School & Work

Tip Sheet

The School and Work tip sheet includes a Timeline & Source List template spreadsheet, an Investigative Checklist and suggested Source List. Use these resources to learn more about where an individual has worked and what schools they have attended and identify sources who can verify that information.

Watch the recording of this workshop session here.

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Timeline & Source List Template

Useful Sources

Always search the Internet and proprietary databases in addition to the sources listed below.

School

• Social Media Sleuthing Tip Sheet

• Ancestry Yearbook Archive

• Yearbook.org

• FamilySearch Catalog: Yearbook

• Findmypast (particularly helpful for archives from the British Isles, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada)

• Classmates.com

• E-Yearbook.com

• Internet Archive (Wayback Machine on University site)

• Search for thesis or dissertation

  • Check the Attended University’s Library Catalog. It should be indexed even if not available in full-text.

  • Google Search and Google Books Search

  • Ebsco Open Dissertations

  • ProQuest Open Dissertations and Theses

• Search newspaper archives (especially local) by candidate name (and name variations) - Sign up for public and state library cards to access remote sources. 

• Facebook Search Tool from IntelTechniques, see education tab

• Search video and audio archives

  • American Archive of Public Broadcasting radio and tv of pbs broadcasts - terms of use

  • C-Span Video Library archives every C-SPAN program aired since 1987 with transcripts, includes some radio transcripts - copyright and licensing

• TV News Archive search and view news clips back to 2009

• YouTube and Vimeo 

• Listennotes podcast archive search engine

• LinkedIn Alumni Tool search school’s page for alums by date and more

  • LinkedIn Learning Alumni Tool Tutorial

Work

• OpenCorporates: Make an account. It’s free! 

• Business & Government Search Tool IntelTechniques

• Documents Search Tool from IntelTechniques

• Search Video and audio archives (see above)

• USAspending.gov

• ProPublica: Tracking PPP

• SEC EDGAR Full Text

• Legislator Misconduct Database

• National Association of Secretaries of State find corp registry database by state

• Online Databases of Contracts with US State Governments Society for Institutional & Organizational Economics

• Licensing Sources in State Agency Databases - Links to State Licensing Databases you can search by name or business.LinkedIn (set all of your visibility settings to private)Here is LinkedIn’s advanced filter search.

• Search Google, Google books for resumes and bios details

• Search newspaper archives (especially local) by candidate name (and name variations)- Sign up for public and state library cards to access remote sources.

• Google Patents Search worldwide

• Patent Search USPTO

  • Patent Trial and Appeal Board

• Trademark Search USPTO

  • Trademark Trial and Appeal Board

• United States Court of International Trade: adjudicates civil actions coming out of US customs and international trade laws

• United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces: reviews decisions from the intermediate Appellate Courts of the services (listed below)

  • Army Court of Criminal Appeals

  • Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals

  • Coast Guard Court of Criminal Appeals

  • Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals

• Fold3 - Historical military records

• U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims: provides judicial oversight and review of final decisions of the Board of Veterans’ Appeals

  • Board of Veterans’ Appeals: determines whether US military veterans are entitled to claimed veterans’ benefits and services)

• Civilian Board of Contract Appeals: hears and decides contract disputes between government contractors and Executive agencies under the provisions of the Contract Disputes Act

• Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals: hears claims from contract disputes between government contractors and the Department of Defense or NASA

• Postal Service Board of Contract Appeals: hears and decides any appeal from a decision of a contracting officer of the USPS or the Postal Regulatory Commission

• Office of Dispute Resolution for Acquisition: established by the FAA to hear and decide award protests and contract disputes subject to the Acquisition Management System between government contractors and the FAA

• United States Merit Systems Protection Board: quasi-judicial, working to ensure protection for federal employees against abuses by agency management

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Investigative Checklist

Educational History

• What high schools, colleges, and graduate schools, if any, did the candidate attend?

• Can any degrees claimed by the candidate be independently verified with the schools?

• What clubs, sports, and other activities did the candidate participate in while in school?

Professional History & Verification

• What has the candidate done professionally?

• Can the candidate’s statements about his or her professional history be independently verified?

• If the candidate has any professional licenses or certifications, are these in good standing? Is there any disciplinary history associated with them?

• Does the candidate have a track record of professional achievement?

• Does the candidate’s professional history appear to have followed a logical progression? Was the candidate qualified for each of his or her jobs?

• Has the candidate, or any business associated with the candidate, registered any patents or trademarks?

Business and Professional Interactions with Government

• Has the candidate worked in industries or for companies that are highly regulated, contract for the government, or otherwise intersect with public policy?

• Has the candidate or any business associated with the candidate been subject to any regulatory enforcement actions?

• Have the candidate’s businesses received PPP loans or Economic Injury Disaster Loans? 

• Have the candidate’s businesses obtained government contracts?

• Has the candidate previously worked as a lobbyist, attorney, or other professional or consultant? If so, what clients did the candidate serve?

• Does the candidate’s platform or past legislation coincide with the candidate’s business interests?

Business and Professional Associations

• Does the candidate have foreign business interests?

• Has the candidate served on any corporate boards?

• Who are the candidate’s past business partners and associates?

• Were any companies where the candidate worked involved in controversies whose subject matter and timeframe coincided with the candidate’s responsibilities and employment dates?

• Were any of the candidate’s businesses involved in significant litigation?

• Do current and former employees share positive opinions about the candidate’s businesses on websites such as GlassDoor?

🚨 These Tip Sheets are incredible resources, best used in conjunction with their live, hands-on workshop session component. Workshop recordings are available exclusively for Sunlight Research Center members.

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Questions or comments about Sunlight's workshops and resources? Contact Elizabeth at elizabeth@sunlightsearch.net