top of page

Training Videos

New Year, New Lawmakers Recording

Watch SRC's training, New Year, New Lawmakers, to learn various ways for tracking legislators at the state and local levels. We'll discuss some potential ethical pitfalls of lawmakers and demonstrate two Sunlight-created templates that are helpful for keeping track of their words and actions over the years.

Created by:

Sunlight Research Center

Type:

Training Videos

'Tis the Season: Fa la la la Lobbying and Gifts Recording

Did you miss SRC's training, 'Tis the Season: Fa la la la lobbying and gifts? Watch this recorded training to learn how to track lobbying activities and gifts to elected officials at the federal and state levels.

Created by:

Sunlight Research Center

Type:

Training Videos

School & Work Recording

Check out this recording of School & Work, in which we discuss finding more information about a politician's professional and educational history. This information is applicable to investigating anyone's backgrounds, not just those of politicians.

Created by:

Sunlight Research Center

Type:

Training Videos

Social Media Sleuthing Recording

In Social Media Sleuthing, we look into various social platforms that can be useful in background reporting and finding more information on an individual. We are joined by MuckRock to learn more about how to use MuckRock's KlaxonCloud to track website changes.

Created by:

Sunlight Research Center

Type:

Training Videos

Getting Personal with Finances Recording

Watch Getting Personal with Finances to learn what you can find and analyze in personal financial disclosures from members of Congress. What are some things of note that could prompt further investigation? We also delve into ways to investigates anyone's personal finances.

Created by:

Sunlight Research Center

Type:

Training Videos

It's All Political Recording

Watch It's All Political to learn from our partners at OpenSecrets various tips and tricks for tracking political history, campaign finance, and lobbying records.

Created by:

Sunlight Research Center

Type:

Training Videos

Backgrounding Basics Recording

SRC provided a five-part training series in 2024. Backgrounding Basics is our first session of five, in which we discuss the importance of and ways to start backgrounding individuals. What information is key to collect from the beginning? We will also practice using our SRC-developed tool, the Timeline and Source List, to start organizing your investigation. We are joined by experts at MuckRock, who delve into the FOIA process and specific tips and tricks for more successful public records requests.

Created by:

Sunlight Research Center

Type:

Training Videos

Reporting Recipe: How to Track Undisclosed Political Billboard Spending

Political campaigns often use billboards to spread their message, but the spending isn't always fully disclosed in campaign finance reports. This guide will help reporters investigate reported campaign spending and billboard advertising in their communities, potentially uncovering discrepancies.

Created by:

Sunlight Research Center

Type:

Reporting Tools

USASpending Demo

This loom video demonstrates how to search USASpending to find information on grants and loans given to certain companies from the US government at the federal level.

Created by:

Sunlight Research Center

Type:

Training Videos

Senate efdSearch Demo

This loom video is demonstrating how one could have checked for Burr's PTRs on the Senate efdSearch database.

Created by:

Sunlight Research Center

Type:

Training Videos

Legislator Misconduct Database Demo

This demonstrates how to search the legislator misconduct database and set up tracking notifications on an elected member of Congress. It also shows what can be found on this website, including the accusations of misconduct and information on legislators missing roll call votes.

Created by:

Sunlight Research Center

Type:

Training Videos

GovTrack Demo

Here we show how to navigate GovTrack. We demonstrate various ways to search this database and how to set up tracking notifications on an elected official. The video shows how to search for information on certain issues and how to check for committee information and assignments.

Created by:

Sunlight Research Center

Type:

Training Videos

Subscribe to stay up to date with Sunlight Research Center.

bottom of page