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COMM 315 - Investigative Journalism/Igoe: Getting Started

Welcome

Utilize this guide to help you brainstorm compelling story ideas, place your piece in context with thorough background research, and incorporate diverse perspectives.

The information in this table is loosely based on two documents: 

Please keep in mind that research is not a linear process, you may find yourself circling back to various "steps" as new questions emerge.  

Research Process

  • 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 long will it take to obtain it?
  • Create your research strategy. 
  • Schedule a research appointment with Christina!
  • 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 track of your citations in Zotero, Google documents, or a system that works for you.
  • 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 the story based on guidelines (ex. AP) and media outlet.
  • Quote from you research and paraphrase as needed.  Support claims with data and research.

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

Reed Library Books

Investigative Reporter's Handbook

Learn how to use fundamental news reporting and writing skills, from gathering sources and tracking information, to interviewing and pursuing investigative stories on a variety of beats with the Investigative Reporter's Handbook.

The New York Times Manual of Style and Usage

Available at the Research Help Desk for in-library use, or in the main collection to check out.

Telling True Stories

Interested in journalism and creative writing and want to write a book? Read inspiring stories and practical advice from America's most respected journalists. The country's most prominent journalists and nonfiction authors gather each year at Harvard's Nieman Conference on Narrative Journalism.

Deciding What's True

Over the past decade, American outlets such as PolitiFact, FactCheck.org, and the Washington Post's Fact Checker have shaken up the political world by holding public figures accountable for what they say.

Gatewatching and News Curation

Gatewatching and News Curation: Journalism, Social Media, and the Public Sphere documents an emerging news media environment that is characterised by an increasingly networked and social structure.

Hybrid Investigative Journalism

This book explores entrepreneurial attempts to combine traditional investigative journalism with alternative ways of organising this work.

The Associated Press Stylebook 2017 and Briefing on Media Law

The style of the Associated Press is the gold standard for news writing. With The AP Stylebook in hand, you can learn how to write and edit with the clarity and professionalism for which they are famous. 

Librarian

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Christina Hilburger
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