This self-directed course page features course content from the Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas' massive open online course (MOOC) titled "Investigative reporting in the digital age." The four-week course took place from February 3 to March 1, 2020. We are now making the content free and available to students who took the course and anyone else who's interested in investigative reporting and data journalism basics, including experienced investigators who seek to deepen their skills on complex investigations, collaborations and data journalism.
The course was taught by a great team of instructors: Lise Olsen, Alejandra Xanic, Lee Zurik, Denise Malan.
The course materials are broken up into seven modules:
As you review this resource page, we encourage you to watch the videos, review the readings, and complete the exercises as time allows. The course materials build off each other, but the videos and readings also act as standalone resources that you can return to over time.
We hope you enjoy the materials. If you have any questions, please contact us at journalismcourses@austin.utexas.edu.
Introduction
Materials
In this module you will learn:
Video Classes
1. Digging
2. Digging Deeper: Tools and techniques in four investigations
3. Interview with Pamela Colloff of ProPublica (Optional)
Readings
1. He’s a liar, a con artist and a snitch. His testimony could soon send a man to his death.[Propublica]
2. Public records search tools
Optional Resources
1. How to map connections between individuals, companies and more with VIS [journalism.co.uk]
2. Sources: Stuck on how to get sources to talk? Check the links below.
In this module you will learn:
Video Classes
1. How to launch an investigation- Key steps
2. A few tips that can ease work in your investigation
Watch Video Transcripts Slides
3. Interview with Denise Malan, deputy executive director at IRE and NICAR
Readings
1. Chapter 2 - Story-based inquiry: a manual for investigative journalists [UNESDOC]
2. Chapter 5 - Story-based inquiry: a manual for investigative journalists [UNESDOC]
Optional Resources
1. All Chapters - Story-based inquiry: a manual for investigative journalists [UNESDOC]
2. Rolling Stone’s investigation: ‘A failure that was avoidable’ [Colombia Journalism Review]
3. Spanish Version - La investigación de Rolling Stone: ‘Un fracaso que era evitable’ [Colombia Journalism Review]
In this module you will learn:
Video Classes
1. Opportunities for using crowdsourcing and social media
2. Do’s and Don’ts for tough investigative interviews
Readings
1. How to build a crowd-powered collaboration [Propublica]
2. How to handle a confrontational interview [Poynter]
In this module you will learn:
Video Classes
1. What data can do for your stories
2. Data tools & resources
3. Interview with Denise Malan, deputy executive director at IRE and NICAR (Optional)
Readings
1. Cleaning house [The IRE Journal]
2. Deconstructing data viz [The IRE Journal]
Optional Resources
1. Links for investigative reporting organizations/conferences
2. Finding international data tipsheet [IRE Conference 2018]
3. See the Schools Puerto Rico Plans to Close and Where Displaced Students Will Go [Education Week]
4. Shock Tactics [Reuters]
5. Rutas del Conflicto [Rutas del Conflicto]
6. 'I'm getting ripped off': A look inside Ticketmaster's price-hiking bag of tricks [CBC and Toronto Star]
7. Fans shut out: Only 96 seats available for general public for Leafs first home playoff game [CBC and Toronto Star]