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Table of Contents
Introduction
Welcome to SIGS! On this page, you will find the resources and information that will give you a head start.Resources
Before doing any research effectively, you have to first familiarize yourself with the following resources:Our Website
VoteSmart.org - it is crucial that you understand how our data goes from the original source to our website, specifically the special interest group sections.Our Wiki
Sub-Wiki - you are here! our sub-wiki contains valuable background information, data standards, staff and intern expectations, and training and management guides.Admin
Admin - admin is Vote Smart's content management system (see Content Management System (CMS)). In laymen terms, it is a user-friendly way to manage the ins and outs of data onto a database that will be reflected on a website. Since most of our research will be available to the public via our website, you will be using this extensively and will be shown how it works during training.Digital Archives
NextCloud - this is where we will store research files and all the information collected, there are file naming protocols you will have to follow in order to maintain our data integrity and in case we need it to present the evidence of our research.Research
Our SIGs data consist mainly of ratings and endorsements from special interests group, the backbone of SIGs research revolves around the following process:- Collection
- Entry
- Documentation
- Data Standards
Research process are seldom subject to change, however there are many effective methods in successfully achieving the end goal of a research process. There is certainly no one size fits all approach when comes to research. One of the best way to gauge and create an effective method is to utilize the resources and technology given during that day and age. An effective method needs to fulfill all three of these: thoroughness, accuracy and speed (See Three Good Researcher Traits). It can be that you go through a SIGs website to find ratings and endorsements or you could develop a program to automate that for you, in any approach you use, it has to fulfill the three aspects mentioned above. Of course, you method has to be approved and made known. If you are an intern and you are reading this, you don't have to worry about it, your supervisor will be in charge of assigning you the task that is needed according to the time and place.
Collection
Collection is a time of sowing. 'Sowing' in a sense where you will be searching and discovering new ratings and endorsements, it could in some occasions will lead you to a SIG that we do not yet track.If you are assigned to this task, you will be in charge of going to special interest groups websites to find any new ratings or endorsements that a SIG may have published since the last it was checked. This can be done regularly on a quarterly basis typically through a national and state level schedule. Optimally, your goal would be to collect as soon as the group releases a final update. A strategic approach to collection would be to re-check for state groups a few days to a week before an election is held in that state.
See more details on collection.
Entry
Entry is a time of reaping. 'Reaping' in a sense when you will be sorting and entering your findings. This could be done simultaneously or separately from collection depending on the circumstances. If you wish to do it separately, make sure to store and upload your findings onto the digital archives. Uploading your files to the cloud not only creates a backup if your local computer hard drive fails you but also would allow others to track the files.If you are assigned to this task, you will be in charge of entering ratings and endorsements you have collected. This is a pretty straightforward task, your job here is to get the data you have from point A (your computer) to point B (our database). However, the means in which you will get from point A to point B varies depending on the data you have collected. Entering ratings would typically require of you to go through a semi-automated process (via a harvester) for the data to be uploaded onto the database. Whereas an endorsement would typically involve a manual process through our Content Management System (CMS) admin.
See more details on entry.
Documentation
Documenting your findings is as important as collecting and entering them onto our database. As much as we want to inform the public on our new findings, we will also need documentation to serve as proper evidence of our research. A good evidence will save a ton of time if there should be any inquiries for original documents and findings. Also, from time to time, we can make careless mistakes like publishing the wrong information or translating the wrong ratings. We go detective on this. And as detectives, we need leads and footprints, documentation serve as these and lead us to the root of the problem.And do not worry, you are not going to write any reports (we are not working as journalists). What we will instead be doing is:
- updating tracking sheets
- sorting and storing files
- creating worksheets that show our work
All of these will be uploaded to our digital archives on NextCloud properly put into place. It may sound tedious, but it will be a natural thing to do once you get used to this routine.
See more details on documentation.
Data Standards
"Vote Smart's mission is to provide free, factual, unbiased information on candidates and elected officials to ALL Americans." To fulfill our missions to provide factual information, we will need the assurance what we collect is factual, and that will mean the right sources.Sources
The vast majority of our sources are firsthand (See some examples here). A small number are taken from secondhand sources like the news media or other third parties after confirmation by the special interest group themselves. Familiarity with sources and a reliable routine will contribute to accuracy, thoroughness, and speed in SIGs research.Standards
This is again referred to the mission of Vote Smart, that we provide unbiased information. Whether or not you support a group's interests, you should never nitpick any groups in which you favor one group over another. All groups deserve the same treatment if possible. To add to this, the standard in which we enter this information onto our database has to be standardized accordingly with other researchers in order that we maintain the same product. Varying data standard can be seen as bias even though when it is not intended.Helpful Hints/FAQ
See Helpful Hints/FAQ
