If you missed Trent TV last Tuesday, you can still check it out here or at newmediatv.org. The Texas Watchdog staff discussed tips for backgrounding candidates in this free webinar for citizen-journalists, activists and journalists.

"Researching who is running for public office is probably one of the most central and integral jobs of a journalist or citizen-journalist in our society," Texas Watchdog Deputy Editor Jennifer Peebles said during the webinar.

Peebles recommended starting by vetting candidates' resumes, including their educational background, military service and work experience.

"Call the university that they say they graduated from and make sure they really got that degree," Peebles said. "Call their former employers and make sure they really worked where they say they worked."

The staff also recommended using public records such as voter registrations and property records, as well as bankruptcy filings, to vet the candidates' backgrounds.

Check out more tips by clicking on the player below or at newmediatv.org.

src="http://static.livestream.com/scripts/playerv2.js?channel=newmediatvorg&
layout=playerEmbedDefault&backgroundColor=0xffffff&backgroundAlpha=1&backgro
undGradientStrength=0&chromeColor=0x000000&headerBarGlossEnabled=true&contro
lBarGlossEnabled=true&chatInputGlossEnabled=true&uiWhite=true&uiAlpha=0.5&ui
SelectedAlpha=1&dropShadowEnabled=true&dropShadowHorizontalDistance=10&dropS
hadowVerticalDistance=10&paddingLeft=10&paddingRight=10&paddingTop=10&paddin
gBottom=10&cornerRadius=10&backToDirectoryURL=null&bannerURL=null&bannerText
=null&bannerWidth=320&bannerHeight=50&showViewers=true&embedEnabled=true&cha
tEnabled=true&onDemandEnabled=true&programGuideEnabled=false&fullScreenEnabl
ed=true&reportAbuseEnabled=false&gridEnabled=false&initialIsOn=false&initial
IsMute=false&initialVolume=10&contentId=pla_b302fe78-9209-4885-a15d-fc1b6e0b
b1f1&initThumbUrl=http://mogulus-user-files.s3.amazonaws.com/chnewmediatvorg
/2009/10/06/e7f60b47-f1b9-42e2-b604-9a54663ec62a_880.jpg&playeraspectwidth=4
&playeraspectheight=3&mogulusLogoEnabled=true&width=400&height=400&wmode=win
dow" type="text/javascript">