Lightning-fastGuerilla tactics in

crowdsourcing

Sharon McNary

Public Insight Journalist

KPCC So Calif. Public Radio

Start with a Google Form• Search “Google Forms” for the how-to

Google Docs=>Create new=>Form

Write your questions

• Always include sortable base questions: First name, Last name, e-mail address, city, zip, state, phone

• Topic questions take various formats, multi-choice, radio button, checkbox, short or long text, etc.

• Here’s a stripped-down sample:

Here’s the real one on KPCC.org

Ask different types of non-leading questions, bias-free, seeking experiences.

Click submit, you get thanked, and the responses show up on a Google spreadsheet in your Google Docs.

Grab the link and shorten it (bit.ly shown below)

Get your link out there

• On your website in many places

• Hyperlinked within related stories

• In e-mails to relevant sources

• Call-outs on radio, TV

• To bloggers and gatekeepers who know the sources you want to know.

• In-person outreach

Whats next?

• Thank responders

• Ask follow-up questions

• Sift the material, store it, search it.

• Identify your story

• Report it out – remember these are just anecdotal tips.

And on to the next story:

For more info:

• smcnary@kpcc.org

• www.kpcc.org/network

• http://americanpublicmedia.publicradio.org/publicinsightjournalism/