Step 1. Collecting Ratings and Endorsements: PVSWiki

>>**__Do Not Take__**
- Candidate Specific SuperPACs
- Political Parties
- Local Unions(statewide and national unions are okay)
- Surveys that do not state a preferred position>>
-If you are told to search for new groups' ratings, you might need to be creative to find new ratings because we have been looking for new groups for years.

~~If you are told to search for new groups' ratings, you might need to be creative to find new ratings because we have been looking for new groups for years.~~

>>**__Ways to Save__**
- Print to File(ctrl+p)
- Save as .html (ctrl+s)
- Screenshot>>
In all cases, we need to save an electronic copy of the scorecard. In the event that an external individual and/or organization contact us wondering where these scores came from, we want to provide source documentation. We also need to save any relevant information such as scoring keys/legend, vote details the SIG uses, the methodology of their ratings, etc. If the group only releases scores in a spreadsheet file, then we can just save that file. If the scorecard is released in PDF format, that PDF file. If the rating is a table on a webpage, we will need to either print the page to PDF to save. Sometimes it's necessary to change the layout, margins, and/or paper size to have the whole scorecard or endorsement to save. After saving the PDF, be sure to view it by opening it to check and make sure the entire scorecard is captured within the PDF. Sometimes, it isn't possible to print the scorecard to file. Other options include taking a screenshot and save the scorecard/endorsement as a jpg OR saving the page as a .html file (preferred method).

In all cases, we need to save an electronic copy of the scorecard. In the event that an external individual and/or organization contact us wondering where these scores came from, we want to provide source documentation. We also need to save any relevant information such as scoring keys/legend, vote details the SIG uses, the methodology of their ratings, etc. If the group only releases scores in a spreadsheet file, then we can just save that file. If the scorecard is released in PDF format, we can also just save that PDF file. If the rating is a table on a webpage, however, we will need to either print the page to PDF format and save it (use Mozilla Firefox to do so), or with the link to the scorecard webpage, we can use this site: http://www.web2pdfconvert.com or http://www.html-to-pdf.net/free-online-pdf-converter.aspx to save the rating in PDF format. After saving the PDF, be sure to view it by opening it to check and make sure the entire scorecard is captured within the PDF. Sometimes, it isn't possible to print the scorecard to file. Other options include taking a screenshot and save the scorecard/endorsement as a jpg OR saving the page as a .html file (preferred method).

Back to [[RatingsGuide|SIGs Guide]]

~~Back [[RatingsGuide|SIGs Guide]]~~

Back [[RatingsGuide|SIGs Guide]]

**__PLEASE NOTE:__** we do //not// take ratings done on behalf of an individual. Individuals may represent a group.
>>**__For Staff__**
Setting up Google Alerts for key elections and groups (e.g. "endorse, special election") can be helpful in finding endorsements. PRNewswire is another useful source for groups that only release endorsements through press releases. [[https://www.prnewswire.com/|PRNewswire]] is a press release distribution site. Coordinate with other staff to avoid doing the same work.>>
[[https://admin.votesmart.org/loadSigDetail.do?sigId=1531]]

**__PLEASE NOTE:__** we do //not// take ratings done on behalf of an individual. Individuals may represent a group.
[[https://admin.votesmart.org/loadSigDetail.do?sigId=1531]]

-Use the URL as a search bar: "site:URL, search_term” Example: “site:nrapvf.org, endorse>>
Another useful tip to find endorsements and ratings is to search for specific terms in a SIG's built-in search function. If the website does not have a built-in search function, try using the URL to search. To use the URL, go to the URL bar and type //site://url//, keywords//. If all else fails try using Google. Use common ratings/endorsement phrases along with the name of the group you are searching. For Example: "Gun Owners of America AND Capwiz" or "Planned Parenthood AND legislative scorecard." Another hint is to search for the SIG's political action committee.
>>**__Helpful Search Terms__**
**Look out for redirects to national sigs when collecting states. National endorsements and ratings stay with the national SIG and vice versa**
For Historical ratings and endorsements, The [[https://archive.org/web/ Wayback Machine]] is a great resource.
After saving the file, go to the CEC tracking sheet and enter the date you found the rating or endorsement, the name of the SIG, the data type (rating/endorsement), and the span. This is an important step. Without filling out a new row in the CEC tracking sheet, data that was researched and saved will not be entered.

-Use the URL as a search bar: "site:url, search_term” Example: “site:nrapvf.org, endorse>>
Another useful tip to find endorsements and ratings is to search for specific terms in a SIG's built-in search function. If the website does not have a built-in search function, try using the URL to search. To use the URL, go to the URL bar and type //site://url//, keywords//. If all else fails try using Google. Use common ratings/endorsement phrases along with the name of the group you are searching. For Example: "Gun Owners of America AND Capwiz" or "Planned Parenthood AND legislative scorecard." Another hint is to search for the SIG's political action committee >>**__Helpful Search Terms__**
For Historical ratings and endorsements The [[https://archive.org/web/ WayBack Machine]] is a great resource.
After saving the file, go to the CEC tracking sheet and enter the date you found the rating or endorsement, the name of the SIG, the data type (rating/endorsement), and the span.This is an important step. Without filling out a new row in the CEC tracking sheet, data that was researched and saved will not be entered.

-Take Action, Issues and Legislation, Congress, Key Votes, Voting Records, Action Center, Media/News, Advocacy, Legislation, Elections, Blog, Press Releases and Government Relations.
-Use the URL as a search bar: "site:url, search_term” Example: “site:nrapvf.org, endorse>>
- Scorecard/Congressional Scorecard/Legislative Scorecard
- Legislative Action
- Endorse
- Recommended>>

Take Action, Issues and Legislation, Congress, Key Votes, Voting Records, Action Center, Media/News, Advocacy, Legislation, Elections, and Government Relations.>>
- Scorecard/Congressional Scorecard
- Legislative Action>>

2018_ACU_Scorecard.pdf
2015-2016_NFIB_Scorecard.pdf
2017_MO_PPAF_Scorecard.pdf
2018_AL_GOA_Endorsements.pdf
2014_AZ_NRA_Endorsement_McCain.pdf
2018_EmilysList_Endorsements_03-29-18.pdf
>>
@@ **SIGs file name format:**@@@@ Year_State_SIGName_DataType.filetype@@

113_House_full_NFIB.pdf
113_midterm_IAPAC.pdf
2013_WV_AFl-CIO
2014_AL_GOA.pdf
2014_AZ_McCain_NRA.pdf
2014GE_OK_OKCPAC.pdf
GE: General Election
P: Primary>>
@@ **SIGs file name format:**@@@@ year/Congress_state/chamber_session_SIG.filetype@@

Ratings are often for past legislative sessions. For example, in 2012, most ratings we collected evaluated officials based on their votes in 2010 and 2011. Congressional sessions last two years; for instance, the 113th Congress consists of 2013, which is the first session, and 2014, the second session. National organizations differ as to how often they compile ratings; some will release ratings on a yearly basis, while others will only do ratings for a full session of Congress. State legislatures have sessions that last 1 or 2 years, with some only convening every two years. Only collect completed (final) scorecards. If it is not clear whether the rating is "complete" or "final" you will want to reference TranslatingRatings.
An interest group endorsement implies that a candidate supports the overall mission of an organization. Endorsements are typically reserved for candidates in an upcoming election. For this reason, much of the search for new ratings and endorsements will be dictated by State and National election schedules. You will be looking for endorsements for upcoming elections. It is often incredibly difficult for voters to find substantive information on candidates, so we need to make every effort to uncover as much as we can. There might be SIG endorsements on the internet from past elections. Special interest groups usually release their endorsements in the form of a press release, either as one press release with a complete list of endorsed candidates or as several releases with endorsements for candidates one-at-a-time.
Once you open a tracking sheet, open the tab with the corresponding postal abbreviation (state_id). To start finding ratings and endorsements, click on the URL of the SIG listed. You are now on the SIGs website. From here you will comb through the site for ratings and endorsements; this can using an available search bar, checking the drop-down menus, looking through press releases, or even googling.
Finding ratings and endorsements is fairly straightforward; you will be asked to look for either state level or federal level scores. Click on the URL listed on the tracking sheets to begin your research. On the homepage of a given special interest group, look for any links that might lead you to a section where the group would evaluate members of Congress.
Another useful tip to find endorsements and ratings is to search for specific terms in a SIG's built-in search function. If the website does not have a built-in search function, try using the URL to search. To use the URL, go to the URL bar and type //site://url//, keywords//. If all else fails try using Google. Use common ratings/endorsement phrases along with the name of the group you are searching. For Example: "Gun Owners of America AND Capwiz" or "Planned Parenthood AND legislative scorecard." Another hint is to search for the SIG's political action committee >>**__Helpful Search Terms__**
2) Google search keywords that might lead to ratings.
In all cases, we need to save an electronic copy of the scorecard. In the event that an external individual and/or organization contact us wondering where these scores came from, we want to provide source documentation. We also need to save any relevant information such as scoring keys/legend, vote details the SIG uses, the methodology of their ratings, etc. If the group only releases scores in a spreadsheet file, then we can just save that file. If the scorecard is released in PDF format, we can also just save that PDF file. If the rating is a table on a webpage, however, we will need to either print the page to PDF format and save it (use Mozilla Firefox to do so), or with the link to the scorecard webpage, we can use this site: http://www.web2pdfconvert.com or http://www.html-to-pdf.net/free-online-pdf-converter.aspx to save the rating in PDF format. After saving the PDF, be sure to view it by opening it to check and make sure the entire scorecard is captured within the PDF. Sometimes, it isn't possible to print the scorecard to file. Other options include taking a screenshot and save the scorecard/endorsement as a jpg OR saving the page as a .html file (preferred method).
Some of the SIGs we follow will close their doors and will no longer exist in the world of SIGs. When you come across news articles or other reliable sources which notify you that this is the case: delete contact information and include the following phrase at the end of the group's description "This organization was dissolved in [date of closure]. Its archives are kept here as a public service. - Project Vote Smart". Please keep the categories/tags, description of group, ratings, and endorsements for the group. In the tracking sheet, enter "inactive" in the status column and not why it's inactive in the notes column.
When you cannot find a rating online, you will be asked to contact the SIG. Sometimes calling is the most effective; for other groups, email is best. Some groups respond well to the contact form on their websites. We should have the SIG contact information in admin, but if we don't then go to the group's website and use the phone or emails listed (and please update our admin!). Some organizations will provide phone numbers and email addresses for specific staff members. Try to contact staff in Legislative/Government Affairs or Research departments. You can use the templates provided in the [[Appendix Contact Templates Appendix]]. Faxing and mailing requests is rarely done, but your supervisor may ask you to do it.

Ratings are often for past legislative sessions. For example, in 2012, most ratings we collected evaluated officials based on their votes in 2010 and 2011. Congressional sessions last two years; for instance,the 113th Congress consists of 2013, which is the first session, and 2014, the second session. National organizations differ as to how often they compile ratings; some will release ratings on a yearly basis, while others will only do ratings for a full session of Congress. State legislatures have sessions that last 1 or 2 years, with some only convening every two years. Only collect completed (final) scorecards. If it is not clear whether the rating is "complete" or "final" you will want to reference TranslatingRatings.
An interest group endorsement implies that a candidate supports the overall mission of an organization. Endorsements are typically reserved for candidates in an upcoming election. For this reason, much of the search for new ratings and endorsements will be dictated by State and National election schedules. You will be looking for endorsements for upcoming elections. It is often incredibly difficult for voters to find substantive information on candidates, so we need to make every effort to uncover as much as we can. There might be SIG endorsements on the internet from past elections. Special interest groups usually release their endorsements in the form of a press release, either as one press release with a complete list of endorsed candidates or as several releases with endorsements for candidates one at-a-time.
Once you open a tracking sheet, open the tab with the corresponding postal abbreviation (state_id). To start finding ratings and endorsements, click on the url of the SIG listed. You are now on the SIGs website. From here you will comb through the site for ratings and endorsements; this can using an available search bar, checking the drop down menus, looking through press releases, or even googling.
Finding ratings and endorsements is fairly straightforward; you will be asked to look for either state level or federal level scores. Click on the URL listed in the tracking sheets to begin your research. On the homepage of a given special interest group, look for any links that might lead you to a section where the group would evaluate members of congress.
Another useful tip to find endorsements and ratings is to search for specific terms in a SIG's built-in search function. If the website does not have a built-in search function, try using the url to search. To use the URL, go to the URL bar and type //site://url//, keywords//. If all else fails try using Google. Use common ratings/endorsement phrases along with the name of the group you are searching. For Example: "Gun Owners of America AND capwiz" or "Planned Parenthood AND legislative scorecard." Another hint is to search for the SIG's political action committee >>**__Helpful Search Terms__**
2) Google search key words that might lead to ratings.
In all cases, we need to save an electronic copy of the scorecard. In the event that an external individual and/or organization contacts us wondering where these scores came from, we want to provide source documentation. We also need to save any relevant information such as scoring keys/legend, vote details the SIG uses, methodology of their ratings, etc. If the group only releases scores in a spreadsheet file, then we can just save that file. If the score card is released in PDF format, we can also just save that PDF file. If the rating is a table on a webpage however, we will need to either print the page to PDF format and save it (use Mozilla Firefox to do so), or with the link to the scorecard webpage, we can use this site: http://www.web2pdfconvert.com or http://www.html-to-pdf.net/free-online-pdf-converter.aspx to save the rating in PDF format. After saving the PDF, be sure to view it by opening it to check and make sure the entire scorecard is captured within the PDF. Sometimes, it isn't possible to print the scorecard to file. Other options include taking a screenshot and save the scorecard/endorsement as a jpg OR saving the page as an .html file (preferred method).
Some of the SIGs we follow will close their doors and will no longer exist in the world of SIGs. When you come across news articles or other reliable sources which notify you that this is the case: delete contact information and include the following phrase at the end of the group's description "This organization was dissolved in [date of closure]. Its archives are kept here as a public service. - Project Vote Smart". Please keep the categories/tags, description of group, ratings and endorsements for the group. In the tracking sheet, enter "inactive" in the status column and not why it's inactive in the notes column.
When you cannot find a rating online, you will be asked to contact the SIG. Sometimes calling is the most effective; for other groups, emailing is best. Some groups respond well to the contact form on their websites. We should have the SIG contact information in admin, but if we don't then go to the group's website and use the phone or emails listed (and please update our admin!). Some organizations will provide phone numbers and email addresses for specific staff members. Try to contact staff in Legislative/Government Affairs or Research departments. You can use the templates provided in the [[Appendix Contact Templates Appendix]]. Faxing and mailing requests is rarely done, but your supervisor may ask you to do it.

2014_AZ_McCain_NRA.pdf

~~2000_Gore_NRA.pdf~~

Another useful tip to find endorsements and ratings is to search for specific terms in a SIG's built-in search function. If the website does not have a built-in search function, try using the url to search. To use the URL, go to the URL bar and type //site://url//, keywords//. If all else fails try using Google. Use common ratings/endorsement phrases along with the name of the group you are searching. For Example: "Gun Owners of America AND capwiz" or "Planned Parenthood AND legislative scorecard." Another hint is to search for the SIG's political action committee >>**__Helpful Search Terms__**
- Political Action
- Rating
- Scorecard/Congressional Scorecard
- Voting Record
- Voter Guide
- Legislative Action>>

Another useful tip to find endorsements and ratings is to search for specific terms in a SIG's built-in search function. If the website does not have a built-in search function, try using the url to search. To use the URL, go to the URL bar and type //site://url//, keywords//. If all else fails try using Google. Use common ratings/endorsement phrases along with the name of the group you are searching. For Example: "Gun Owners of America AND capwiz" or "Planned Parenthood AND legislative scorecard." Another hint is to search for the SIG's political action committee >>**__Helpful Search Terms__**>>

__Endorsement examples (add candidate name if necessary):__
@@ **SIGs file name format:**@@@@ year/Congress_state/chamber_session_SIG.filetype@@

__Endorsement examples (add candidate name if necessary):__
@@ **SIGs file name format:**@@
@@ year/Congress_state/chamber_session_SIG.filetype@@

See: SIGsDocumentation

~~See: Document Your Work~~

@@====**__Where to Start__**====@@
Once you've saved and updated the CEC tracking sheet, fill out the collection schedule tracking sheet with the new information.
For Historical ratings and endorsements The [[https://archive.org/web/ WayBack Machine]] is a great resource.
----
@@====**__Saving Copies of Scorecard__**====@@
>>__Rating examples:__
113_House_full_NFIB.pdf
113_midterm_IAPAC.pdf
2013_WV_AFl-CIO
__Endorsement examples (add candidate name if necessary):__
1) Find the SIGs folder on the hard drive
a) "Research" > Research Divisions > SIGs and Ratings > National OR State > //Name of SIG//
2) Depending on the data collected, select either the "Rating" or "Endorsement" folder
3) Save the electronic copy of the scorecard and/or endorsement to the correct folder using the correct file format:
@@ **SIGs file name format:**@@
@@ year/Congress_state/chamber_session_SIG.filetype@@
----
----
Some of the SIGs we follow will close their doors and will no longer exist in the world of SIGs. When you come across news articles or other reliable sources which notify you that this is the case: delete contact information and include the following phrase at the end of the group's description "This organization was dissolved in [date of closure]. Its archives are kept here as a public service. - Project Vote Smart". Please keep the categories/tags, description of group, ratings and endorsements for the group. In the tracking sheet, enter "inactive" in the status column and not why it's inactive in the notes column.

====@@**__Where to Start__**@@====
For Historical ratings and endorsements The [[https://archive.org/web/ WayBack Machine]] is a great resource
@@====**Saving Copies of Scorecard**====@@
On the desktop, open the folder entitled "research" > Research Divisions > SIGs and Ratings > National OR State > //Name of SIG//. Save the electronic copy of the scorecard and/or endorsement to the correct folder.
**SIGs file name format:**
year/Congress_state/chamber_session_SIG.filetype
<<Ratings examples:
113th_House_full_NFIB.pdf
113th_midterm_IAPAC.pdf
2013_WV_AFl-CIO<<
>>Endorsements examples (add candidate name if necessary):
~-**__NEVER WRITE ON A SCORECARD.__** There will be times when researchers from other organizations will ask us for scorecards. Many organizations take down their web pages with old scorecards, making finding archived scores very difficult. If we have the scores they're looking for, we will give a copy to the researcher. If we fax or mail ratings, it looks pretty unprofessional to send a scorecard with our notes and other doodles on them.
Some of the SIGs we follow will close their doors and will no longer exist in the world of SIGs. When you come across news articles or other reliable sources which notify you that this is the case: delete contact information and include the following phrase at the end of the group's description "This organization was dissolved in [date of closure]. Its archives are kept here as a public service. - Project Vote Smart". Please keep the categories/tags, description of group, ratings and endorsements for the group. In the tracking sheet, enter "no_exist" in the notes column.

======@@**Step 1. Collecting Ratings and Endorsements**@@======
An interest group endorsement implies that a candidate supports the overall mission of an organization. Endorsements are typically reserved for candidates in an upcoming election. For this reason, much of the search for new ratings and endorsements will be dictated by State and National election schedules. You will be looking for endorsements for upcoming elections. It is often incredibly difficult for voters to find substantive information on candidates, so we need to make every effort to uncover as much as we can. There might be SIG endorsements on the internet from past elections. Special interest groups usually release their endorsements in the form of a press release, either as one press release with a complete list of endorsed candidates or as several releases with endorsements for candidates one at-a-time.
====@@**__Where to Start__**@@====
@@====__**Research**__====@@
Please take your time and click on any links that you think might be connected with ratings and endorsements. Endorsements tend to take the form of press releases, so it might be helpful to search for endorsements in the SIG's news feed. Many of the organizations we have in our database use a program called Capwiz, so if the group's website re-directs you it's OK. See [[Capwiz]] for further instructions.
Another useful tip to find endorsements and ratings is to search for specific terms in a SIG's built-in search function. If the website does not have a built-in search function, try using the url to search. To use the URL, go to the URL bar and type //site://url//, keywords//. If all else fails try using Google. Use common ratings/endorsement phrases along with the name of the group you are searching. For Example: "Gun Owners of America AND capwiz" or "Planned Parenthood AND legislative scorecard." Another hint is to search for the SIG's political action committee >>**__Helpful Search Terms__**>>
If you are told to search for new groups' ratings, you might need to be creative to find new ratings because we have been looking for new groups for years.
1) Look at other directories of ratings, including but not limited to those listed under the Ratings Directories or Influence in Politics on [[http://wiki.votesmart.org/Resources the resources page]]
2) Google search key words that might lead to ratings.
**__PLEASE NOTE:__** we do //not// take ratings done on behalf of an individual. Individuals may represent a group.
Groups do not necessarily need to be a traditional "interest group"- some businesses and news media, for example, will produce ratings. It is tricky to determine if a rating/endorsement comes from an individual. If unsure, ask your supervisor. Here is an example of a rating taken off the live Project Vote Smart website because it represented an individual, rather than a SIG:
[[https://admin.votesmart.org/loadSigDetail.do?sigId=1531]]
For Historical ratings and endorsements The [[https://archive.org/web/ WayBack Machine]] is a great resource
@@====**Saving Copies of Scorecard**====@@
@@====__**Steps to Save**__====@@
<<Ratings examples:
2013_WV_AFl-CIO<<
>>Endorsements examples (add candidate name if necessary):
P: Primary>>

====@@**Step 1. Collecting Ratings and Endorsements**@@====
An interest group endorsement implies that a candidate supports the overall mission of an organization. Endorsements are typically reserved for candidates in an upcoming election. For this reason, much of the search for new ratings and endorsements will be dictated by State and National election schedules. You will be looking for endorsements for upcoming elections. It is often incredibly difficult for voters to find substantive information on candidates, so we need to make every effort to uncover as much as we can. There might be SIG endorsements on the internet from past elections, but this is too big of a rabbit hole to fall down. Special interest groups usually release their endorsements in the form of a press release, either as one press release with a complete list of endorsed candidates or as several releases with endorsements for candidates one at-a-time.
==**Collection Process**==
==**Research**==
Please take your time and click on any links that you think might be connected with ratings and endorsements. Many of the organizations we have in our database use a program called Capwiz, so if the group's website re-directs you it's OK.
Each Capwiz rating is structured in the same way. You will first need to click on the "Issues and Legislation" tab. From here, click on "Key Votes", and scroll down to the bottom of the page. There should be 2 drop down menus labeled "US House" and "US Senate." This is typically where Capwiz ratings can be found. If you find a new Capwiz rating, go to the tracking sheet, select the "Scrape" status, add a comment to the "note" column, include the session to be taken and url, tag rachael@.
Another useful tip to find endorsements and ratings is to search "rating," "endorse," and "scorecard" if the SIG's website has a built-in search function. If the website does not have a built-in search function, try using the url to search. To use the URL, go to the URL bar and type //site://url//, keywords//. Endorsements tend to take the form of press releases, so it might be helpful to search for endorsements in the SIG's news feed. Do not spend more than 25 minutes on any one group.
If you are unable to locate a rating through an interest group's website, try using Google. Use search terms like scorecard, legislative scorecard, report card, ratings, grades, recommended candidates, evaluations, capwiz, cq roll call, endorsements, rankings, and questionnaire, etc. along with the name of the group you are searching for. Example: "Gun Owners of America AND capwiz" or "Planned Parenthood AND legislative scorecard." Another hint is to search for the SIG's political action committee.
If you are told to search for new groups' ratings, you might need to be creative to find new ratings because we have been looking for new groups for years. The starting point would be to look at other directories of ratings, including but not limited to those listed under the Ratings Directories or Influence in Politics on [[http://wiki.votesmart.org/Resources the resources page]]. The second step would be to perform Google searches on key words that might lead us to ratings. Please note that we do not take ratings done on behalf of an individual, but will take ratings done by an individual representing a group. Groups do not necessarily need to be a traditional "interest group"- some businesses and news media, for example, will produce ratings. It is tricky to determine if a rating/endorsement comes from an individual. If unsure, ask your supervisor. Here is an example of a rating taken off the live Project Vote Smart website because it represented an individual, rather than a SIG:
[[https://admin.votesmart.org/loadSigDetail.do?sigId=1531]]
The [[https://archive.org/web/ WayBack Machine]] is a great resource for finding historical ratings and endorsements
==**Saving Copies of Scorecard**==
__**Steps to Save**__
Ratings examples:
2013_WV_AFl-CIO
Endorsements examples (add candidate name if necessary):
P: Primary

You will be searching for ratings and endorsements that we don't have in our database. While more often than not you will need to collect only the most recent rating or endorsement, you should double check the ratings and endorsements we have previously collected in admin or your tracking sheet to confirm that we are not missing any previous ratings.
Ratings are often for past legislative sessions. For example, in 2012, most ratings we collected evaluated officials based on their votes in 2010 and 2011. Congressional sessions last two years; for instance,the 113th Congress consists of 2013, which is the first session, and 2014, the second session. National organizations differ as to how often they compile ratings; some will release ratings on a yearly basis, while others will only do ratings for a full session of Congress. State legislatures have sessions that last 1 or 2 years, with some only convening every two years. Only collect completed (final) scorecards. If it is not clear whether the rating is "complete" or "final" you will want to reference TranslatingRatings.
An interest group endorsement implies that a candidate supports the overall mission of an organization. Endorsements are typically reserved for candidates in an upcoming election. For this reason, much of the search for new ratings and endorsements will be dictated by State and National election schedules. You will be looking for endorsements for upcoming elections. It is often incredibly difficult for voters to find substantive information on candidates, so we need to make every effort to uncover as much as we can. There might be SIG endorsements on the internet from past elections, but this is too big of a rabbit hole to fall down. Special interest groups usually release their endorsements in the form of a press release, either as one press release with a complete list of endorsed candidates or as several releases with endorsements for candidates one at-a-time.
<<**__Examples of Ratings__**
[[http://www.prochoiceamerica.org/government-and-you/us-government/congress.html NARAL Pro-Choice America]]<< >> **__Examples of Endorsements__**
[[http://www.cms.org/advocacy/compac-endorsements]]>>
Finding ratings and endorsements is fairly straightforward; you will be asked to look for either state level or federal level scores. Click on the URL listed in the tracking sheets to begin your research. On the homepage of a given special interest group, look for any links that might lead you to a section where the group would evaluate members of congress.
>>**__Key Places to Look__**
Take Action, Issues and Legislation, Congress, Key Votes, Voting Records, Action Center, Media/News, Advocacy, Legislation, Elections, and Government Relations.>>
Please take your time and click on any links that you think might be connected with ratings and endorsements. Many of the organizations we have in our database use a program called Capwiz, so if the group's website re-directs you it's OK.
Each Capwiz rating is structured in the same way. You will first need to click on the "Issues and Legislation" tab. From here, click on "Key Votes", and scroll down to the bottom of the page. There should be 2 drop down menus labeled "US House" and "US Senate." This is typically where Capwiz ratings can be found. If you find a new Capwiz rating, go to the tracking sheet, select the "Scrape" status, add a comment to the "note" column, include the session to be taken and url, tag rachael@.

Interest groups "rate" or "score" state and federal legislators based on their stance on issues that the SIGs identify as important. Here are a few examples:
[[http://www.prochoiceamerica.org/government-and-you/us-government/congress.html NARAL Pro-Choice America]]
The groups that we collect ratings from call their ratings various things: scorecards, voting records, report cards, ratings, grades, endorsements, rankings, recommended candidates, performance evaluations, surveys, questionnaires, etc. Groups usually provide these ratings to the public; however at times the ratings may be for members only and so will be more difficult to obtain. Ratings are usually free, but sometimes organizations charge for hard copies. If that problem arises, let your supervisor know. Additionally, keep in mind that groups you are contacting might not have heard of Project Vote Smart and you might need to explain who we are.
You will be looking for ratings and endorsements that we don't already have in our database, with a focus on those that are most recent. Ratings are often from past legislative sessions. For example, in 2012, most ratings we found that we didn't already have were evaluating officials based on their votes in 2010 and 2011. Congressional sessions last two years; for instance the 113th Congress consists of 2013, which is the first session, and 2014, the second session. State legislatures will have sessions that last 1 or 2 years, with some convening only every two years. Organizations differ as to how often they compile ratings; some organizations will release ratings on a yearly basis, while others will only do ratings for a full session of Congress. While more often than not you will need to collect only the most recent rating, you should double check the ratings we have previously collected in admin or your tracking sheet and confirm that we are not missing any other previous ratings. If it is not clear whether the rating is "complete" or "final" you will want to reference TranslatingRatings.
An interest group endorsement implies that a candidate supports the overall mission of an organization. Endorsements are typically reserved for candidates in an upcoming election. For this reason, much of the search for new ratings and endorsements will be dictated by State and National election schedules. You will be looking for endorsements for upcoming elections. It is often incredibly difficult for voters to find substantive information on candidates, so we need to make every effort to uncover as much as we can. There might be SIG endorsements on the internet from past elections, but this is too big of a rabbit hole to fall down. Special interest groups usually release their endorsements in the form of a press release, either as one press release with a complete list of endorsed candidates or as several releases with endorsements for candidates one at-a-time. Here are a few examples:
[[http://www.cms.org/advocacy/compac-endorsements]]
Finding ratings and endorsements is fairly straightforward; you will be asked to look for either state level or federal level scores. Click on the URL listed in the tracking sheets to begin your research. On the homepage of a given special interest group, look for any links that might lead you to a section where the group would evaluate members of congress. Often times, information is located under sections with names like "Take Action," "Issues and Legislation," "Congress", "Key Votes," "Voting Records," “Action Center,” “Media/News,” “Advocacy,” “Legislation,” “Elections,” and “Government Relations.” Please take your time and click on any links that you think might be connected with ratings and endorsements. Many of the organizations we have in our database use a program called Capwiz, so if the group's website re-directs you it's OK.
Each Capwiz rating is structured in the same way. You will first need to click on the "Issues and Legislation" tab. From here, click on "Key Votes", and scroll down to the bottom of the page. There should be 2 drop down menus labeled "US House" and "US Senate." This is typically where Capwiz ratings can be found. If you find a new Capwiz rating, select the "Scrape" status, add a comment to the "note" column, include the session to be taken and url, tag walker@.

====@@**Step 1. Collecting Ratings and Endorsements**@@====
You will be looking for ratings and endorsements that we don't already have in our database, with a focus on those that are most recent. Ratings are often from past legislative sessions. For example, in 2012, most ratings we found that we didn't already have were evaluating officials based on their votes in 2010 and 2011. Congressional sessions last two years; for instance the 113th Congress consists of 2013, which is the first session, and 2014, the second session. State legislatures will have sessions that last 1 or 2 years, with some convening only every two years. Organizations differ as to how often they compile ratings; some organizations will release ratings on a yearly basis, while others will only do ratings for a full session of Congress. While more often than not you will need to collect only the most recent rating, you should double check the ratings we have previously collected in admin or your tracking sheet and confirm that we are not missing any other previous ratings. If it is not clear whether the rating is "complete" or "final" you will want to reference TranslatingRatings.
==**Collection Process**==
Repeat the process with the other SIGs in the national or state sigs tracking sheet.
==**Research**==
==**Saving Copies of Scorecard**==
__**Steps to Save**__
**SIGs file name format:**
After saving the file, go to the CEC tracking sheet and enter the date you found the rating or endorsement, the name of the SIG, the data type (rating/endorsement), and the span.This is an important step. Without filling out a new row in the CEC tracking sheet, data that was researched and saved will not be entered.
==**If a SIG is no longer a SIG**==
==**Contacting Groups**==

@@**==== Step 1. Collecting Ratings and Endorsements====**@@
You will be looking for ratings and endorsements that we don't already have in our database, with a focus on those that are most recent. Ratings are often from past legislative sessions. For example, in 2012, most ratings we found that we didn't already have were evaluating officials based on their votes in 2010 and 2011. Congressional sessions last two years; for instance the 113th Congress consists of 2013, which is the first session, and 2014, the second session. State legislatures will have sessions that last 1 or 2 years, with some convening only every two years. Organizations differ as to how often they compile ratings; some organizations will release ratings on a yearly basis, while others will only do ratings for a full session of Congress. While more often than not you will need to collect only the most recent rating, you should doublecheck the ratings we have previously collected in admin or your tracking sheet and confirm that we are not missing any other previous ratings. If it is not clear whether the rating is "complete" or "final" you will want to reference TranslatingRatings.
========**Collection Process**========
**Research**
**Saving Copies of Scorecard**
SIGs file name format:
Print out the scorecard and/or endorsement and staple a hard-copy tracking sheet to the front. (If dealing with a jpg, right click the file, open with Mozilla Firefox, and print from the internet.) Fill in the sections titled: "State," "SIG," "Year," "Printed By," and "Date." File the printed scorecard and/or endorsement in the filing cabinet under "ready to be entered." Make sure to print out the scorecard/endorsement in its entirety. In the past, some have printed only scores without printing the methodology or explanation as to which votes were used in the scoring. Life's too short to live in the past, so please print out the whole thing!
**If a SIG is no longer a SIG**
**Contacting Groups**

========**Collection Process**========
To begin collection, go to the SIGs Folder in Google Drive. From there select the "Collection" folder and then the "Schedules" folder. In "Schedules" you will find "National SIGs" , "State_SIGs_1" and "State_SIGs_2". These files are where you find a list of SIGs that we currently track and other useful information while collecting for ratings and endorsements. "National SIGs" covers our national groups and state SIGs 1 & 2 cover all 50 states and DC.
@@SIGs > Collection > Schedules >// [National SIGs], [State_SIGs_1], [State_SIGs_2]//@@
In the "Schedules" folder there is a file named "Collection Priority (State SIGs)", this is where you will find which state you will be researching and determine what tracking file you select.
Once you open a tracking sheet, open the tab with the corresponding postal abbreviation (state_id). To start finding ratings and endorsements, click on the url of the SIG listed. You are now on the SIGs website. From here you will comb through the site for ratings and endorsements; this can using an available search bar, checking the drop down menus, looking through press releases, or even googling.
Once you find a rating or endorsement, you will need to save an electronic copy to the hard drive. We will go over how to properly save a scorecard later in this wiki.
After saving the scorecard or endorsement to the drive, you will need to add the information of the scorecard or endorsement to the current CEC (tracking sheet) found in the "Collection" folder. This is a **very** important step. Without completing this step, we can lose your research and lose data for the database.
See: Document Your Work
**Research**
In all cases, we need to save an electronic copy of the scorecard. In the event that an external individual and/or organization contacts us wondering where these scores came from, we want to provide source documentation. We also need to save any relevant information such as scoring keys/legend, vote details the SIG uses, methodology of their ratings, etc. If the group only releases scores in a spreadsheet file, then we can just save that file. If the score card is released in PDF format, we can also just save that PDF file. If the rating is a table on a webpage however, we will need to either print the page to PDF format and save it (use Mozilla Firefox to do so), or with the link to the scorecard webpage, we can use this site: http://www.web2pdfconvert.com or http://www.html-to-pdf.net/free-online-pdf-converter.aspx to save the rating in PDF format. After saving the PDF, be sure to view it by opening it to check and make sure the entire scorecard is captured within the PDF. Sometimes, it isn't possible to print the scorecard to file. Other options include taking a screenshot and save the scorecard/endorsement as a jpg OR saving the page as an .html file (preferred method).

**Collection Process**
1. Copy and paste the SIG's url into the search bar of Mozilla Firefox
2. Do research to find new ratings and endorsements
3. If nothing found, update Google Docs tracking sheet with date and initials in "checked_dt" and "checked_by" columns
If new is data found:
4. Save electronic copy to research folder
5. Print out scorecard/endorsement and attach hard-copy tracking sheet
6. Fill out hard-copy tracking sheet with state, sig, year, date, and initials of the individual that collected the information
7. Add new row to Google Docs tracking sheet. Copy and paste sig_id, state_id, name, and url from above row. Fill in cells in columns entitled most recent rating, most recent endorsement, note, checked_dt, checked_by, Rating span(s) collected (yyyy, yyyy), Endorsement span(s) collected(yyyy, yyyy) and link
8. File physical scorecard/endorsement in filing cabinet column entitled "enter into admin"
Before you start looking for ratings, it's helpful to know what ratings we already have in admin. You may be asked to check for missing ratings on the state or federal level. To search for this information in admin click on 'SIGs' (Special Interest Groups) on the left-hand side of the screen. You will see a search screen that will have a drop-down menu defaulted to 'National' - click 'Search' if you are looking for SIGs that rate the U.S. Congress. For state SIGs, use the drop-down menu to select your state, then click on 'Search.' A list of SIGs will appear - click on a group to see everything we have on them.
**Tracking Sheets**
Tracking Sheets help us keep track of the process of adding ratings and endorsements from special interest groups onto Project Vote Smart's website. We keep our tracking sheets on Google Docs. To add the Ratings folder with all the necessary tracking sheets: open Google account and go to Groups > My Groups > Research Department. Search "research" in the search bar and the research Google docs folder should show up. Open the folder and click "Save to Drive."
Notice that there are different tracking sheets divided up by year and by level - either national or state. An explanation of each column in the respective tracking sheet follows:
__State_SIGs, Major_National_SIGs_Tracking, Ratings_Tracking:__
- "name," "url," "checked_by," columns are self-explanatory
- "status" - select appropriate, predetermined status to describe a groups activity
- "checked_dt" - date the SIG website was last visited
- "most recent rating" - date the SIG with the most recent timespan of ratings collected
- "most recent rating" - date the SIG with the most recent election year of endorsement collected
- "note" - add information that would be useful for the next researcher. Include initials and date at end of note for future reference
- "Rating span(s) collected (yyyy, yyyy)" - this column is to keep track of how many scorecards have been properly saved. Enter the spans of all the ratings collected. EX: 2015, 2014
- "Endorsement span(s) collected (yyyy, yyyy)" - this column is to keep track of how many scorecards have been properly saved. Enter the endorsement year of all the endorsements collected. EX: 2015, 2014
- "link" - link to the scorecard and/or endorsements. If multiple links, ctrl+enter to start a new line in the cell. Include links to methodology and any other webpages that are available and necessary to interpret the rating/endorsement
~-Be aware that some groups may feature the rating directly on their website, while some may be in PDF form. If a rating is a PDF, simply right click the link to the PDF and select "Copy Link Address." Paste this in the column entitled "link" in the Google Docs spreadsheet.
- "import" - enter the date and the initials of the individual that saves the endorsement/scorecard information into admin and releases to live web
- "webcheck" - fill this column with the date and initials of the individual that preforms webchecks for the information entered into admin and released to the live web. The webcheck should be comparing the information on the PDF scorecard and/or endorsement with the information on VoteSmart.org.
__New_SIGs:__
- "sig_id," "name," "link," "collected_by," and "note" columns are self-explanatory
- "dt_collected" - date when rating and/or endorsement collected and saved as PDF
- "status" - select "New SIGs" status
**Internet Research**
In all cases, we need to save an electronic and hard copy of the scorecard in the event that an external individual and/or organization contacts us wondering where these scores came from. We also need to save any relevant information such as scoring keys/legend, vote details the SIG uses, methodology of their ratings, etc. If the group only releases scores in a spreadsheet file, then we can just save that file. If the score card is released in PDF format, we can also just save that PDF file. If the rating is a table on a webpage however, we will need to either print the page to PDF format and save it (use Mozilla Firefox to do so), or with the link to the scorecard webpage, we can use this site: http://www.web2pdfconvert.com or http://www.html-to-pdf.net/free-online-pdf-converter.aspx to save the rating in PDF format. After saving the PDF, be sure to view it by opening it to check and make sure the entire scorecard is captured within the PDF. Sometimes, it isn't possible to print the scorecard to file. Other options include taking a screenshot and save the scorecard/endorsement as a jpg OR saving the page as an .html file.

2013_WV_AFl-CIO

You will be looking for ratings and endorsements that we don't already have in our database, with a focus on those that are most recent. Ratings are often from past legislative sessions. For example, in 2012, most ratings we found that we didn't already have were evaluating officials based on their votes in 2010 and 2011. Congressional sessions last two years; for instance the 113th Congress consists of 2013, which is the first session, and 2014, the second session. State legislatures will have sessions that last 1 or 2 years, with some convening only every two years. Organizations differ as to how often they compile ratings; some organizations will release ratings on a yearly basis, while others will only do ratings for a full session of Congress. While more often than not you will need to collect only the most recent rating, you should doublecheck the ratings we have previously collected in admin or your tracking sheet and confirm that we are not missing any other previous ratings. If it is not clear whether the rating is "complete" or "final" you will want to reference TranslatingRatings.
2. Do research to find new ratings and endorsements
If new is data found:
Before you start looking for ratings, it's helpful to know what ratings we already have in admin. You may be asked to check for missing ratings on the state or federal level. To search for this information in admin click on 'SIGs' (Special Interest Groups) on the left-hand side of the screen. You will see a search screen that will have a drop-down menu defaulted to 'National' - click 'Search' if you are looking for SIGs that rate the U.S. Congress. For state SIGs, use the drop-down menu to select your state, then click on 'Search.' A list of SIGs will appear - click on a group to see everything we have on them.
Another useful tip to find endorsements and ratings is to search "rating," "endorse," and "scorecard" if the SIG's website has a built-in search function. If the website does not have a built-in search function, try using the url to search. To use the URL, go to the URL bar and type //site://url//, keywords//. Endorsements tend to take the form of press releases, so it might be helpful to search for endorsements in the SIG's news feed. Do not spend more than 25 minutes on any one group.
In all cases, we need to save an electronic and hard copy of the scorecard in the event that an external individual and/or organization contacts us wondering where these scores came from. We also need to save any relevant information such as scoring keys/legend, vote details the SIG uses, methodology of their ratings, etc. If the group only releases scores in a spreadsheet file, then we can just save that file. If the score card is released in PDF format, we can also just save that PDF file. If the rating is a table on a webpage however, we will need to either print the page to PDF format and save it (use Mozilla Firefox to do so), or with the link to the scorecard webpage, we can use this site: http://www.web2pdfconvert.com or http://www.html-to-pdf.net/free-online-pdf-converter.aspx to save the rating in PDF format. After saving the PDF, be sure to view it by opening it to check and make sure the entire scorecard is captured within the PDF. Sometimes, it isn't possible to print the scorecard to file. Other options include taking a screenshot and save the scorecard/endorsement as a jpg OR saving the page as an .html file.
On the desktop, open the folder entitled "research" > Research Divisions > SIGs and Ratings > National OR State > //Name of SIG//. Save the electronic copy of the scorecard and/or endorsement to the correct folder.
SIGs file name format:
year/Congress_state/chamber_session_SIG.filetype
Ratings examples:
113th_House_full_NFIB.pdf
113th_midterm_IAPAC.pdf
Endorsements examples (add candidate name if necessary):
2014_AL_GOA.pdf
2000_Gore_NRA.pdf
2014GE_OK_OKCPAC.pdf
GE: General Election
P: Primary

When you cannot find a rating online, you will be asked to contact the SIG. Sometimes calling is the most effective; for other groups, emailing is best. Some groups respond well to the contact form on their websites. We should have the SIG contact information in admin, but if we don't then go to the group's website and use the phone or emails listed (and please update our admin!). Some organizations will provide phone numbers and email addresses for specific staff members. Try to contact staff in Legislative/Government Affairs or Research departments. You can use the templates provided in the [[Appendix Contact Templates Appendix]]. Faxing and mailing requests is rarely done, but your supervisor may ask you to do it.

You will be looking for ratings and endorsements that we don't have already in our database, with a focus on the most recent ratings and endorsements. Ratings are often from past legislative sessions. For example, in 2012, most ratings we found that we didn't already have were evaluating officials based on their votes in 2010 and 2011. Congressional sessions last two years; for instance the 113th Congress consists of 2013, which is the first session, and 2014, the second session. State legislatures will have sessions that last 1 or 2 years, with some convening only every two years. Organizations differ as to how often they compile ratings; some organizations will release ratings on a yearly basis, while others will only do ratings for a full session of Congress. While more often than not you will need to collect only the most recent rating, you should doublecheck the ratings we have previously collected in admin or your tracking sheet and confirm that we are not missing any other previous ratings. If it is not clear whether the rating is "complete" or "final" you will want to reference TranslatingRatings
2. Do internet research to find new ratings and endorsements
If new data found:
Another useful tip to find endorsements and ratings is to search "rating," "endorse," and "scorecard" if the SIG's website has a built-in search function. If the website does not have a built-in search function, try using the url to search: site:url, keywords. Endorsements tend to take the form of press releases, so it might be helpful to search for endorsements in the SIG's news feed. Do not spend more than 25 minutes on any one group.
In all cases, we need to save an electronic and hard copy of the score card in the event that an external individual and/or organization contacts us wondering where these scores came from. We also need to save any relevant information such as scoring keys/legend, vote details the SIG uses, methodology of their ratings, etc. If the group only releases scores in a spreadsheet file, then we can just save that file. If the score card is released in PDF format, we can also just save that PDF file. If the rating is a table on a webpage however, we will need to either print the page to PDF format and save it (use Mozilla Firefox to do so), or with the link to the score card webpage, we can use this online site: http://www.web2pdfconvert.com or http://www.html-to-pdf.net/free-online-pdf-converter.aspx to save the rating in PDF format. After saving the PDF, be sure to view it by opening it to check and make sure the entire score card is captured within the PDF. Sometimes, it isn't possible to print the scorecard to file. Other options include taking a screenshot and save the scorecard/endorsement as a jpg OR saving the page as an .html file.
On the desktop, open the folder entitled "research" > Research Divisions > SIGs and Ratings > National OR State > //Name of SIG//. Save the electronic copy of the scorecard and/or endorsement to the correct folder. Try to name the file with recognizable information like: the year/date of release,session of congress, whether it is a rating or an endorsement, etc.
When you cannot find a rating online, you will be asked to contact the SIG. Sometimes calling is the most effective; for other groups, emailing is best. Some groups respond well to the contact form on their websites. We should have the SIG contact information in admin, but if we don't then go to the group's website and use the phone or emails listed (and please update our database!). Some organizations will provide phone numbers and email addresses for specific staff members. Try to contact staff in Legislative/Government Affairs or Research departments. You can use the templates provided in the [[Appendix Contact Templates Appendix]]. Faxing and mailing requests is rarely done, but your supervisor may ask you to do it.
++**Federal and State Checks**
Before you start looking for ratings, it's helpful to know what ratings we already have in admin. You may be asked to check for missing ratings on the state or federal level. You can find this information on the federal and state ratings database spreadsheets. Scroll to the right of the page to see the ratings we have for each group in each year. Using filters in these columns is a helpful way to target priority ratings. Be sure to update these columns whenever you locate a new rating.
To search for this information in admin click on 'SIGs' (Special Interest Groups) on the left-hand side of the screen. You will see a search screen that will have a drop-down menu defaulted to 'National' - click 'Search' if you are looking for SIGs that rate the U.S. Congress. For state SIGs, use the drop-down menu to select your state, then click on 'Search.' A list of SIGs will appear - click on a group to see everything we have on them. Use admin to fill in the ratings database spreadsheets as completely as possible. If there are ratings entries, click on each entry to be sure that the ratings are live; if a set of scores is not our live site (e.g., the status is 'admin'), let your supervisor know. Then, use the SIG URL provided to find the latest or any missing ratings. ++
++**For those working on ratings collection at the University of Texas, use the following information to get started.**
-First, go to [[docs.google.com Google Documents]] and log in using the following information:
Username: pvs.research.dept
Password: commonground11*
-Once you've logged in, open the "Ratings Collection Tracking Sheet." This document has two tabs in the bottom left hand corner marked "National" and "State." The "National" tab contains every special interest group that rates federal officials from our database in column A, and this will be our primary focus to start.
-In column B, you will find the link to each special interest group's website. If at anytime throughout your research you find one of these URL's to be incorrect, please insert the correct one, and add the note "updated URL" to column I.
-Column C contains the year of the most recent rating we have in our database. So, if column C contains the year 2010, you will be looking for ratings from 2011. If 2009, then you will be looking for 2010 and 2011 ratings. If 2008, then 2009, 2010, and 2011 ratings. I think you get the idea...
-If you find a new rating, you will write the year of that rating in column D, and the link to the ACTUAL RATING in column E. If the scorecard is split (often times the House and Senate are rated on separate scorecards), add any additional link in column F.
-Regardless of whether or not you locate a new scorecard, please put the date of your check and your initials in columns G and H respectively. If you feel as though something you've come across requires further explanation, feel free to do so in column I.
Please skip down to the "Internet Research" section and read through it before getting started.++

@@**==== Step 1. Collecting Ratings and Endorsements====**@@

~~**==== Step 1. Collecting Ratings and Endorsements====**~~

In all cases, we need to save an electronic and hard copy of the score card in the event that an external individual and/or organization contacts us wondering where these scores came from. We also need to save any relevant information such as scoring keys/legend, vote details the SIG uses, methodology of their ratings, etc. If the group only releases scores in a spreadsheet file, then we can just save that file. If the score card is released in PDF format, we can also just save that PDF file. If the rating is a table on a webpage however, we will need to either print the page to PDF format and save it (use Mozilla Firefox to do so), or with the link to the score card webpage, we can use this online site: http://www.web2pdfconvert.com or http://www.html-to-pdf.net/free-online-pdf-converter.aspx to save the rating in PDF format. After saving the PDF, be sure to view it by opening it to check and make sure the entire score card is captured within the PDF. Sometimes, it isn't possible to print the scorecard to file. Other options include taking a screenshot and save the scorecard/endorsement as a jpg OR saving the page as an .html file.

In all cases, we need to save an electronic and hard copy of the score card in the event that an external individual and/or organization contacts us wondering where these scores came from. We also need to save any relevant information such as scoring keys/legend, vote details the SIG uses, methodology of their ratings, etc. If the group only releases scores in a spreadsheet file, then we can just save that file. If the score card is released in PDF format, we can also just save that PDF file. If the rating is a table on a webpage however, we will need to either print the page to PDF format and save it (use Mozilla Firefox to do so), or with the link to the score card webpage, we can use this online site: http://www.web2pdfconvert.com or http://www.html-to-pdf.net/free-online-pdf-converter.aspx to save the rating in PDF format. After saving the PDF, be sure to view it by opening it to check and make sure the entire score card is captured within the PDF. Sometimes, it isn't possible to print the scorecard to file. The next best thing to do is take a screenshot and save the scorecard/endorsement as a jpg.

Another useful tip to find endorsements and ratings is to search "rating," "endorse," and "scorecard" if the SIG's website has a built-in search function. If the website does not have a built-in search function, try using the url to search: site:url, keywords. Endorsements tend to take the form of press releases, so it might be helpful to search for endorsements in the SIG's news feed. Do not spend more than 25 minutes on any one group.

Another useful tip to find endorsements and ratings is to search "rating," "endorse," and "scorecard" if the SIG's website has a built-in search function. Endorsements tend to take the form of press releases, so it might be helpful to search for endorsements in the SIG's news feed. Do not spend more than 25 minutes on any one group.

Each Capwiz rating is structured in the same way. You will first need to click on the "Issues and Legislation" tab. From here, click on "Key Votes", and scroll down to the bottom of the page. There should be 2 drop down menus labeled "US House" and "US Senate." This is typically where Capwiz ratings can be found. If you find a new Capwiz rating, select the "Scrape" status, add a comment to the "note" column, include the session to be taken and url, tag walker@.

Each Capwiz rating is structured in the same way. You will first need to click on the "Issues and Legislation" tab. From here, click on "Key Votes", and scroll down to the bottom of the page. There should be 2 drop down menus labeled "US House" and "US Senate." This is typically where Capwiz ratings can be found.

- "name," "url," "checked_by," columns are self-explanatory
- "status" - select appropriate, predetermined status to describe a groups activity
- "most recent rating" - date the SIG with the most recent timespan of ratings collected
- "most recent rating" - date the SIG with the most recent election year of endorsement collected
- "Rating span(s) collected (yyyy, yyyy)" - this column is to keep track of how many scorecards have been properly saved. Enter the spans of all the ratings collected. EX: 2015, 2014
- "Endorsement span(s) collected (yyyy, yyyy)" - this column is to keep track of how many scorecards have been properly saved. Enter the endorsement year of all the endorsements collected. EX: 2015, 2014
- "link" - link to the scorecard and/or endorsements. If multiple links, ctrl+enter to start a new line in the cell. Include links to methodology and any other webpages that are available and necessary to interpret the rating/endorsement
- "webcheck" - fill this column with the date and initials of the individual that preforms webchecks for the information entered into admin and released to the live web. The webcheck should be comparing the information on the PDF scorecard and/or endorsement with the information on VoteSmart.org.
- "status" - select "New SIGs" status

- "name," "url," "checked_by," "link," columns are self-explanatory
- "last_collected" - date the SIG labels as either election year for endorsements or timespan of ratings
- "pdf_print" - this column is to keep track of whether or not the scorecards and endorsements have been properly saved. PVS keeps electronic records as well as hard copies of all ratings and endorsements
- "type" - the type of information we have last collected from the SIG (either endorsement, rating, or endorsement and rating)
- "link" - link to the scorecard and/or endorsements. If multiple links, separate with a comma. Include links to methodology and any other webpages that are available and necessary to interpret the rating/endorsement
- "live_webcheck" - fill this column with the date and initials of the individual that preforms webchecks for the information entered into admin and released to the live web. The webcheck should be comparing the information on the PDF scorecard and/or endorsement with the information on VoteSmart.org.

7. Add new row to Google Docs tracking sheet. Copy and paste sig_id, state_id, name, and url from above row. Fill in cells in columns entitled most recent rating, most recent endorsement, note, checked_dt, checked_by, Rating span(s) collected (yyyy, yyyy), Endorsement span(s) collected(yyyy, yyyy) and link

7. Add new row to Google Docs tracking sheet. Copy and paste sig_id, state_id, name, and url from above row. Fill in cells in columns entitled last_collected, note, checked_dt, checked_by, pdf_print, type, and link

- "name," "url," "checked_by," "link," columns are self-explanatory

~~- "name," "url," "checked_by," "link," "rating_id," and "endorsement_id" columns are self-explanatory~~

You will be looking for ratings and endorsements that we don't have already in our database, with a focus on the most recent ratings and endorsements. Ratings are often from past legislative sessions. For example, in 2012, most ratings we found that we didn't already have were evaluating officials based on their votes in 2010 and 2011. Congressional sessions last two years; for instance the 113th Congress consists of 2013, which is the first session, and 2014, the second session. State legislatures will have sessions that last 1 or 2 years, with some convening only every two years. Organizations differ as to how often they compile ratings; some organizations will release ratings on a yearly basis, while others will only do ratings for a full session of Congress. While more often than not you will need to collect only the most recent rating, you should doublecheck the ratings we have previously collected in admin or your tracking sheet and confirm that we are not missing any other previous ratings. If it is not clear whether the rating is "complete" or "final" you will want to reference TranslatingRatings

You will be looking for ratings from past legislative sessions. For example, in 2012 we looked for ratings primarily from 2010 and 2011. Congressional sessions last two years; for instance the 112th Congress consists of 2011, which is the first session, and 2012, the second session. The first session of the 113th Congress takes place in 2013, and the second takes place in 2014. State legislatures will have sessions that last 1 or 2 years, with some convening only every two years. Organizations differ as to how often they compile ratings; some organizations will release ratings on a yearly basis, while others will only do ratings for a full session of Congress. While more often than not you will need to collect only the most recent rating, you should doublecheck the ratings we have previously collected in admin or your tracking sheet and confirm that we are not missing any other previous ratings.

The groups that we collect ratings from call their ratings various things: scorecards, voting records, report cards, ratings, grades, endorsements, rankings, recommended candidates, performance evaluations, surveys, questionnaires, etc. Groups usually provide these ratings to the public; however at times the ratings may be for members only and so will be more difficult to obtain. Ratings are usually free, but sometimes organizations charge for hard copies. If that problem arises, let your supervisor know. Additionally, keep in mind that groups you are contacting might not have heard of Project Vote Smart and you might need to explain who we are.
The [[https://archive.org/web/ WayBack Machine]] is a great resource for finding historical ratings and endorsements

The groups that we collect ratings from call their ratings various things: scorecards, voting records, report cards, ratings, grades, endorsements, rankings, recommended candidates, questionnaires, etc. Groups usually provide these ratings to the public; however at times the ratings may be for members only and so will be more difficult to obtain. Ratings are usually free, but sometimes organizations charge for hard copies. If that problem arises, let your supervisor know. Additionally, keep in mind that groups you are contacting might not have heard of Project Vote Smart and you might need to explain who we are.
The [[https://archive.org/web/ WayBack Machine is a great resource for finding historical ratings and endorsements]]

When you cannot find a rating online, you will be asked to contact the SIG. Sometimes calling is the most effective; for other groups, emailing is best. Some groups respond well to the contact form on their websites. We should have the SIG contact information in admin, but if we don't then go to the group's website and use the phone or emails listed (and please update our database!). Some organizations will provide phone numbers and email addresses for specific staff members. Try to contact staff in Legislative/Government Affairs or Research departments. You can use the templates provided in the [[Appendix Contact Templates Appendix]]. Faxing and mailing requests is rarely done, but your supervisor may ask you to do it.

When you cannot find a rating online, you will be asked to contact the SIG. Sometimes calling is the most effective; for other groups, emailing is best. Some groups respond well to the contact form on their websites. We should have the SIG contact information in admin, but if we don't then go to the group's website and use the phone or emails listed (and please update our database!). Some organizations will provide phone numbers and email addresses for specific staff members. Try to contact staff in Legislative/Government Affairs or Research departments. You can use the templates provided in the [[Appendix Appendix]]. Faxing and mailing requests is rarely done, but your supervisor may ask you to do it.

The [[https://archive.org/web/ WayBack Machine is a great resource for finding historical ratings and endorsements]]

- "admin," "tracking_sheet," and "filing_folder" - enter date when profile is created on admin, added to the appropriate tracking sheet, and assigned to a manila folder in archives; enter "no" if profiles are yet to be created

- "import" - enter the date and the initials of the individual that saves the endorsement/scorecard information into admin and releases to live web
- "live_webcheck" - fill this column with the date and initials of the individual that preforms webchecks for the information entered into admin and released to the live web. The webcheck should be comparing the information on the PDF scorecard and/or endorsement with the information on VoteSmart.org.

- "dynamic" - fill in this column if PVS has a specific schedule for ratings collection, usually if SIG releases dynamic ratings. Some examples are listed below
- EOY: end of year
- quarterly
- "import" - enter the date and the initials of the individual that saves the endorsement/scorecard information into admin
- "webcheck_1" and "webcheck_2" - fill these columns with the date and initials of the individual that preforms webchecks for the information entered into admin. The first webcheck should be comparing the information on the PDF scorecard and/or endorsement with the information on admin. After this, the checker is responsible for releasing to internal web. The second webcheck should be comparing the PDF scorecard and/or endorsement with the information that appears on the skittles.votesmart.org website
- "released" - the date and the initials of the individual that releases the data to live web. Should be right after webcheck_2

Interest groups "rate" or "score" state and federal legislators based on their stance on issues that the SIGs identify as important. Here are a few examples:
You will be looking for ratings from past legislative sessions. For example, in 2012 we looked for ratings primarily from 2010 and 2011. Congressional sessions last two years; for instance the 112th Congress consists of 2011, which is the first session, and 2012, the second session. The first session of the 113th Congress takes place in 2013, and the second takes place in 2014. State legislatures will have sessions that last 1 or 2 years, with some convening only every two years. Organizations differ as to how often they compile ratings; some organizations will release ratings on a yearly basis, while others will only do ratings for a full session of Congress. While more often than not you will need to collect only the most recent rating, you should doublecheck the ratings we have previously collected in admin or your tracking sheet and confirm that we are not missing any other previous ratings.
An interest group endorsement implies that a candidate supports the overall mission of an organization. Endorsements are typically reserved for candidates in an upcoming election. For this reason, much of the search for new ratings and endorsements will be dictated by State and National election schedules. You will be looking for endorsements for upcoming elections. It is often incredibly difficult for voters to find substantive information on candidates, so we need to make every effort to uncover as much as we can. There might be SIG endorsements on the internet from past elections, but this is too big of a rabbit hole to fall down. Special interest groups usually release their endorsements in the form of a press release, either as one press release with a complete list of endorsed candidates or as several releases with endorsements for candidates one at-a-time. Here are a few examples:
- "checked_dt" - date the SIG website was last visited
- "last_collected" - date the SIG labels as either election year for endorsements or timespan of ratings
- "webcheck_1" and "webcheck_2" - fill these columns with the date and initials of the individual that preforms webchecks for the information entered into admin. The first webcheck should be comparing the information on the PDF scorecard and/or endorsement with the information on admin. After this, the checker is responsible for releasing to internal web. The second webcheck should be comparing the PDF scorecard and/or endorsement with the information that appears on the skittles.votesmart.org website
If you are told to search for new groups' ratings, you might need to be creative to find new ratings because we have been looking for new groups for years. The starting point would be to look at other directories of ratings, including but not limited to those listed under the Ratings Directories or Influence in Politics on [[http://wiki.votesmart.org/Resources the resources page]]. The second step would be to perform Google searches on key words that might lead us to ratings. Please note that we do not take ratings done on behalf of an individual, but will take ratings done by an individual representing a group. Groups do not necessarily need to be a traditional "interest group"- some businesses and news media, for example, will produce ratings. It is tricky to determine if a rating/endorsement comes from an individual. If unsure, ask your supervisor. Here is an example of a rating taken off the live Project Vote Smart website because it represented an individual, rather than a SIG:
On the desktop, open the folder entitled "research" > Research Divisions > SIGs and Ratings > National OR State > //Name of SIG//. Save the electronic copy of the scorecard and/or endorsement to the correct folder. Try to name the file with recognizable information like: the year/date of release,session of congress, whether it is a rating or an endorsement, etc.
Some of the SIGs we follow will close their doors and will no longer exist in the world of SIGs. When you come across news articles or other reliable sources which notify you that this is the case: delete contact information and include the following phrase at the end of the group's description "This organization was dissolved in [date of closure]. Its archives are kept here as a public service. - Project Vote Smart". Please keep the categories/tags, description of group, ratings and endorsements for the group. In the tracking sheet, enter "no_exist" in the notes column.

Interest groups "rate" or "score" state and federal legislators based on their stance on issues that they identify as important. Here are a few examples:
You will be looking for ratings from past legislative sessions. For example, in 2012 we looked for ratings primarily from 2010 and 2011. Congressional sessions last two years; for instance the 112th Congress consists of 2011, which is the first session, and 2012, the second session. The first session of the 113th Congress takes place in 2013, and the second will take place in 2014. State legislatures will have sessions that last 1 or 2 years, with some convening only every two years. Organizations differ as to how often they compile ratings; some organizations will release ratings on a yearly basis, while others will only do ratings for a full session of Congress. While more often than not, you will only need to collect the most recent rating, you should doublecheck the ratings we have previously collected in admin or your tracking sheet and confirm that we are not missing any other previous ratings.
An interest group endorsement implies that a candidate supports the overall mission of an organization. Endorsements are typically reserved for candidates in an upcoming election. For this reason, much of the search for new ratings and endorsements will be dictated by State and National election schedules. You will be looking for endorsements for upcoming elections. It is often incredibly difficult to find substantive information for voters on candidates, so we need to make every effort to uncover as much as we can. There might be SIG endorsements on the internet from past elections, but this is too big of a rabbit hole to fall down. Special interest groups usually release their endorsements in the form of a press release, either as one press release with a complete list of endorsed candidates or as several press releases with endorsements for candidates one at-a-time. Here are a few examples:
- "checked_dt" - date the website was last visited
- "last_collected" - date the SIG labels as either election for endorsements or timespan of ratings
- "webcheck_1" and "webcheck_2" - fill these columns with the date and initials of the individual that preforms webchecks for the information entered into admin. The first webcheck should be comparing the information on the PDF scorecard and/or endorsement with the information on admin. After this, the individual is responsible for releasing to internal web. The second webcheck should be comparing the PDF scorecard and/or endorsement with the information that appears on the skittles.votesmart.org website
If you are told to search for new groups' ratings, you might need to be creative to find new ratings because we have been looking for new groups for years. The first starting point would be to look at other directories of ratings, including but not limited to those listed under the Ratings Directories or Influence in Politics on [[http://wiki.votesmart.org/Resources the resources page]]. The second step would be to perform Google searches on key words that might lead us to ratings. Please note that we do not take ratings done on behalf of an individual, but will take ratings done by an individual representing a group. Groups do not necessarily need to be a traditional "interest group"- some businesses and news media, for example, will produce ratings. It is tricky to determine if a rating/endorsement comes from an individual. If unsure, ask your supervisor. Here is an example of a rating taken off the live Project Vote Smart website because it represented an individual, rather than a SIG:
Off the desktop, open the folder entitled "research" > Research Divisions > SIGs and Ratings > National OR State > //Name of SIG//. Save the electronic copy of the scorecard and/or endorsement to the correct folder. Try to name the file with recognizable information like: the year/date of release,session of congress, whether it is a rating or an endorsement, etc.
Some of the SIGs we follow will close their doors and will no longer exist in the world of SIGs. When you come across news articles or other reliability sources which notify you that this is the case: delete contact information and include the following phrase at the end of the group's description "This organization was dissolved in [date of closure]. Its archives are kept here as a public service. - Project Vote Smart". Please keep the categories/tags, description of group, ratings and endorsements for the group. In the tracking sheet, enter "no_exist" in the notes column.

7. Add new row to Google Docs tracking sheet. Copy and paste sig_id, state_id, name, and url from above row. Fill in cells in columns entitled last_collected, note, checked_dt, checked_by, pdf_print, type, and link
8. File physical scorecard/endorsement in filing cabinet column entitled "enter into admin"
- "link" - link to the scorecard and/or endorsements. If multiple links, separate with a comma. Include links to methodology and any other webpages that are available and necessary to interpret the rating/endorsement

7. Add new row to Google Docs tracking sheet. Copy and paste sig_id, state_id, name, and url from above column. Fill in columns entitled last_collected, note, checked_dt, checked_by, pdf_print, type, and link

**Collection Process**
1. Copy and paste the SIG's url into the search bar of Mozilla Firefox
2. Do internet research to find new ratings and endorsements
3. If nothing found, update Google Docs tracking sheet with date and initials in "checked_dt" and "checked_by" columns
If new data found:
4. Save electronic copy to research folder
5. Print out scorecard/endorsement and attach hard-copy tracking sheet
6. Fill out hard-copy tracking sheet with state, sig, year, date, and initials of the individual that collected the information
7. Add new row to Google Docs tracking sheet. Copy and paste sig_id, state_id, name, and url from above column. Fill in columns entitled last_collected, note, checked_dt, checked_by, pdf_print, type, and link

~-Be aware that some groups may feature the rating directly on their website, while some may be in PDF form. If a rating is a PDF, simply right click the link to the PDF and select "Copy Link Address." Paste this in the column entitled "link" in the Google Docs spreadsheet.

~Be aware that some groups may feature the rating directly on their website, while some may be in PDF form. If a rating is a PDF, simply right click the link to the PDF and select "Copy Link Address." Paste this in the column entitled "link" in the Google Docs spreadsheet.

Be aware that some groups may feature the rating directly on their website, while some may be in PDF form. If a rating is a PDF, simply right click the link to the PDF and select "Copy Link Address." Paste this in the spreadsheet.

++**For those working on ratings collection at the University of Texas, use the following information to get started.**
Please skip down to the "Internet Research" section and read through it before getting started.++

**For those working on ratings collection at the University of Texas, use the following information to get started.**
Please skip down to the "Internet Research" section and read through it before getting started.

- "import" - enter the date and the initials of the individual that saves the endorsement/scorecard information into admin

- "import_prep" and "import_prep_dt" only apply to ratings put into our system via spreadsheets. Interns might learn this import method around week 5 or at another date, depending on their progress
- "import" - enter the date when all the endorsement/scorecard information is saved into admin

- "webcheck_1" and "webcheck_2" - fill these columns with the date and initials of the individual that preforms webchecks for the information entered into admin. The first webcheck should be comparing the information on the PDF scorecard and/or endorsement with the information on admin. After this, the individual is responsible for releasing to internal web. The second webcheck should be comparing the PDF scorecard and/or endorsement with the information that appears on the skittles.votesmart.org website
- "released" - the date and the initials of the individual that releases the data to live web. Should be right after webcheck_2

- "webcheck_1" and "webcheck_2" - fill these columns with the name of the individual that preforms webchecks for the information entered into admin. The first webcheck should be comparing the information on the PDF scorecard and/or endorsement with the information on admin. After this, the individual is responsible for releasing to internal web. The second webcheck should be comparing the PDF scorecard and/or endorsement with the information that appears on the skittles.votesmart.org website
- "released" - the date that the information is released to live web. Should be right after webcheck_2

Finding ratings and endorsements is fairly straightforward; you will be asked to look for either state level or federal level scores. Click on the URL listed in the tracking sheets to begin your research. On the homepage of a given special interest group, look for any links that might lead you to a section where the group would evaluate members of congress. Often times, information is located under sections with names like "Take Action," "Issues and Legislation," "Congress", "Key Votes," "Voting Records," “Action Center,” “Media/News,” “Advocacy,” “Legislation,” “Elections,” and “Government Relations.” Please take your time and click on any links that you think might be connected with ratings and endorsements. Many of the organizations we have in our database use a program called Capwiz, so if the group's website re-directs you it's OK.

Finding ratings and endorsements is fairly straightforward; you will be asked to look for either state level or federal level scores. Click on the URL listed in the tracking sheets to begin your research. On the homepage of a given special interest group, look for any links that might lead you to a section where the group would evaluate members of congress. Often times, information is located under sections with names like "Take Action," "Issues and Legislation," "Congress", "Key Votes," and "Voting Records." Please take your time and click on any links that you think might be connected with ratings and endorsements. Many of the organizations we have in our database use a program called Capwiz, so if the group's website re-directs you it's OK.

An interest group endorsement implies that a candidate supports the overall mission of an organization. Endorsements are typically reserved for candidates in an upcoming election. For this reason, much of the search for new ratings and endorsements will be dictated by State and National election schedules. You will be looking for endorsements for upcoming elections. It is often incredibly difficult to find substantive information for voters on candidates, so we need to make every effort to uncover as much as we can. There might be SIG endorsements on the internet from past elections, but this is too big of a rabbit hole to fall down. Special interest groups usually release their endorsements in the form of a press release, either as one press release with a complete list of endorsed candidates or as several press releases with endorsements for candidates one at-a-time. Here are a few examples:

Endorsements are typically reserved for candidates in an upcoming election. For this reason, much of the search for new ratings and endorsements will be dictated by State and National election schedules. You will be looking for endorsements for upcoming elections. There might be SIG endorsements on the internet from past elections, but this is too big of a rabbit hole to fall down. Special interest groups usually release their endorsements in the form of a press release, either as one press release with a complete list of endorsed candidates or as several press releases with endorsements for candidates one at-a-time. Here are a few examples:

In all cases, we need to save an electronic and hard copy of the score card in the event that an external individual and/or organization contacts us wondering where these scores came from. We also need to save any relevant information such as scoring keys/legend, vote details the SIG uses, methodology of their ratings, etc. If the group only releases scores in a spreadsheet file, then we can just save that file. If the score card is released in PDF format, we can also just save that PDF file. If the rating is a table on a webpage however, we will need to either print the page to PDF format and save it (use Mozilla Firefox to do so), or with the link to the score card webpage, we can use this online site: http://www.web2pdfconvert.com or http://www.html-to-pdf.net/free-online-pdf-converter.aspx to save the rating in PDF format. After saving the PDF, be sure to view it by opening it to check and make sure the entire score card is captured within the PDF. Sometimes, it isn't possible to print the scorecard to file. The next best thing to do is take a screenshot and save the scorecard/endorsement as a jpg.
Off the desktop, open the folder entitled "research" > Research Divisions > SIGs and Ratings > National OR State > //Name of SIG//. Save the electronic copy of the scorecard and/or endorsement to the correct folder. Try to name the file with recognizable information like: the year/date of release,session of congress, whether it is a rating or an endorsement, etc.
Print out the scorecard and/or endorsement and staple a hard-copy tracking sheet to the front. (If dealing with a jpg, right click the file, open with Mozilla Firefox, and print from the internet.) Fill in the sections titled: "State," "SIG," "Year," "Printed By," and "Date." File the printed scorecard and/or endorsement in the filing cabinet under "ready to be entered." Make sure to print out the scorecard/endorsement in its entirety. In the past, some have printed only scores without printing the methodology or explanation as to which votes were used in the scoring. Life's too short to live in the past, so please print out the whole thing!

In all cases, we need to save an electronic and hard copy of the score card in the event that an external individual and/or organization contacts us wondering where these scores came from. We also need to save any relevant information such as scoring keys/legend, vote details the SIG uses, methodology of their ratings, etc. If the group only releases scores in a spreadsheet file, then we can just save that file. If the score card is released in PDF format, we can also just save that PDF file. If the rating is a table on a webpage however, we will need to either print the page to PDF format and save it, or with the link to the score card webpage, we can use this online site: http://www.web2pdfconvert.com or http://www.html-to-pdf.net/free-online-pdf-converter.aspx to save the rating in PDF format. After saving the PDF, be sure to view it by opening it to check and make sure the entire score card is captured within the PDF.
Print out the scorecard and/or endorsement and staple a hard-copy tracking sheet to the front. Fill in the sections titled: "State," "SIG," "Year," "Printed By," and "Date." File the printed scorecard and/or endorsement in the filing cabinet under "ready to be entered." Make sure to print out the scorecard/endorsement in its entirety. In the past, some have printed only scores without printing the methodology or explanation as to which votes were used in the scoring. Life's too short to live in the past, so please print out the whole thing!

- "name," "url," "checked_by," "link," "rating_id," and "endorsement_id" columns are self-explanatory
- "note" - add information that would be useful for the next researcher. Include initials and date at end of note for future reference

~~- "name," "url," "checked_by," "note," "link," "rating_id," and "endorsement_id" columns are self-explanatory~~

If you are unable to locate a rating through an interest group's website, try using Google. Use search terms like scorecard, legislative scorecard, report card, ratings, grades, recommended candidates, evaluations, capwiz, cq roll call, endorsements, rankings, and questionnaire, etc. along with the name of the group you are searching for. Example: "Gun Owners of America AND capwiz" or "Planned Parenthood AND legislative scorecard." Another hint is to search for the SIG's political action committee.

If you are unable to locate a rating through an interest group's website, try using Google. Use search terms like scorecard, legislative scorecard, report card, ratings, grades, recommended candidates, evaluations, capwiz, cq roll call, endorsements, rankings, and questionnaire, etc. along with the name of the group you are searching for. Example: "Gun Owners of America AND capwiz" or "Planned Parenthood AND legislative scorecard."

If you are told to search for new groups' ratings, you might need to be creative to find new ratings because we have been looking for new groups for years. The first starting point would be to look at other directories of ratings, including but not limited to those listed under the Ratings Directories or Influence in Politics on [[http://wiki.votesmart.org/Resources the resources page]]. The second step would be to perform Google searches on key words that might lead us to ratings. Please note that we do not take ratings done on behalf of an individual, but will take ratings done by an individual representing a group. Groups do not necessarily need to be a traditional "interest group"- some businesses and news media, for example, will produce ratings. It is tricky to determine if a rating/endorsement comes from an individual. If unsure, ask your supervisor. Here is an example of a rating taken off the live Project Vote Smart website because it represented an individual, rather than a SIG:
[[https://admin.votesmart.org/loadSigDetail.do?sigId=1531]]

If you are told to search for new groups' ratings, you might need to be creative to find new ratings because we have been looking for new groups for years. The first starting point would be to look at other directories of ratings, including but not limited to those listed under the Ratings Directories or Influence in Politics on [[http://wiki.votesmart.org/Resources the resources page]]. The second step would be to perform Google searches on key words that might lead us to ratings. Please note that we do not take ratings done on behalf of an individual, but will take ratings done by an individual representing a group. Groups do not necessarily need to be a traditional "interest group"- some businesses and news media, for example, will produce ratings.

**==== Step 1. Collecting Ratings and Endorsements====**
Endorsements are typically reserved for candidates in an upcoming election. For this reason, much of the search for new ratings and endorsements will be dictated by State and National election schedules. You will be looking for endorsements for upcoming elections. There might be SIG endorsements on the internet from past elections, but this is too big of a rabbit hole to fall down. Special interest groups usually release their endorsements in the form of a press release, either as one press release with a complete list of endorsed candidates or as several press releases with endorsements for candidates one at-a-time. Here are a few examples:
[[http://www.frcaction.org/frcapacinternal/frc-action-pac-endorses-martha-mcsally-for-congress]]
[[http://www.cms.org/advocacy/compac-endorsements]]
Finding ratings and endorsements is fairly straightforward; you will be asked to look for either state level or federal level scores. Click on the URL listed in the tracking sheets to begin your research. On the homepage of a given special interest group, look for any links that might lead you to a section where the group would evaluate members of congress. Often times, information is located under sections with names like "Take Action," "Issues and Legislation," "Congress", "Key Votes," and "Voting Records." Please take your time and click on any links that you think might be connected with ratings and endorsements. Many of the organizations we have in our database use a program called Capwiz, so if the group's website re-directs you it's OK.

**==== Step 1. Collecting Ratings====**
Finding Ratings is fairly straightforward; you will be asked to look for either state level or federal level scores. Click on the URL listed in the tracking sheets to begin your research. On the homepage of a given special interest group, look for any links that might lead you to a section where the group would evaluate members of congress. Often times, ratings are located under sections with names like "Take Action," "Issues and Legislation," "Congress", "Key Votes," and "Voting Records." Please take your time and click on any links that you think might be connected with ratings. Many of the organizations we have in our database use a program called Capwiz, so if the group's website re-directs you it's OK.

Print out the scorecard and/or endorsement and staple a hard-copy tracking sheet to the front. Fill in the sections titled: "State," "SIG," "Year," "Printed By," and "Date." File the printed scorecard and/or endorsement in the filing cabinet under "ready to be entered." Make sure to print out the scorecard/endorsement in its entirety. In the past, some have printed only scores without printing the methodology or explanation as to which votes were used in the scoring. Life's too short to live in the past, so please print out the whole thing!
~-**__NEVER WRITE ON A SCORECARD.__** There will be times when researchers from other organizations will ask us for scorecards. Many organizations take down their web pages with old scorecards, making finding archived scores very difficult. If we have the scores they're looking for, we will give a copy to the researcher. If we fax or mail ratings, it looks pretty unprofessional to send a scorecard with our notes and other doodles on them.

Print out the scorecard and/or endorsement and give to your supervisor to file in the archives. Interns will learn the archives around week 5 or at an earlier date, depending on their progress. Make sure to print out the scorecard in its entirety. In the past, some have printed only scores without printing the methodology or explanation as to which votes were used in the scoring. Life's too short to live in the past, so please print out the whole thing!
~-**__NEVER WRITE ON A SCORECARD.__** There will be times when researchers from other organizations will ask us for scorecards. Many organizations take down their web pages with old scorecards, making finding archived scores very difficult. If we have the scores they're looking for, we will give a copy to the researcher. If we fax or mail ratings, it looks pretty unprofessional to send a scorecard with our notes and other doodles on them

++**Federal and State Checks**
To search for this information in admin click on 'SIGs' (Special Interest Groups) on the left-hand side of the screen. You will see a search screen that will have a drop-down menu defaulted to 'National' - click 'Search' if you are looking for SIGs that rate the U.S. Congress. For state SIGs, use the drop-down menu to select your state, then click on 'Search.' A list of SIGs will appear - click on a group to see everything we have on them. Use admin to fill in the ratings database spreadsheets as completely as possible. If there are ratings entries, click on each entry to be sure that the ratings are live; if a set of scores is not our live site (e.g., the status is 'admin'), let your supervisor know. Then, use the SIG URL provided to find the latest or any missing ratings. ++

**Federal and State Checks**
To search for this information in admin click on 'SIGs' (Special Interest Groups) on the left-hand side of the screen. You will see a search screen that will have a drop-down menu defaulted to 'National' - click 'Search' if you are looking for SIGs that rate the U.S. Congress. For state SIGs, use the drop-down menu to select your state, then click on 'Search.' A list of SIGs will appear - click on a group to see everything we have on them. Use admin to fill in the ratings database spreadsheets as completely as possible. If there are ratings entries, click on each entry to be sure that the ratings are live; if a set of scores is not our live site (e.g., the status is 'admin'), let your supervisor know. Then, use the SIG URL provided to find the latest or any missing ratings.

Print out the scorecard and/or endorsement and give to your supervisor to file in the archives. Interns will learn the archives around week 5 or at an earlier date, depending on their progress. Make sure to print out the scorecard in its entirety. In the past, some have printed only scores without printing the methodology or explanation as to which votes were used in the scoring. Life's too short to live in the past, so please print out the whole thing!

Lastly, print out the scorecard and/or endorsement and give to your supervisor to file in the archives. Interns will learn the archives around week 5 or at an earlier date, depending on their progress. Make sure to print out the scorecard in its entirety. In the past, some have printed only scores without printing the methodology or explanation as to which votes were used in the scoring. Life's too short to live in the past, so please print out the whole thing!

- "name," "url," "checked_by," "note," "link," "rating_id," and "endorsement_id" columns are self-explanatory
- "import_prep" and "import_prep_dt" only apply to ratings put into our system via spreadsheets. Interns might learn this import method around week 5 or at another date, depending on their progress

- "name," "url," "checked_by," "note," "link," and "rating_id" columns are self-explanatory
- "import_prep" and â€œimport_prep_dtâ€ only apply to ratings put into our system via spreadsheets. Interns might learn this import method around week 5 or at another date, depending on their progress

- "name," "url," "checked_by," "note," "link," and "rating_id" columns are self-explanatory
- "checked_dt" - date the website was last visited
- "last_collected" - date the SIG labels as either election for endorsements or timespan of ratings
- "dynamic" - fill in this column if PVS has a specific schedule for ratings collection, usually if SIG releases dynamic ratings. Some examples are listed below
- "pdf_print" - this column is to keep track of whether or not the scorecards and endorsements have been properly saved. PVS keeps electronic records as well as hard copies of all ratings and endorsements
- "type" - the type of information we have last collected from the SIG (either endorsement, rating, or endorsement and rating)
- "import_prep" and â€œimport_prep_dtâ€ only apply to ratings put into our system via spreadsheets. Interns might learn this import method around week 5 or at another date, depending on their progress
- "import" - enter the date when all the endorsement/scorecard information is saved into admin
- "webcheck_1" and "webcheck_2" - fill these columns with the name of the individual that preforms webchecks for the information entered into admin. The first webcheck should be comparing the information on the PDF scorecard and/or endorsement with the information on admin. After this, the individual is responsible for releasing to internal web. The second webcheck should be comparing the PDF scorecard and/or endorsement with the information that appears on the skittles.votesmart.org website
- "released" - the date that the information is released to live web. Should be right after webcheck_2
- "sig_id," "name," "link," "collected_by," and "note" columns are self-explanatory
- "dt_collected" - date when rating and/or endorsement collected and saved as PDF
- "admin," "tracking_sheet," and "filing_folder" - enter date when profile is created on admin, added to the appropriate tracking sheet, and assigned to a manila folder in archives; enter "no" if profiles are yet to be created

- â€œname,â€ â€œurl,â€ â€œchecked_by,â€ â€œnote,â€ "link," and â€œrating_idâ€ columns are self-explanatory
- â€œchecked_dtâ€ - date the website was last visited
- â€œlast_collectedâ€ - date the SIG labels as either election for endorsements or timespan of ratings
- â€œdynamicâ€ - fill in this column if PVS has a specific schedule for ratings collection, usually if SIG releases dynamic ratings. Some examples are listed below
- â€œpdf_printâ€ - this column is to keep track of whether or not the scorecards and endorsements have been properly saved. PVS keeps electronic records as well as hard copies of all ratings and endorsements
- â€œtypeâ€ - the type of information we have last collected from the SIG (either endorsement, rating, or endorsement and rating)
- â€œimport_prepâ€ and â€œimport_prep_dtâ€ only apply to ratings put into our system via spreadsheets. Interns might learn this import method around week 5 or at another date, depending on their progress
- â€œimportâ€ - enter the date when all the endorsement/scorecard information is saved into admin
- â€œwebcheck_1â€ and â€œwebcheck_2â€ - fill these columns with the name of the individual that preforms webchecks for the information entered into admin. The first webcheck should be comparing the information on the PDF scorecard and/or endorsement with the information on admin. After this, the individual is responsible for releasing to internal web. The second webcheck should be comparing the PDF scorecard and/or endorsement with the information that appears on the skittles.votesmart.org website
- â€œreleasedâ€ - the date that the information is released to live web. Should be right after webcheck_2
- â€œsig_id,â€ â€œname,â€ â€œlink,â€ â€œcollected_by,â€ and â€œnoteâ€ columns are self-explanatory
- â€œdt_collectedâ€ - date when rating and/or endorsement collected and saved as PDF
- â€œadmin,â€ â€œtracking_sheet,â€ and â€œfiling_folderâ€ - enter date when profile is created on admin, added to the appropriate tracking sheet, and assigned to a manila folder in archives; enter â€œnoâ€ if profiles are yet to be created

Please skip down to the "Internet Research" section and read through it before getting started.
**Saving Copies of Scorecard**
We try to make a reasonable effort to contact special interest groups. A reasonable effort is usually 3 contacts using 2 methods of contacting each year. So, groups that have been contacted 3 times already this year can be skipped. Be sure to update the contact log corresponding to the relevant SIG on the ratings database spreadsheet.

Please skip down to the "Internet Research" section and read through it before getting started.
We try to make a reasonable effort to contact special interest groups. A reasonable effort is usually 3 contacts using 2 methods of contacting each year. So, groups that have been contacted 3 times already this year can be skipped. Be sure to update the contact log corresponding to the relevant SIG on the ratings database spreadsheet.

In all cases, we need to save an electronic and hard copy of the score card in the event that an external individual and/or organization contacts us wondering where these scores came from. We also need to save any relevant information such as scoring keys/legend, vote details the SIG uses, methodology of their ratings, etc. If the group only releases scores in a spreadsheet file, then we can just save that file. If the score card is released in PDF format, we can also just save that PDF file. If the rating is a table on a webpage however, we will need to either print the page to PDF format and save it, or with the link to the score card webpage, we can use this online site: http://www.web2pdfconvert.com or http://www.html-to-pdf.net/free-online-pdf-converter.aspx to save the rating in PDF format. After saving the PDF, be sure to view it by opening it to check and make sure the entire score card is captured within the PDF.
Lastly, print out the scorecard and/or endorsement and give to your supervisor to file in the archives. Interns will learn the archives around week 5 or at an earlier date, depending on their progress. Make sure to print out the scorecard in its entirety. In the past, some have printed only scores without printing the methodology or explanation as to which votes were used in the scoring. Life's too short to live in the past, so please print out the whole thing!
~-**__NEVER WRITE ON A SCORECARD.__** There will be times when researchers from other organizations will ask us for scorecards. Many organizations take down their web pages with old scorecards, making finding archived scores very difficult. If we have the scores they're looking for, we will give a copy to the researcher. If we fax or mail ratings, it looks pretty unprofessional to send a scorecard with our notes and other doodles on them

In all cases, we need to save an electronic and hard copy of the score card in the event that an external individual and/or organization contacts us wondering where these scores came from. We also need to save any relevant information such as scoring keys/legend, vote details the SIG uses, methodology of their ratings, etc. If the group only releases scores in a spreadsheet file, then we can just save that file. If the score card is released in PDF format, we can also just save that PDF file. If the rating is a table on a webpage however, we will need to either print the page to PDF format and save it, or with the link to the score card webpage, we can use this online site: http://www.web2pdfconvert.com or http://www.html-to-pdf.net/free-online-pdf-converter.aspx to save the rating in PDF format. After saving the PDF, be sure to view it by opening it to check and make sure the entire score card is captured within the PDF. Lastly, print out the scorecard and/or endorsement and give to your supervisor to file in the archives. Interns will learn the archives around week 5 or at an earlier date, depending on their progress.

- â€œname,â€ â€œurl,â€ â€œchecked_by,â€ â€œnote,â€ "link," and â€œrating_idâ€ columns are self-explanatory
Be aware that some groups may feature the rating directly on their website, while some may be in PDF form. If a rating is a PDF, simply right click the link to the PDF and select "Copy Link Address." Paste this in the spreadsheet.
Some of the SIGs we follow will close their doors and will no longer exist in the world of SIGs. When you come across news articles or other reliability sources which notify you that this is the case: delete contact information and include the following phrase at the end of the group's description "This organization was dissolved in [date of closure]. Its archives are kept here as a public service. - Project Vote Smart". Please keep the categories/tags, description of group, ratings and endorsements for the group. In the tracking sheet, enter "no_exist" in the notes column.

- â€œname,â€ â€œurl,â€ â€œchecked_by,â€ â€œnote,â€ and â€œrating_idâ€ columns are self-explanatory
Be aware that some groups may feature the rating directly on their website, while some may be in PDF form. If a rating is a PDF, simply right click the link to the PDF and select "Copy Link Address." Paste this in column E.
Some of the SIGs we follow will close their doors and will no longer exist in the world of SIGs. When you come across news articles or other reliability sources which notify you that this is the case: delete contact information and include the following phrase at the end of the group's description "This organization was dissolved in [date of closure]. Its archives are kept here as a public service. - Project Vote Smart". Please keep the categories/tags, description of group, ratings and endorsements for the group.

You will be looking for ratings from past legislative sessions. For example, in 2012 we looked for ratings primarily from 2010 and 2011. Congressional sessions last two years; for instance the 112th Congress consists of 2011, which is the first session, and 2012, the second session. The first session of the 113th Congress takes place in 2013, and the second will take place in 2014. State legislatures will have sessions that last 1 or 2 years, with some convening only every two years. Organizations differ as to how often they compile ratings; some organizations will release ratings on a yearly basis, while others will only do ratings for a full session of Congress. While more often than not, you will only need to collect the most recent rating, you should doublecheck the ratings we have previously collected in admin or your tracking sheet and confirm that we are not missing any other previous ratings.
**Tracking Sheets**
Tracking Sheets help us keep track of the process of adding ratings and endorsements from special interest groups onto Project Vote Smart's website. We keep our tracking sheets on Google Docs. To add the Ratings folder with all the necessary tracking sheets: open Google account and go to Groups > My Groups > Research Department. Search "research" in the search bar and the research Google docs folder should show up. Open the folder and click "Save to Drive."
Notice that there are different tracking sheets divided up by year and by level - either national or state. An explanation of each column in the respective tracking sheet follows:
__State_SIGs, Major_National_SIGs_Tracking, Ratings_Tracking:__
- â€œname,â€ â€œurl,â€ â€œchecked_by,â€ â€œnote,â€ and â€œrating_idâ€ columns are self-explanatory
- â€œchecked_dtâ€ - date the website was last visited
- â€œlast_collectedâ€ - date the SIG labels as either election for endorsements or timespan of ratings
- â€œdynamicâ€ - fill in this column if PVS has a specific schedule for ratings collection, usually if SIG releases dynamic ratings. Some examples are listed below
- EOY: end of year
- quarterly
- â€œpdf_printâ€ - this column is to keep track of whether or not the scorecards and endorsements have been properly saved. PVS keeps electronic records as well as hard copies of all ratings and endorsements
- â€œtypeâ€ - the type of information we have last collected from the SIG (either endorsement, rating, or endorsement and rating)
- â€œimport_prepâ€ and â€œimport_prep_dtâ€ only apply to ratings put into our system via spreadsheets. Interns might learn this import method around week 5 or at another date, depending on their progress
- â€œimportâ€ - enter the date when all the endorsement/scorecard information is saved into admin
- â€œwebcheck_1â€ and â€œwebcheck_2â€ - fill these columns with the name of the individual that preforms webchecks for the information entered into admin. The first webcheck should be comparing the information on the PDF scorecard and/or endorsement with the information on admin. After this, the individual is responsible for releasing to internal web. The second webcheck should be comparing the PDF scorecard and/or endorsement with the information that appears on the skittles.votesmart.org website
- â€œreleasedâ€ - the date that the information is released to live web. Should be right after webcheck_2
__New_SIGs:__
- â€œsig_id,â€ â€œname,â€ â€œlink,â€ â€œcollected_by,â€ and â€œnoteâ€ columns are self-explanatory
- â€œdt_collectedâ€ - date when rating and/or endorsement collected and saved as PDF
- â€œadmin,â€ â€œtracking_sheet,â€ and â€œfiling_folderâ€ - enter date when profile is created on admin, added to the appropriate tracking sheet, and assigned to a manila folder in archives; enter â€œnoâ€ if profiles are yet to be created
Before you start looking for ratings, it's helpful to know what ratings we already have in admin. You may be asked to check for missing ratings on the state or federal level. You can find this information on the federal and state ratings database spreadsheets. Scroll to the right of the page to see the ratings we have for each group in each year. Using filters in these columns is a helpful way to target priority ratings. Be sure to update these columns whenever you locate a new rating.
Finding Ratings is fairly straightforward; you will be asked to look for either state level or federal level scores. Click on the URL listed in the tracking sheets to begin your research. On the homepage of a given special interest group, look for any links that might lead you to a section where the group would evaluate members of congress. Often times, ratings are located under sections with names like "Take Action," "Issues and Legislation," "Congress", "Key Votes," and "Voting Records." Please take your time and click on any links that you think might be connected with ratings. Many of the organizations we have in our database use a program called Capwiz, so if the group's website re-directs you it's OK.
Another useful tip to find endorsements and ratings is to search "rating," "endorse," and "scorecard" if the SIG's website has a built-in search function. Endorsements tend to take the form of press releases, so it might be helpful to search for endorsements in the SIG's news feed. Do not spend more than 25 minutes on any one group.
If you are told to search for new groups' ratings, you might need to be creative to find new ratings because we have been looking for new groups for years. The first starting point would be to look at other directories of ratings, including but not limited to those listed under the Ratings Directories or Influence in Politics on [[http://wiki.votesmart.org/Resources the resources page]]. The second step would be to perform Google searches on key words that might lead us to ratings. Please note that we do not take ratings done on behalf of an individual, but will take ratings done by an individual representing a group. Groups do not necessarily need to be a traditional "interest group"- some businesses and news media, for example, will produce ratings.
In all cases, we need to save an electronic and hard copy of the score card in the event that an external individual and/or organization contacts us wondering where these scores came from. We also need to save any relevant information such as scoring keys/legend, vote details the SIG uses, methodology of their ratings, etc. If the group only releases scores in a spreadsheet file, then we can just save that file. If the score card is released in PDF format, we can also just save that PDF file. If the rating is a table on a webpage however, we will need to either print the page to PDF format and save it, or with the link to the score card webpage, we can use this online site: http://www.web2pdfconvert.com or http://www.html-to-pdf.net/free-online-pdf-converter.aspx to save the rating in PDF format. After saving the PDF, be sure to view it by opening it to check and make sure the entire score card is captured within the PDF. Lastly, print out the scorecard and/or endorsement and give to your supervisor to file in the archives. Interns will learn the archives around week 5 or at an earlier date, depending on their progress.

You will be looking for ratings from past legislative sessions. For example, in 2012 we looked for ratings primarily from 2010 and 2011. Congressional sessions last two years; for instance the 112th Congress consists of 2011, which is the first session, and 2012, the second session. The first session of the 113th Congress takes place in 2013, and the second will take place in 2014. State legislatures will have sessions that last 1 or 2 years, with some convening only every two years. Organizations differ as to how often they compile ratings; some organizations will release ratings on a yearly basis, while others will only do ratings for a full session of Congress. While more often than not, you will only need to collect the most recent rating, you should doublecheck the ratings we have previously collected in admin or your tracking sheet and confirm that we are not missing any other previous ratings.
Before you start looking for ratings, it's helpful to know what ratings we already have in admin. You may be asked to check for missing ratings on the state or federal level. You can find this information on the federal and state ratings database spreadsheets. Scroll to the right of the page to see the ratings we have for each group in each year. Using filters in these columns is a helpful way to target priority ratings. Be sure to update these columns whenever you locate a new rating. Highlight the rating year in pink until it is released live.
Finding Ratings is fairly straightforward; you will be asked to look for either state level or federal level scores. Click on the URL listed in column B to begin your research. On the homepage of a given special interest group, look for any links that might lead you to a section where the group would evaluate members of congress. Often times, ratings are located under sections with names like "Take Action," "Issues and Legislation," "Congress", "Key Votes," and "Voting Records." Please take your time and click on any links that you think might be connected with ratings. Do not spend more than 25 minutes on any one group. Many of the organizations we have in our database use a program called Capwiz, so if the group's website re-directs you it's OK.
If you are told to search for new groups' ratings, you might need to be creative to find new ratings because we have been looking for new groups for years. The first starting point would be to look at other directories of ratings, including but not limited to those listed under the Ratings Directories or Influence in Politics on [[http://wiki.votesmart.org/Resources the resources page]]. The second step would be to perform Google searches on key words that might lead us to ratings. Please note that we do not take ratings done on behalf of an individual, but will take ratings done by an individual representing a group. Groups do not necessarily need to be a traditional "interest group"- some businesses and news media, for example, will produce ratings.
In all cases, we need to save an electronic copy of the score card in the event that an external individual and/or organization contacts us wondering where these scores came from. We also need to save any relevant information such as scoring keys/legend, vote details the SIG uses, methodology of their ratings, etc. If the group only releases scores in a spreadsheet file, then we can just save that file. If the score card is released in PDF format, we can also just save that PDF file. If the rating is a table on a webpage however, we will need to either print the page to PDF format and save it, or with the link to the score card webpage, we can use this online site: http://www.web2pdfconvert.com or http://www.html-to-pdf.net/free-online-pdf-converter.aspx to save the rating in PDF format. After saving the PDF, be sure to view it by opening it to check and make sure the entire score card is captured within the PDF.

**If a SIG is no longer a SIG**
Some of the SIGs we follow will close their doors and will no longer exist in the world of SIGs. When you come across news articles or other reliability sources which notify you that this is the case: delete contact information and include the following phrase at the end of the group's description "This organization was dissolved in [date of closure]. Its archives are kept here as a public service. - Project Vote Smart". Please keep the categories/tags, description of group, ratings and endorsements for the group.

If you are told to search for new groups' ratings, you might need to be creative to find new ratings because we have been looking for new groups for years. The first starting point would be to look at other directories of ratings, including but not limited to those listed under the Ratings Directories or Influence in Politics on [[http://wiki.votesmart.org/Resources the resources page]]. The second step would be to perform Google searches on key words that might lead us to ratings. Please note that we do not take ratings done on behalf of an individual, but will take ratings done by an individual representing a group. Groups do not necessarily need to be a traditional "interest group"- some businesses and news media, for example, will produce ratings.

If you are told to search for new groups' ratings, you might need to be creative to find new ratings because we have been looking for new groups for years. The first starting point would be to look at other directories of ratings, including but not limited to those listed under the Ratings Directories or Influence in Politics in t[[http://wiki.votesmart.org/Resources this directory]]. The second step would be to perform Google searches on key words that might lead us to ratings. Please note that we do not take ratings done on behalf of an individual, but will take ratings done by an individual representing a group. Groups do not necessarily need to be a traditional "interest group"- some businesses and news media, for example, will produce ratings.

If you are told to search for new groups' ratings, you might need to be creative to find new ratings because we have been looking for new groups for years. The first starting point would be to look at other directories of ratings, including but not limited to: [[http://wikipedia.org Wikipedia]], [[http://votereports.org/ Vote Reports]], [[http://littlesis.org/lists Little Sis]], [[http://ontheissues.org/Issue_Grid.htm On the Issues]] and [[vis.org VIS]]. The second step would be to perform Google searches on key words that might lead us to ratings. Please note that we do not take ratings done on behalf of an individual, but will take ratings done by an individual representing a group. Groups do not necessarily need to be a traditional "interest group"- some businesses and news media, for example, will produce ratings.

If you are told to search for new groups' ratings, you might need to be creative to find new ratings because we have been looking for new groups for years. The first starting point would be to look at other directories of ratings, including but not limited to: [[http://wikipedia.org Wikipedia]] and [[vis.org VIS]]. The second step would be to perform Google searches on key words that might lead us to ratings. Please note that we do not take ratings done on behalf of an individual, but will take ratings done by an individual representing a group. Groups do not necessarily need to be a traditional "interest group"- some businesses and news media, for example, will produce ratings.

You will be looking for ratings from past legislative sessions. For example, in 2012 we looked for ratings primarily from 2010 and 2011. Congressional sessions last two years; for instance the 112th Congress consists of 2011, which is the first session, and 2012, the second session. The first session of the 113th Congress takes place in 2013, and the second will take place in 2014. State legislatures will have sessions that last 1 or 2 years, with some convening only every two years. Organizations differ as to how often they compile ratings; some organizations will release ratings on a yearly basis, while others will only do ratings for a full session of Congress. While more often than not, you will only need to collect the most recent rating, you should doublecheck the ratings we have previously collected in admin or your tracking sheet and confirm that we are not missing any other previous ratings.
If you are unable to locate a rating through an interest group's website, try using Google. Use search terms like scorecard, legislative scorecard, report card, ratings, grades, recommended candidates, evaluations, capwiz, cq roll call, endorsements, rankings, and questionnaire, etc. along with the name of the group you are searching for. Example: "Gun Owners of America AND capwiz" or "Planned Parenthood AND legislative scorecard."
If you are told to search for new groups' ratings, you might need to be creative to find new ratings because we have been looking for new groups for years. The first starting point would be to look at other directories of ratings, including but not limited to: [[http://wikipedia.org Wikipedia]] and [[vis.org VIS]]. The second step would be to perform Google searches on key words that might lead us to ratings. Please note that we do not take ratings done on behalf of an individual, but will take ratings done by an individual representing a group. Groups do not necessarily need to be a traditional "interest group"- some businesses and news media, for example, will produce ratings.
We try to make a reasonable effort to contact special interest groups. A reasonable effort is usually 3 contacts using 2 methods of contacting each year. So, groups that have been contacted 3 times already this year can be skipped. Be sure to update the contact log corresponding to the relevant SIG on the ratings database spreadsheet.

You will be looking for ratings from past legislative sessions. For example, in 2012 we looked for ratings primarily from 2010 and 2011. Congressional sessions last two years; for instance the 112th Congress consists of 2011, which is the first session, and 2012, the second session. The first session of the 113th Congress takes place in 2013, and the second will take place in 2014. State legislatures will have sessions that last 1 or 2 years, with some convening only every two years. Organizations differ as to how often they compile ratings; some organizations will release ratings on a yearly basis, while others will only do ratings for a full session of Congress.
If you are unable to locate a rating through an interest group's website, try using Google. Use search terms like scorecard, legislative scorecard, report card, ratings, grades, recommended candidates, evaluations, capwiz, endorsements, rankings, and questionnaire, etc. along with the name of the group you are searching for. Example: "Gun Owners of America AND capwiz" or "Planned Parenthood AND legislative scorecard."
If you are told to search for new groups' ratings, you can use Google and Wikipedia, but remember that you might need to be creative to find new ratings because we have been looking for new groups for years. Please note that we do not take ratings done on behalf of an individual, but will take ratings done by an individual representing a group. Groups do not necessarily need to be a traditional "interest group"- some businesses and news media, for example, will produce ratings.
We try to make a reasonable effort to contact special interest groups. A reasonable effort is usually 3 contacts using 2 methods of contacting. So, groups that have been contacted 3 times can be skipped. Be sure to update the contact log corresponding to the relevant SIG on the ratings database spreadsheet.

If you are told to search for new groups' ratings, you can use Google and Wikipedia, but remember that you might need to be creative to find new ratings because we have been looking for new groups for years. Please note that we do not take ratings done on behalf of an individual, but will take ratings done by an individual representing a group. Groups do not necessarily need to be a traditional "interest group"- some businesses and news media, for example, will produce ratings.

~~If you are told to search for new groups, you can use Google and Wikipedia, but remember that you might need to be creative to find new ratings because we have been looking for new groups for years.~~

The groups that we collect ratings from call their ratings various things: scorecards, voting records, report cards, ratings, grades, endorsements, rankings, recommended candidates, questionnaires, etc. Groups usually provide these ratings to the public; however at times the ratings may be for members only and so will be more difficult to obtain. Ratings are usually free, but sometimes organizations charge for hard copies. If that problem arises, let your supervisor know. Additionally, keep in mind that groups you are contacting might not have heard of Project Vote Smart and you might need to explain who we are.
If you are unable to locate a rating through an interest group's website, try using Google. Use search terms like scorecard, legislative scorecard, report card, ratings, grades, recommended candidates, evaluations, capwiz, endorsements, rankings, and questionnaire, etc. along with the name of the group you are searching for. Example: "Gun Owners of America AND capwiz" or "Planned Parenthood AND legislative scorecard."

[[http://clients.confluencecorp.com/peaceaction/system/files/2008VR.pdf Peace Action 2008]]
The groups that we collect ratings from call their ratings various things: scorecards, voting records, report cards, ratings, grades, endorsements, recommended candidates, questionnaires, etc. Groups usually provide these ratings to the public; however at times the ratings may be for members only and so will be more difficult to obtain. Ratings are usually free, but sometimes organizations charge for hard copies. If that problem arises, let your supervisor know. Additionally, keep in mind that groups you are contacting might not have heard of Project Vote Smart and you might need to explain who we are.
If you are unable to locate a rating through an interest group's website, try using Google. Use search terms like scorecard, legislative scorecard, report card, grades, evaluations, capwiz endorsements, and questionnaire, along with the name of the group you are searching for. Example: "Gun Owners of America AND capwiz" or "Planned Parenthood AND legislative scorecard."

You will be looking for ratings from past legislative sessions. For example, in 2012 we looked for ratings primarily from 2010 and 2011. Congressional sessions last two years; for instance the 112th Congress consists of 2011, which is the first session, and 2012, the second session. The first session of the 113th Congress takes place in 2013, and the second will take place in 2014. State legislatures will have sessions that last 1 or 2 years, with some convening only every two years. Organizations differ as to how often they compile ratings; some organizations will release ratings on a yearly basis, while others will only do ratings for a full session of Congress.

You will be looking for ratings from past legislative sessions. For example, in 2012 we are looking for ratings primarily from 2010 and 2011. Congressional sessions last two years; for instance the 111th Congress consists of 2009, which is the first session, and 2010, the second session. The first session of the 112th Congress took place in 2011, and the second is taking place right now. State legislatures will have sessions that last 1 or 2 years, with some convening only every two years. Organizations differ as to how often they compile ratings; some organizations will release ratings on a yearly basis, while others will only do ratings for a full session of Congress.

In all cases, we need to save an electronic copy of the score card in the event that an external individual and/or organization contacts us wondering where these scores came from. We also need to save any relevant information such as scoring keys/legend, vote details the SIG uses, methodology of their ratings, etc. If the group only releases scores in a spreadsheet file, then we can just save that file. If the score card is released in PDF format, we can also just save that PDF file. If the rating is a table on a webpage however, we will need to either print the page to PDF format and save it, or with the link to the score card webpage, we can use this online site: http://www.web2pdfconvert.com or http://www.html-to-pdf.net/free-online-pdf-converter.aspx to save the rating in PDF format. After saving the PDF, be sure to view it by opening it to check and make sure the entire score card is captured within the PDF.

In all cases, we need to save an electronic copy of the score card in the event that an external individual and/or organization contacts us wondering where these scores came from. We also need to save any relevant information such as scoring keys/legend, vote details the SIG uses, methodology of their ratings, etc. If the group only releases scores in a spreadsheet file, then we can just save that file. If the score card is released in PDF format, we can also just save that PDF file. If the rating is a table on a webpage however, we will need to either print the page to PDF format and save it, or with the link to the score card webpage, we can use this online site: http://www.web2pdfconvert.com or http://www.html-to-pdf.net/free-online-pdf-converter.aspx to save the rating PDF format. After saving the PDF, be sure to view it by opening it to check and make sure the entire score card is captured within the PDF.

In all cases, we need to save an electronic copy of the score card in the event that an external individual and/or organization contacts us wondering where these scores came from. We also need to save any relevant information such as scoring keys/legend, vote details the SIG uses, methodology of their ratings, etc. If the group only releases scores in a spreadsheet file, then we can just save that file. If the score card is released in PDF format, we can also just save that PDF file. If the rating is a table on a webpage however, we will need to either print the page to PDF format and save it, or with the link to the score card webpage, we can use this online site: http://www.web2pdfconvert.com to save the rating PDF format. After saving the PDF, be sure to view it by opening it to check and make sure the entire score card is captured within the PDF.

If you are unable to locate a rating through an interest group's website, try using Google. Use search terms like scorecard, legislative scorecard, report card, grades, evaluations, capwiz endorsements, and questionnaire, along with the name of the group you are searching for. Example: "Gun Owners of America AND capwiz" or "Planned Parenthood AND legislative scorecard."

Interest groups "rate" or "score" state and federal legislators based on their stance on issues that they identify as important. Here are a few examples:
[[http://www.capwiz.com/nrlc/scorecard.xc?chamber=H&state=US&session=110&x=12&y=17 National Right to Life 2007-2008]] (example of a Capwiz rating)
[[http://clients.confluencecorp.com/peaceaction/system/files/2008VR.pdf Peace Action 2008]]
[[http://www.prochoiceamerica.org/government-and-you/us-government/congress.html NARAL Pro-Choice America]]

Please skip down to the "Internet Research" section and read through it before getting started.
Finding Ratings is fairly straightforward; you will be asked to look for either state level or federal level scores. Click on the URL listed in column B to begin your research. On the homepage of a given special interest group, look for any links that might lead you to a section where the group would evaluate members of congress. Often times, ratings are located under sections with names like "Take Action," "Issues and Legislation," "Congress", "Key Votes," and "Voting Records." Please take your time and click on any links that you think might be connected with ratings. Do not spend more than 25 minutes on any one group. Many of the organizations we have in our database use a program called Capwiz, so if the group's website re-directs you it's OK.
Each Capwiz rating is structured in the same way. You will first need to click on the "Issues and Legislation" tab. From here, click on "Key Votes", and scroll down to the bottom of the page. There should be 2 drop down menus labeled "US House" and "US Senate." This is typically where Capwiz ratings can be found.
Be aware that some groups may feature the rating directly on their website, while some may be in PDF form. If a rating is a PDF, simply right click the link to the PDF and select "Copy Link Address." Paste this in column E.

Finding Ratings is fairly straightforward; you will be asked to look for either state level or federal level scores. Once you are on the website listed for that organization, look for ratings. Please take your time and click on any links that might be connected with ratings. Do not spend more than 25 minutes on any one group. Many of the organizations we have in Admin use a program called Capwiz, so if the SIG website re-directs you it's OK.
When you find a new rating or new group that issues ratings, move to page entitled "Location of Ratings" on the ratings database spreadsheet and fill in the appropriate fields. Please be sure to put the link to the scorecard in the URL section. If there are separate pages for each chamber, please provide both links.

**==== Step 1. Collecting Ratings====**
**For those working on ratings collection at the University of Texas, use the following information to get started.**

**==== Step 1. Collecting Ratings====** IN PROGRESS 2/14
For those working on ratings collection at the University of Texas, use the following information to get started.

You will be looking for ratings from past legislative sessions. For example, in 2012 we are looking for ratings primarily from 2010 and 2011. Congressional sessions last two years; for instance the 111th Congress consists of 2009, which is the first session, and 2010, the second session. The first session of the 112th Congress took place in 2011, and the second is taking place right now. State legislatures will have sessions that last 1 or 2 years, with some convening only every two years. Organizations differ as to how often they compile ratings; some organizations will release ratings on a yearly basis, while others will only do ratings for a full session of Congress.
For those working on ratings collection at the University of Texas, use the following information to get started.
-First, go to [[docs.google.com Google Documents]] and log in using the following information:
Username: pvs.research.dept
Password: commonground11*
-Once you've logged in, open the "Ratings Collection Tracking Sheet." This document has two tabs in the bottom left hand corner marked "National" and "State." The "National" tab contains every special interest group that rates federal officials from our database in column A, and this will be our primary focus to start.
-In column B, you will find the link to each special interest group's website. If at anytime throughout your research you find one of these URL's to be incorrect, please insert the correct one, and add the note "updated URL" to column I.
-Column C contains the year of the most recent rating we have in our database. So, if column C contains the year 2010, you will be looking for ratings from 2011. If 2009, then you will be looking for 2010 and 2011 ratings. If 2008, then 2009, 2010, and 2011 ratings. I think you get the idea...
-If you find a new rating, you will write the year of that rating in column D, and the link to the ACTUAL RATING in column E. If the scorecard is split (often times the House and Senate are rated on separate scorecards), add any additional link in column F.
-Regardless of whether or not you locate a new scorecard, please put the date of your check and your initials in columns G and H respectively. If you feel as though something you've come across requires further explanation, feel free to do so in column I.

You will be looking for ratings from past legislative sessions. For example, in 2012 we are looking for ratings primarily from 2010 and 2011. Congressional sessions last two years; for instance the 111th Congress consists of 2009, which is the first session, and 2010, the second session. State legislatures will have sessions that last 1 or 2 years, with some convening only every two years. Organizations differ as to how often they compile ratings; some organizations will release ratings on a yearly basis, while others will only do ratings for a full session of Congress.
Throughout the entire process you will be using and depending on The Ratings Database, which contains the organizations, ratings, and endorsements currently in our system. The database allows us to track the progress of the ratings you collect and process.

**==== Step 1. Collecting Ratings====** IN PROGRESS 2/14
You will be looking for ratings from past legislative sessions. For example, in 2012 we are looking for ratings primarily from 2010 and 2011. Congressional sessions last two years; for instance the 111th Congress consists of 2009, which is the first session, and 2010, the second session. State legislatures will have sessions that last 1 or 2 years, with some convening only every two years. Organizations differ as to how often they compile ratings; some organizations will release ratings on a yearly basis, while others will only do ratings for a full session of Congress.

**==== Step 1. Collecting Ratings====**
You will be looking for ratings from past legislative sessions. For example, in 2011 we are looking for 2010 ratings. Congressional sessions last two years; for instance the 111th Congress consists of 2008, which is the first session, and 2009, the second session. State legislatures will have sessions that last 1 or 2 years, with some convening only every two years. Organizations differ as to how often they compile ratings; some organizations will release ratings on a yearly basis, while others will only do ratings for a full session of Congress.

Before you start looking for ratings, it's helpful to know what ratings we already have in admin. You may be asked to check for missing ratings on the state or federal level. You can find this information on the federal and state ratings database spreadsheets. Scroll to the right of the page to see the ratings we have for each group in each year. Using filters in these columns is a helpful way to target priority ratings. Be sure to update these columns whenever you locate a new rating. Highlight the rating year in pink until it is released live.
To search for this information in admin click on 'SIGs' (Special Interest Groups) on the left-hand side of the screen. You will see a search screen that will have a drop-down menu defaulted to 'National' - click 'Search' if you are looking for SIGs that rate the U.S. Congress. For state SIGs, use the drop-down menu to select your state, then click on 'Search.' A list of SIGs will appear - click on a group to see everything we have on them. Use admin to fill in the ratings database spreadsheets as completely as possible. If there are ratings entries, click on each entry to be sure that the ratings are live; if a set of scores is not our live site (e.g., the status is 'admin'), let your supervisor know. Then, use the SIG URL provided to find the latest or any missing ratings.
When you find a new rating or new group that issues ratings, move to page entitled "Location of Ratings" on the ratings database spreadsheet and fill in the appropriate fields. Please be sure to put the link to the scorecard in the URL section. If there are separate pages for each chamber, please provide both links.
We try to make a reasonable effort to contact special interest groups. A reasonable effort is usually 3 contacts using 2 methods of contacting. So, groups that have been contacted 3 times can be skipped. Be sure to update the contact log corresponding to the relevant SIG on the ratings database spreadsheet.

Before you start looking for ratings, it's helpful to know what ratings we already have in admin. You may be asked to check for missing ratings on the state or federal level. You can find spreadsheets that track the ratings we have and years that are missing in either the state or federal folders in the Research drive. To get to those spreadsheets:
~-State: Research--> Ratings--> State Ratings--> State Check
~-Federal: Research--> Ratings--> Fed Ratings--> Fed Check
Once you have a check spreadsheet open, go into admin and click on 'SIGs' (Special Interest Groups) on the left-hand side of the screen. You will see a search screen that will have a drop-down menu defaulted to 'National' - click 'Search' if you are looking for SIGs that rate the U.S. Congress. For state SIGs, use the drop-down menu to select your state, then click on 'Search.' A list of SIGs will appear - click on a group to see everything we have on them. Use our database to fill in the checks spreadsheet as completely as possible. If there are ratings entries, click on each entry to be sure that the ratings are live; if a set of scores is not our live site (e.g., the status is 'admin'), let your supervisor know. Then, use the SIG URL provided to find the latest or any missing ratings.
When you find a new rating or new group that issues ratings, in the Research Drive go to Ratings--> New Ratings to Fix Up and Print. Open the "Location of Ratings" document and fill in the appropriate fields. Please be sure to put the link to the scorecard in the URL section. If there are separate pages for each chamber, please provide both links.
We try to make a reasonable effort to contact special interest groups. A reasonable effort is usually 3 contacts using 2 methods of contacting. So, groups that have been contacted 3 times can be skipped.

You will be looking for ratings from past legislative sessions. For example, in 2011 we are looking for 2010 ratings. Congressional sessions last two years; for instance the 111th Congress consists of 2008, which is the first session, and 2009, the second session. State legislatures will have sessions that last 1 or 2 years, with some convening only every two years. Organizations differ as to how often they compile ratings; some organizations will release ratings on a yearly basis, while others will only do ratings for a full session of Congress.

You will be looking for ratings from past legislative sessions. For example, in 2010 we are looking for 2009 ratings. Congressional sessions last two years; for instance the 110th Congress consists of 2007, which is the first session, and 2008, the second session. State legislatures will have sessions that last 1 or 2 years, with some convening only every two years. Organizations differ as to how often they compile ratings; some organizations will release ratings on a yearly basis, while others will only do ratings for a full session of Congress.

**==== Step 1. Collecting Ratings====**

~~**==== Step 1. Collecting Ratings:====**~~

When you cannot find a rating online, you will be asked to contact the SIG. Sometimes calling is the most effective; for other groups, emailing is best. Some groups respond well to the contact form on their websites. We should have the SIG contact information in admin, but if we don't then go to the group's website and use the phone or emails listed (and please update our database!). Some organizations will provide phone numbers and email addresses for specific staff members. Try to contact staff in Legislative/Government Affairs or Research departments. You can use the templates provided in the [[Appendix Appendix]]. Faxing and mailing requests is rarely done, but your supervisor may ask you to do it.

When you cannot find a rating online, you will be asked to contact the SIG. Sometimes calling is the most effective; for other groups, emailing is best. Some groups respond well to the contact form on their websites. We should have the SIG contact information in admin, but if we don't then go to the group's website and use the phone or emails listed (and please update our database!). Some organizations will provide phone numbers and email addresses for specific staff members. Try to contact staff in Legislative/Government Affairs or Research departments. You can use the templates provided in the Appendix. Faxing and mailing requests is rarely done, but your supervisor may ask you to do it.

The groups that we collect ratings from call their ratings various things: scorecards, voting records, report cards, ratings, grades, endorsements, recommended candidates, questionnaires, etc. Groups usually provide these ratings to the public; however at times the ratings may be for members only and so will be more difficult to obtain. Ratings are usually free, but sometimes organizations charge for hard copies. If that problem arises, let your supervisor know. Additionally, keep in mind that groups you are contacting might not have heard of Project Vote Smart and you might need to explain who we are.
You will be looking for ratings from past legislative sessions. For example, in 2010 we are looking for 2009 ratings. Congressional sessions last two years; for instance the 110th Congress consists of 2007, which is the first session, and 2008, the second session. State legislatures will have sessions that last 1 or 2 years, with some convening only every two years. Organizations differ as to how often they compile ratings; some organizations will release ratings on a yearly basis, while others will only do ratings for a full session of Congress.
Throughout the entire process you will be using and depending on The Ratings Database, which contains the organizations, ratings, and endorsements currently in our system. The database allows us to track the progress of the ratings you collect and process.
**Federal and State Checks**
Before you start looking for ratings, it's helpful to know what ratings we already have in admin. You may be asked to check for missing ratings on the state or federal level. You can find spreadsheets that track the ratings we have and years that are missing in either the state or federal folders in the Research drive. To get to those spreadsheets:
~-State: Research--> Ratings--> State Ratings--> State Check
~-Federal: Research--> Ratings--> Fed Ratings--> Fed Check
Once you have a check spreadsheet open, go into admin and click on 'SIGs' (Special Interest Groups) on the left-hand side of the screen. You will see a search screen that will have a drop-down menu defaulted to 'National' - click 'Search' if you are looking for SIGs that rate the U.S. Congress. For state SIGs, use the drop-down menu to select your state, then click on 'Search.' A list of SIGs will appear - click on a group to see everything we have on them. Use our database to fill in the checks spreadsheet as completely as possible. If there are ratings entries, click on each entry to be sure that the ratings are live; if a set of scores is not our live site (e.g., the status is 'admin'), let your supervisor know. Then, use the SIG URL provided to find the latest or any missing ratings.
Finding Ratings is fairly straightforward; you will be asked to look for either state level or federal level scores. Once you are on the website listed for that organization, look for ratings. Please take your time and click on any links that might be connected with ratings. Do not spend more than 25 minutes on any one group. Many of the organizations we have in Admin use a program called Capwiz, so if the SIG website re-directs you it's OK.
When you find a new rating or new group that issues ratings, in the Research Drive go to Ratings--> New Ratings to Fix Up and Print. Open the "Location of Ratings" document and fill in the appropriate fields. Please be sure to put the link to the scorecard in the URL section. If there are separate pages for each chamber, please provide both links.
When you cannot find a rating online, you will be asked to contact the SIG. Sometimes calling is the most effective; for other groups, emailing is best. Some groups respond well to the contact form on their websites. We should have the SIG contact information in admin, but if we don't then go to the group's website and use the phone or emails listed (and please update our database!). Some organizations will provide phone numbers and email addresses for specific staff members. Try to contact staff in Legislative/Government Affairs or Research departments. You can use the templates provided in the Appendix. Faxing and mailing requests is rarely done, but your supervisor may ask you to do it.

The groups that we collect ratings from call their ratings various things: scorecards, voting records, report cards, ratings, grades, endorsements, recommended candidates, questionnaires, etc. Groups usually provide these ratings to the public, however at times the ratings may be for members only and so will be more difficult to obtain. Ratings are usually free, but sometimes we are required to pay for hard copies. If that problem arises, let your supervisor know. Additionally, keep in mind that groups you are contacting might not have heard of Project Vote Smart and you might need to explain who we are.
You will be looking for ratings from past legislative sessions. For example, in 2010 we are looking for 2009 ratings. Congressional sessions last two years; for instance the 110th Congress consists of 2007, which is the first session, and 2008, the second session. Organizations differ as to how often they compile ratings; some organizations will release ratings on a yearly basis, while others will only do ratings for a full session of Congress.
Throughout the entire process you will be using and depending on The Ratings Database , which contains the organizations currently in our system. The database allows us to track the progress of the ratings you collect and process.
Check the database and look for groups that we do not have current ratings for. The Internet is the first way to search for ratings, but if you cannot find the ratings online you will need to contact the group later.
Finding Ratings is fairly straightforward; you will be asked to look for either state level or federal level scores. After you click on ‘SIGs’ in admin, go to the website listed for that organization. Then, look for ratings on that site. Please take your time and click on any link that might be connected with ratings. Do not spend more than 25 minutes on any one group. Many of the organizations we have in Admin use a program called Capwiz.
When you find a new rating or new group that issues ratings, in the Research Drive, go to "Ratings", then "New Ratings to Fix Up and Print." Open the "Location of Ratings" document and fill in the appropriate fields. Please be sure to put the link to the scorecard in the URL section. If there are separate pages for each chamber, please provide both links.
Sometimes calling groups is most effective; for other groups, emailing is most effective. Some groups respond well to the contact form on their websites. Go to the group’s website and use the phone or emails listed. Some organizations will provide phone numbers and email addresses for specific staff members. Try to contact staff in Legislative/Government Affairs type departments. You can use the templates provided in the Appendix. Faxing and mailing requests is rarely done, but your supervisor may ask you to do it.

You will be looking for ratings from past legislative sessions. For example, in 2010 we are looking for 2009 ratings. Congressional sessions last two years; for instance the 110th Congress consists of 2007, which is the first session, and 2008, the second session. Organizations differ as to how often they compile ratings; some organizations will release ratings on a yearly basis, while others will only do ratings for a full session of Congress.

You will be looking for ratings from past legislative sessions. For example, in 2010 we are looking for 2009 ratings. Congressional sessions last two years;, for instance the 110th Congress consists of 2007, which is the first session, and 2008, the second session. Organizations differ as to how often they compile ratings; some organizations will release ratings on a yearly basis, while others will only do ratings for a full session of Congress.

**Internet Research**
**Contacting Groups**

Internet Research
Contacting Groups

The groups that we collect ratings from call their ratings various things: scorecards, voting records, report cards, ratings, grades, endorsements, recommended candidates, questionnaires, etc. Groups usually provide these ratings to the public, however at times the ratings may be for members only and so will be more difficult to obtain. Ratings are usually free, but sometimes we are required to pay for hard copies. If that problem arises, let your supervisor know. Additionally, keep in mind that groups you are contacting might not have heard of Project Vote Smart and you might need to explain who we are.
You will be looking for ratings from past legislative sessions. For example, in 2010 we are looking for 2009 ratings. Congressional sessions last two years;, for instance the 110th Congress consists of 2007, which is the first session, and 2008, the second session. Organizations differ as to how often they compile ratings; some organizations will release ratings on a yearly basis, while others will only do ratings for a full session of Congress.
Throughout the entire process you will be using and depending on The Ratings Database , which contains the organizations currently in our system. The database allows us to track the progress of the ratings you collect and process.
Check the database and look for groups that we do not have current ratings for. The Internet is the first way to search for ratings, but if you cannot find the ratings online you will need to contact the group later.
Internet Research
Finding Ratings is fairly straightforward; you will be asked to look for either state level or federal level scores. After you click on ‘SIGs’ in admin, go to the website listed for that organization. Then, look for ratings on that site. Please take your time and click on any link that might be connected with ratings. Do not spend more than 25 minutes on any one group. Many of the organizations we have in Admin use a program called Capwiz.
When you find a new rating or new group that issues ratings, in the Research Drive, go to "Ratings", then "New Ratings to Fix Up and Print." Open the "Location of Ratings" document and fill in the appropriate fields. Please be sure to put the link to the scorecard in the URL section. If there are separate pages for each chamber, please provide both links.
Contacting Groups
Sometimes calling groups is most effective; for other groups, emailing is most effective. Some groups respond well to the contact form on their websites. Go to the group’s website and use the phone or emails listed. Some organizations will provide phone numbers and email addresses for specific staff members. Try to contact staff in Legislative/Government Affairs type departments. You can use the templates provided in the Appendix. Faxing and mailing requests is rarely done, but your supervisor may ask you to do it.
We try to make a reasonable effort to contact special interest groups. A reasonable effort is usually 3 contacts using 2 methods of contacting. So, groups that have been contacted 3 times can be skipped.

The groups that we collect ratings from call their ratings various things: scorecards, voting records, report cards, ratings, grades, endorsements, recommended candidates, questionnaires, etc. Groups usually provide these ratings to the public, however at times the ratings may be for members only and it will be more difficult to obtain them. Ratings are usually free, but sometimes we are required to pay for hard copies. If that problem arises, let your supervisor know. Additionally, keep in mind that groups you are contacting might not have heard of Project Vote Smart and you might need to explain who we are.
You will be looking for ratings from the past legislative session, for example in 2007 we are looking for 2005-2006 ratings. Congressional sessions consist of 2 one-year sessions, for instance the 109th Congress consists of 2005, which is the first session of the 109th Congress, and 2006, which is the second session of the 109th Congress. Organizations differ as to how often they compile ratings; some organizations will release ratings on a yearly basis, while others will only do ratings for a full session of Congress consisting of a full two-year span.
Throughout the entire process you will be using and depending on [[database The Ratings Database]] , which contains the Organizations which we currently have information from. The database allow us to track the progress of the ratings you collect and process.
Finding Ratings for the Federal level is fairly straightforward; there are about 150 groups to look for. It is very important to understand that Congress is a two-year time period the 109th congress (2005-2006) just ended. At times you will find Ratings for the current session, but just note these for future reference.
First, check the database and look for groups that we do not have current ratings for (i.e. the last session of congress), but have yet to be contacted. The Internet is the first way to search for ratings, but if you cannot find ratings on the website, you will need to contact the group later.
**Internet Research**
Go to the websites listed in the database or Admin (click on SIGs from the main page). Then, look for ratings on that site. There is a great variety in where ratings are found on websites, so take your time and click on any link that might be connected with ratings. Do not spend more than 25 minutes on any one group. Many of the organizations we have in Admin use a program called [[Capwiz Capwiz]].
When you find a new rating or new group, talk to your supervisor. He or she will probably instruct you to print it or email it to him or her.
**Contacting Groups**
For some groups, calling groups is most effective, for other groups, emailing is most effective, and some groups respond well to the contact form on their websites. Go to the groups website and use the phone or emails listed on the site. Some organizations will provide phone numbers and email addresses for specific staff members. Try to contact staff in Legislative/Government Affairs type departments. You can use the templates provided in the [[Appendix Appendix]]. Faxing and mailing requests is rarely done, but your supervisor may ask you to do it. If you get a new rating from contacting an organization, talk to your supervisor.
We try to make a reasonable effort to contact special interest groups. A reasonable effort is usually 3 contacts using 2 methods of contacting. So, groups that have been contacted 3 times can be skipped.
**Be sure to update the database when you find a new rating, find new contact information, or attempt to contact a group.**
**When you find a rating:**
~- Print it out in it's entirety.
~- Make a copy of the original.
~- Make two folders: one for the original that goes in the cabinet and one for the copy that will be entered and go through the checking process.

**Be sure to update the database when you find a new rating, find new contact information, or attempt to contact a group.**
**When you find a rating:**
~- Print it out in it's entirety.
~- Make a copy of the original.
~- Make two folders: one for the original that goes in the cabinet and one for the copy that will be entered and go through the checking process.

~~Be sure to update the database when you find a new rating, find new contact information, or attempt to contact a group.~~

First, check the database and look for groups that we do not have current ratings for (i.e. the last session of congress), but have yet to be contacted. The Internet is the first way to search for ratings, but if you cannot find ratings on the website, you will need to contact the group later.

First, look at the database (see the previous section for more details), look for groups that we do not have current ratings for (i.e. the last session of congress), but have yet to be contacted. The Internet is the first way to search for ratings, but if you cannot find ratings on the website, you will need to contact the group later.

Throughout the entire process you will be using and depending on [[database The Ratings Database]] , which contains the Organizations which we currently have information from. The database allow us to track the progress of the ratings you collect and process.
Finding Ratings for the Federal level is fairly straightforward; there are about 150 groups to look for. It is very important to understand that Congress is a two-year time period the 109th congress (2005-2006) just ended. At times you will find Ratings for the current session, but just note these for future reference.
First, look at the database (see the previous section for more details), look for groups that we do not have current ratings for (i.e. the last session of congress), but have yet to be contacted. The Internet is the first way to search for ratings, but if you cannot find ratings on the website, you will need to contact the group later.
**Internet Research**
Go to the websites listed in the database or Admin (click on SIGs from the main page). Then, look for ratings on that site. There is a great variety in where ratings are found on websites, so take your time and click on any link that might be connected with ratings. Do not spend more than 25 minutes on any one group. Many of the organizations we have in Admin use a program called [[Capwiz Capwiz]].
If you are told to search for new groups, you can use Google and Wikipedia, but remember that you might need to be creative to find new ratings because we have been looking for new groups for years.
When you find a new rating or new group, talk to your supervisor. He or she will probably instruct you to print it or email it to him or her.
**Contacting Groups**
For some groups, calling groups is most effective, for other groups, emailing is most effective, and some groups respond well to the contact form on their websites. Go to the groups website and use the phone or emails listed on the site. Some organizations will provide phone numbers and email addresses for specific staff members. Try to contact staff in Legislative/Government Affairs type departments. You can use the templates provided in the [[Appendix Appendix]]. Faxing and mailing requests is rarely done, but your supervisor may ask you to do it. If you get a new rating from contacting an organization, talk to your supervisor.
We try to make a reasonable effort to contact special interest groups. A reasonable effort is usually 3 contacts using 2 methods of contacting. So, groups that have been contacted 3 times can be skipped.
Be sure to update the database when you find a new rating, find new contact information, or attempt to contact a group.

Throughout the entire process you will be using and depending on databases, which contain the Organizations which we currently have information from. These databases allow us to track the progress of the ratings you collect and process:
[[database The Ratings Database]]

The groups that we collect ratings from call their ratings various things: scorecards, voting records, report cards, ratings, grades, endorsements, recommended candidates, questionnaires, etc. Groups usually provide these ratings to the public, however at times the ratings may be for members only and it will be more difficult to obtain them. Ratings are usually free, but sometimes we are required to pay for hard copies. If that problem arises, let your supervisor know. Additionally, keep in mind that groups you are contacting might not have heard of Project Vote Smart and you might need to explain who we are.

You will be looking for ratings from the past legislative session, for example in 2007 we are looking for 2005-2006 ratings. Congressional sessions consist of 2 one-year sessions, for instance the 109th Congress consists of 2005, which is the first session of the 109th Congress, and 2006, which is the second session of the 109th Congress. Organizations differ as to how often they compile ratings; some organizations will release ratings on a yearly basis, while others will only do ratings for a full session of Congress consisting of a full two-year span.

Throughout the entire process you will be using and depending on databases, which contain the Organizations which we currently have information from. These databases allow us to track the progress of the ratings you collect and process:

[[database The Ratings Database]]

PVSWiki : Collecting

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