for political, business, media, and cultural agencies and officials, including international organizations. Click the "International Organizations" heading to find listings.
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Think Tank SearchA Google custom search of more than 1,200 think tanks and research centers, from a Harvard Kennedy School librarian. The "Evaluating Think Tanks" section is valuable, too!