Wonder Sourcing Method

1. WRAP YOUR MIND AROUND THE REQUEST

❐ Read the request multiple times before anything else. This includes reading through any vetting notes or previous research.

❐ As you digest the request, envision and write out what you think the ideal answer will look like. Leave blanks for variables and data points that you’ll fill in through your research.

❐ Brainstorm! Think about the types of sources that would satisfy the question and help you build that response. Make a list of possible go-to sources before you start.

2. MAKE YOUR SOURCING ‘PLAN OF ATTACK’

❐ Create a list of the research requirements and key criteria.

❐ Draft an outline for the final response, which will help guide your search strategy and organize your approach.

❐ Keep track of the strategies and resources you used for each sourcing request you work on.

❐ You may see 3 research plans pre-listed by a senior analyst for you to use on the page. If so, feel free to follow their lead!

3. JUMP INTO PRE-SEARCH!

❐ Start with background research before deep-diving to educate yourself on the topic.

❐ Use the following tools:

• Wonder Internal Database http://bit.ly/2yYMJSg
• Resource List in the Wonder Resource Center: http://bit.ly/2gWUugS
• Custom Google Search Engines http://bit.ly/2xctG2c.

❐ Use the pre-research to become familiar with the basics of the request topic so that you can formulate assumptions that sound knowledgeable and credible.

4. BEGIN YOUR SEARCH

❐ Draft search string variations. Try to approach a request from as many different linguistic angles as possible.

❐ Restrict dates using the Google search engine filter. (Tools >> Custom Range)

❐ Use the following tools:

• Wonder Internal Database http://bit.ly/2yYMJSg
• Resource List http://bit.ly/2gWUugS
• Custom Google Search Engines http://bit.ly/2xctG2c
• Google X-ray search, reverse lookups, reverse image search, etc.
• Advanced search strategies: Boolean strings, keyword variations, etc.

❐ Find your “golden keyword” if you get stuck, by using these tools:

• Google Keyword planner: https://adwords.google.com/KeywordPlanner
• Keyword Finder: https://kwfinder.com/
• Keyword tool: https://keywordtool.io/
• Online thesaurus: http://www.thesaurus.com/
• SERPS: https://serps.com/tools/keyword-research/
• Moz: https://moz.com/explorer/keyword/overview?locale=en-US&q=apples
• Wordstream: https://www.wordstream.com/keywords

❐ Don’t rely only on Google search alone. Search elsewhere!

Consider the following reliable sources:

• Crunchbase, Hoovers, Owler, Wolfram Alpha, Zoomph, Klear,
• SimilarWeb, US Census, American Factfinder, Statista, RocketReach
• Check out even more resources on the WRC: http://bit.ly/2xctG2c

❐ Reach out in the #02-general channel in Slack if you ever get stuck. Oftentimes, Wonder Mentors are available in the channel, so always feel free to reach out and ask for help! Pro tip: Make sure your questions are clear and well-explained - it’ll make it easier for other analysts to jump in and help!

5. EVALUATE YOUR SOURCES & NOTES

❐ Make sure that sources are dated within the last 24 months. In some cases, recent data will not exist, so you’ll need to provide sources that are older than 2 years. If this is the case, you must directly address this in your source notes.

❐ Make sure that sources do all of the following: support the client’s (stated or implied) goals, address all aspects of the question, present data credibly, are built on logical conclusions

❐ Double check that sources contain all the necessary data points for making calculations in the Summary Note.

❐ Identify the source publication date in the source notes & include quotation marks for direct quotes.

❐ Compare your “ideal response” to the actual response that you’ve formulated.

❐ Proofread your source notes and summary note!

SELF REVIEW CHECKLIST

Sourcing the Request

• Do each of the sources you listed satisfy some part of the client’s request directly?
• By combining all of the sources that you listed, is the client’s question answered fully and completely?
• Did you use enough sources to provide all of the necessary information for a Writer to answer the client's question without searching for additional sources?

Sourcing Relevancy

• Are all of your sources less than two years old?
  • Yes or No
    • If no, have you addressed this in the applicable source notes?
    • Yes or No
• Are all of your sources primary sources?
  • Yes or No
    • If no, have you addressed this in the applicable source notes?
      • Yes or No

Source Notes

• Did you provide source notes for every single source you listed?
• Do each of your source notes briefly summarize the key points of information in each source?
• Do each of your source notes explain why that source Is important to answering the client’s question?
• Do each of your source notes highlight the location of key information within the source itself?

Summary Note

• Did you provide a summary note? o Yes
• Does your summary note clearly explain how all of the sources listed fit together?
• If applicable, does your summary note clearly outline how you made your calculations?
  • Yes
  • Not applicable