JOUR 11200: Investigative Journalism

Library Guides will point out they key resources in a particular field of study.  If you are on a particular beat, you can use the guides to get started.

• Art
• Business 
• Education
• Health
• Law
• Politics
• Physics
• Sports

The following method is loosely based upon a document: Information Literacy Competency Standards for Journalism Students and Professionals.(pdf).   

You can also refer to the following book from Investigative Reporters and Editors:

Houston, B., & Investigative Reporters Editors, Inc. (2009). The investigative reporter's handbook : A guide to documents, databases and techniques (5th ed. / [edited by] Brad Houston. ed.). Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's.

PLAN

• What information do you need? What is your story idea?
• Identify what sources are best to use for your story
• How will the information be obtained? How much will it cost? How long will it take to obtain it?

FIND AND ORGANIZE

• Create your research strategy. 
• Make a consultation appointment with Cathy!
• Accessing information may include using Interlibrary loan, checking out a book, and accessing primary resources.
• As you work you'll add and subtract information as needed. New questions will emerge.
• Keep your information organized in a reporters notebook.  Keep citations in Zotero or Google documents or a system that works for you.

EVALUATE FOR ACCURACY AND FAIRNESS

• Summarize your information.
• Access the credibility of your sources and double check all facts.
• Recognize the cultural, organizational, historical, political and other contexts of the information gathered.
• Synthesize the information "big picture" and identify additional information based on related ideas or contexts.
• Consider how the new knowledge found compares to what was previously written.
• Check public sentiment and expert opinions.
• Re-focus the story as needed.

DRAFT AND CREATE

• Draft the story based on guidelines (ex. AP) and media outlet.
• Quote from you research and paraphrase as needed.  Support claims with data and research.

ETHICS
Follow professional guidlines by the SPJ, Poynter, NPPA, RNTDA and others:

• Society of Professional Journalists
• Poynter Institute
• National Press Photographers Association: Code of Ethics
• Radio-Television News Directors Association & Foundation (RTNDA)
• Editorial Integrity for Public Media



Here are a few organizations that support or conduct investigative reporting:

• Center for Investigative Reporting
• Center for Public Integrity
• Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE)
• Poynter Institute
• ProPublica