Working with the Google Scraper: an Exercise with Climate Change Skeptics

Preparation

1. Download and install Firefox.

2. Install the Digital Methods FirefoxToolBar.

3. Download the exercise material here.

4. Open the Google Scraper aka Lippmannian Device.

Exercise

The exercise is to query various sets of actors for mentions of climate change skeptics. With your group, query 'your' skeptic in each of the three source sets.

1. In the top box of the Google Scraper, input your source set URLs, e.g. the Climate Change Blogs network. By using this box, you'll be searching within the sites you've specified - leaving this box empty would mean doing a normal Google web search. Leave the box "Only query discrete sites" checked.

2. In the bottom box, input your query, which in this case is the skeptic name. Use quotes so that Google searches for the complete name, e.g. "Fred Singer"

3. Important: Give your scrape a descriptive title.

4. Click "Scrape Google." The text at the bottom left should indicate that the DMI toolbar is activating. Now wait for your results, and don't close the tab!