Salary expectations: how do you answer? (update)

I have been out of work for 3 weeks and feel pressure to accept less. I also do not want to sell myself short. How do you research fairly?

Thanks for writing this out. I went through something close to it last year, and it settled down once I kept a simple log of every call and form.

Check several sources for pay in Chicago, then pick a range where the low end is one you can live with.